ADOT prepares snowplows in advance of season’s winter weather

FLAGSTAFF – The Arizona Department of Transportation’s statewide fleet of snowplows is ready to roll wherever and whenever needed now that crews have completed the annual process of equipping the vehicles with what’s needed to clear snow and ice from state highways.

Many of ADOT’s 200 snowplow vehicles are used for other important work, primarily as dump trucks, during our warmer weather. By late summer, crews begin to install the large plow blades and other equipment so those trucks are once again prepared as large, powerful snowplows.

Systems that measure and spread deicing agents on highways also are installed each year in the beds and on the backs of snowplows.

ADOT also held winter planning meetings in Flagstaff in early October that included hands-on training and classroom sessions for employees who will be available as snowplow operators in the coming months. Each year, ADOT has approximately 400 employees who are trained and approved to work as snowplow operators.

ADOT reminds drivers to also prepare for traveling in winter conditions, if necessary. Helpful safety information is available at azdot.gov/KnowSnow. ADOT also provides highway conditions all year via ADOT’s 511 Travel Information site, the AZ511 app or by calling 511. Highway information and answers are also available via ADOT’s X (formerly Twitter) feed (@ArizonaDOT) and the agency’s Facebook page (facebook.com/AZDOT).

During a busy 2022-23 winter season, ADOT snowplows logged more than 1.25 million miles clearing snow and ice from the state’s highways. The figure was 605,000 miles during the 2021-22 winter season. The agency’s snowplow operators logged more than 66,000 hours working to remove snow and ice as safely and quickly as possible from state highways last winter.