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DelDOT says $11.5 million spent on storm cleanup so far this year

Karl Malgiero/Delaware Public Media

DelDOT Secretary Jennifer Cohan told state lawmakers Wednesday that state has spent more than $11.5 million on storm cleanup so far this year.

That number is still far below last year’s $17 million.Cohan says despite the high cleanup costs, the department’s budget for storms is unlikely to change in coming years.

“This year was wasn’t as bad as the previous one,” she said. “I think we’ll probably stay at $10 million for at least three years and see how it goes, and adjust if we have to.”

Cohan also updated lawmakers on the state of potholes in the First State in the aftermath of the winter season. She says DelDOT has patched more than 12,500 potholes since March 8, and should complete filling most of them throughout the state by mid-April at a rate of 6,000 per week.

Cohan says that while this year wasn’t necessarily worse than last in terms of the amount of potholes, roadways may have more damage because of the kind of weather the First State this winter.

“We had rain, then ice and then snow, which does more damage to the concrete,” she said.

Cohan also announced Wednesday that Scott Vien will become the new director of the state’s Division of Motor Vehicles. Vien, a longtime DMV employee, was most recently its deputy director. He will step into the position vacated by Cohan when she was chosen by Governor Markell to become DelDOT secretary earlier this year.
 

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