UDOT preparing for winter snow removal

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Anne ForesterSALT LAKE CITY -- Most drivers probably aren't thinking about driving in snowy conditions just yet, but the Utah Department of Transportation is ready to clear the roads this winter using new technologies.

When a big storm hits, most drivers want the roads cleared quickly, and UDOT has a new plow that can do just that.

Interstates, highways and high volume roads, including 300 West, State Street and 700 East in Salt Lake City are typically UDOT's snow removal priorities

"It's not like the standard plows," said station supervisor for UDOT Tyson Vorwaller.

This winter UDOT will clear snow from roads and freeways with the state's first TowPlow. This new piece of equipment can remove more snow than a regular plow and more efficiently.

"If we're going down the road clearing a lane, it's going to be in our best interest to clear two lanes. This plow will clear up to 26 feet in one shot," said Vorwaller.

The TowPlow looks like a standard plow pulling a trailer that will swing to the side.

"If you're thinking we're losing the trailer, or the trailer is coming off, or the thing is going to go in its own general direction, it's not. It's actually how that thing was designed to work," said Vorwaller.

UDOT crews at Logan Summit cleared snow 152 days last season (42% of the year), while St. George crews cleared snow only five days

The TowPlow is just one of the changes to UDOT's winter operations. Plows now have cameras to see blind spots and a few will be outfitted with GPS tracking. One of the benefits of having this technology is that drivers can see with cameras. It also keeps track of their salt content and where they are on the road.

One problem UDOT faces every winter is putting down the right amount of salt. UDOT says $5 million is spent every year on salt. Monitoring how much is used will save about $500,000.

**By the numbers: UDOT winter maintenance**

• On average, Utah experiences 25-40 winter storms annually • 481 full-time maintenance employees, 566 construction staff and other employees who can drive snowplows • 498 snowplow trucks, 87 wing attachments for plows and 511 salt and sand spreaders statewide • 16,300 lane miles of roadway, excluding shoulders that snow crews are responsible for clearing • 79 primary maintenance stations (staging areas) throughout Utah

"Too much salt on the road, you're wasting the taxpayer's money. If you don't put enough, there's a risk that there may be slickness and it may cause an accident," said maintenance methods engineer for UDOT Lynn Bernhard. UDOT says this winter it looks to decrease costs, work more efficiently and keep drivers safe.

"It's us in there just trying to make sure we're doing the safe thing for the motoring public," said Vorwaller.

E-Mail: aforester@ksl.com