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Snowblowers help dig out highways after heavy winter storms

Snowblowers help dig out highways after heavy winter storms

February 26, 2019

By David Rookhuyzen / ADOT Communications

When a massive winter storm dropped multiple feet of snow across much of northern Arizona last week, ADOT used all of its resources to clear highways.

In addition to our fleet of snowplows, Tow Plows and other equipment, we also operate two snowblowers capable of removing deep snow drifts. The photo above shows one of the snowblowers in use as crews cleared State Route 89A between Sedona and Flagstaff this past weekend.

These snowblowers can move 4,000 to 5,000 tons of snow per hour and cast snow out 150 feet. If the photo above isn't enough, there's a video below of one in action in 2017.

The snowblowers are used on high-elevation routes that frequently see heavy snow. They are also used to open highways such as State Route 67 to the Grand Canyon's North Rim that are closed during the winter.

One of these blowers is usually stationed with our Fredonia-based maintenance unit in far northern Arizona. The second is based near Sunrise Park Resort in the White Mountains in eastern Arizona.