SPOKANE VALLEY -- The last two winters the streets of Spokane Valley were buried in snow, with county road crews working hard to clear them up. This year however the city is planning to do its own plowing only with a lot less resources.

In the past few years Spokane Valley has contracted the road work out to Spokane County. This year for the first time it’s decided to go it alone with their own equipment, which amounts to six plows and access to several graders.

In comparison, at any given time last winter Spokane County reports they had 15 to 20 pieces of equipment moving snow in Spokane Valley.

“It’s going to be a learning experience this year for us to see,” Spokane Valley City Councilmember Diana Wilhite said.

The county ended the plowing contract with Spokane Valley last winter and this summer Spokane Valley made the determination to plow their own roads, buying a half dozen plows a few weeks ago.

“The WSDOT had some equipment that they were going to get rid of so we were able to acquire that,” Wilhite said.

The Valley spent nearly $150,000 and bought six 10-year-old snow plows. Four of them spread salt while to lay deicer. They'll pay a contractor to supply the drivers and mechanics a handful of graders if they’re needed.

“This is another challenge we're taking on,” Wilhite said.

The city says it will save them money, hundreds of thousand of dollars even, but the big question is will six plows be enough?

“I think you'll find we do an excellent job,” Wilhite said.

Perhaps, but this year the city is looking at having less than half the number of pieces of equipment keeping the roads clear. Add to that the factor that each plow will have to clear a certain amount of roadway. More plows means faster turnaround; less plows means it will take longer to keep the roads clear.

In Spokane, for example, the city has 970 miles of streets to plow. Armed with 47 plows they will have one plow for every 20 miles of road.

Spokane Valley, however, has 435 miles of streets but only six plows, which figures out to be about one plow for every 72 miles of road.

City Councilmember Diana Wilhite, however, remains optimistic about the Valley’s ability to keep their roads clear as long as they get a little divine cooperation.

“Well it just depends on Mother Nature. It depends on how fast the snow comes,” Wilhite said.