Some legislators are protesting the state's decision to leave snow on nearly 2,800 miles of lightly traveled rural highways at night.

A dozen legislators, mostly Republicans, are asking Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter and the state Department of Transportation to have plows remove snow on those roads.

State Sen. Greg Brophy of Wray says the policy is a basic safety issue and not plowing the outlying highways is an ill-advised cost-saving measure.

But Brophy didn't offer another way to save money. He says transportation officials are better equipped to make those decisions.

Transportation Department spokeswoman Stacey Stegman says it's been general practice to leave rural highways unplowed overnight unless they are a hospital or school route or if more snow would close them.

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