Buffalo plans $2.7M snow removal expansion

Buffalo’s 2026–27 winter snow plan raises the budget for contracted snow removal to $2.7 million, up from $580,000 last year, to help pay for additional loaders and dump trucks to haul snow during severe storms. The city has also purchased five smaller tractors with snow blowers for narrow side streets, upgraded GPS-based tracking and mapping of plow progress, and arranged to obtain at least 25,000 tons of salt. The plan includes support for keeping plow routes accessible and clearing protected bike lanes and off-street paths. It also formalizes coordination with county and state partners to divide snow-clearing responsibilities if a major storm overwhelms the city, drawing on lessons from the 2022 Christmas Blizzard.