A winter filled with seven snowstorms and more than 30 inches of snow thus far has been costly for Rye, in terms of dollars and public perception about aspects of its snow removal process.

At Wednesday’s City Council meeting, Rye City Manager Scott Pickup said the storms have caused the city to use more salt than expected to clear roads.

Like other municipalities, Rye is allocated a particular amount of salt orders under a contract with the state. The city is now up to 90 percent of its annual salt order, meaning it will likely have to order more road salt before the end of winter.

“We’ll hit 100 percent of our state contract allocation” with a couple more storms, Pickup said.

The city typically makes salt orders in 150-200 ton increments, and uses an average of 60-100 tons of salt for each snowstorm, depending on the storm’s severity.

Pickup said the Department of Public Works might have to ask the city for additional money to order more salt. Even if the city reaches the 100-percent allocation mark, it can order up to 20 percent above that allocation under its contract.

Both Pickup and Rye Mayor Doug French said DPW has done a good job of removing snow this winter, but some residents who spoke at Wednesday’s meeting said there was room for improvement.

The city has received some criticism for not clearing snow from many crosswalks and intersections. Residents have said that snow piles near the curbs make sight distance difficult for cars and force pedestrians to walk in the street just to cross an intersection.

Jim Amico said someone should be tasked with clearing the crosswalks, either the city or residents who are already obligated under the city’s code to clear the sidewalks in front of their homes. Amico said DPW has performed well during recent snowstorms, but could be doing more to clear pathways for pedestrians.

“I think they’re doing a good job, but I think they can do a better job,” he said.

Pickup said the city has been clearing eight crosswalks that are staffed by crossing guards near schools. He said it would be difficult for the city to clear its 72 crosswalks because of the extra manpower required and because of the cost, which would total upwards of $16,000 per snowstorm.

“I don’t think that’s something that given our current budget condition, the city would be able to sustain,” he said.

Pickup explained the city’s snow removal process, saying that DPW usually clears roads within 24 hours of a storm, but has to prioritize what areas to clean up first. The high priority areas include commuter parking lots by the train station, public buildings and schools and the city’s major streets, such as Boston Post Road.

Councilman Joe Sack said that despite the cost, the city should make more of an effort to clear crosswalks, especially if it has been promoting pedestrian safety. He said residents are growing more concerned about the issue.

“This is something we should be doing, even if it cost a little more money,” Sack said. “I certainly understand from your perspective as the city manager, [because of] the costs.

"[But] If it’s something that we require our residents to do in front of their own homes, then why shouldn’t we be doing it ourselves?”