RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — The Virginia Department of Transportation has set its initial snow-removal budget for the upcoming winter.

VDOT estimates that its budget will exceed $145 million this winter. The snow-removal budget is part of VDOT’s overall maintenance budget of about $1.5 billion.

Last winter, snow was on the ground in various parts of the state from late October into early April.

The northern Virginia district has the largest snow-removal budget, at more than $50 million.

The snow-removal budget includes all materials, staff and contractor time.

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