Snow plows: Winter weather fighting machines

A KDOT Snow plow clears snow during a winter storm. There are 591 trucks across the state that can be used to clear snow and ice off roadways. 

Parts of the state may see some winter precipitation this week and KDOT crews are ready to combat inclement weather with some of the strongest winter weather fighting machines around: Snow plows and tow plows. 

KDOT has 591 trucks that can be used to clear snow and ice off of roadways.  Snow plows are a common sight during wintry months. These giant vehicles are essential to traveler safety and for helping commerce continue to move across the the state highway system.

A tow plow is a 26-foot-long, independently-steerable plow that can clear two lanes at a time. 

The tow plow is a 26-foot-long, independently-steerable mounted plow that can move  to the right or left. It allows a single driver to plow two lanes at a time and frees up other crew members who can concentrate on other highways needing snow removal. Tow plows are big and the truck pulling the tow plow is about the size of a semi-truck. There are seven of these distributed across the state to assist KDOT crews with fighting winter weather and they are located in Goodland, Colby, Hays, Salina, Ottawa, Bonner Springs and Olathe. 

While these tow plows are great for clearing multi-lane roads, do not try to pass them and don't crowd any of the plows as KDOT crews work to clear the roads. 

Check out this video where our talking cone friends, Mike and Earl, meet with a KDOT truck named Sandy to explain how tow plows work:

For road conditions check out www.kandrive.org or dial 511. 

Winter Ready Wednesdays: Plowing roadways

The average daily value of freight moving across Kansas highways is more than $606 million. What would happen to our economy if those roads were impassable due to snow and ice?

Parts of the state may see some winter precipitation today and KDOT crews are ready to combat inclement weather with some of the strongest winter weather fighting machines around: Snow plows.

KDOT has 591 trucks that can be used to clear snow and ice off of roadways.  Snow plows are a common sight during wintery months. These giant vehicles are essential to traveler safety and for ensuring that commerce continues to move across the 10,000 miles (25,000 lane miles) of the state highway system.

 For a second year, motorists may get a chance to see another winter weather weapon: The tow plow. 

The tow plow is a 26-foot-long, independently-steerable mounted plow that covers the right side of the lane. It allows a single driver to plow two lanes at a time and frees up other crew members who can concentrate on other highways needing snow removal. 

Last year, KDOT tested two of these plows in two different parts of the state. One tow plow was tested in Olathe’s heavy traffic. Another plow was tested in Colby due to its rural area and windier climate along the highways. KDOT has plans to purchase more tow plows in the future. 

Whether or not your area sees snow today, you can be sure that KDOT crews will be ready to operate these hefty machines in an effort to keep Kansas moving. 

As the winter months move in, KDOT will use a variety of methods to clear roads and infrastructure and help Kansans travel safely.  For the next several Wednesdays, we will share with you more ways that KDOT works to keep Kansas moving during inclement weather.

For up to date road conditions, check kandrive.org or dial 511.