12/7/2011
Reed Hollinshead
ITD Communication
208-334-8881
reed.hollinshead@itd.idaho.gov
Use of wing plows another ITD measure to improve safety, increase snow-removal efficiency
BOISE - New wing plows will be used on southwest Idaho roads for snow removal this winter. The Idaho Transportation Department asks motorists to be extra cautious and patient when driving near them, as the wing plow sticks out an additional 8-10 feet on the right side of a regular snowplow.
Click here for a picture of a truck with a wing plow. Here's a link to a video comparing a wing plow to a regular snowplow.
“It’s never a good idea to pass through snow being thrown from a plow regardless of which direction the plow is moving it,” said Dave Dansereau, Special Crew foreman for ITD’s southwest Idaho area and veteran of 12 years of snowplow driving. “You never know what may be under the snow that the plow blade picks up and would cause serious damage to a vehicle.”
“The snow being thrown from the plow will blind the driver and could be heavy enough to stop the windshield wipers from moving,” he added. “With the wing plows it is increasingly important to not pass a plow on the right, as there could be a wing sitting there.”
The wing plows are used on the same machines in tandem with the regular front-mounted plows. This is primarily a benefit in timely response, as crews can eliminate the need for a second pass by the plow to clear the lane and shoulder of snow, and saves fuel and labor costs. The wings are also a cost-effective solution: they are mounted on the same trucks ITD currently uses, and the department doesn’t have to add additional crew.
“The primary benefit is to be able to clear more snow per pass,” Dansereau explained. “On some two-lane roads, we can clear from centerline to shoulder in one pass, which can save two hours or more on some sections.”
“That has two benefits,” Dansereau said. “The road is cleared quicker, and that truck can possibly go help on another road section to clear it more quickly. Both of these help improve customer service and traveler safety.”
With nearly 2,600 lane miles in southwest Idaho and more than 12,000 lanes miles throughout the state, this is a cost-effective solution that helps ITD maintain the same level of service to travelers. The alternative would be to purchase more trucks and hire personnel to operate them, an option the department’s budget does not support at this time.
There are several wing plows that will be used on Treasure Valley highways this year, and some in outlying areas as well.
Helping equipment last longer and reducing the risks associated with winter snow removal are efficiency measures the department has adopted recently in an effort to help budgets stretch while still ensuring the same level of service to travelers. Here are a few other ways ITD is enhancing efficiency:
* Pressure limiters on plow blades are calibrated by weight and pressure to help the blade last longer by reducing the time that the blade is in contact with a bare pavement surface and the weight/pressure that is brought to bear. It also helps the operator keep a level plane on the blade of the plow, so the corners don’t get eaten away by running over immovable pavement surfaces, solid concrete or asphalt intersection corners or curb islands.
* The department also conducts daily (twice a day when the weather turns bad) avalanche monitoring on Idaho 21 in the avalanche-prone section of highway between Grandjean Junction and Banner Summit starting Nov. 1. Doing so can drastically reduce the amount and duration of closures, which is a benefit economically and for convenience.