ADOT Kids: Sharing your snowplow art, answering your questions
ADOT Kids: Sharing your snowplow art, answering your questions
April 17, 2020
EDITOR'S NOTE: During this unprecedented time, ADOT is creating transportation activities for kids. Please visit azdot.gov/ADOTKids or use the hashtag #ADOTKids on ADOT's Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts to see what we have going on.
By Steve Elliott / ADOT Communications
Thanks to everyone who took part in our first ADOT Kids activity about snowplows! I hope you had fun. We at ADOT sure enjoyed doing it.
Everyone here loved the colorings you shared. And thanks for sending us so many great questions about snowplows.
As promised, there's a slideshow below with everyone's colorings. At right, you can watch a fun video with an ADOT engineer who knows A LOT about snowplows and how we keep highways safe during winter storms. His name is Jesse Gutierrez, and his job is Deputy State Engineer for Operations. We sure appreciate him answering your questions about snowplows.
We have more fun ADOT Kids activities lined up for you. Until next Wednesday, April 22, we hope you will take part in our Keep It Grand Art Challenge. We want you to use sidewalk chalk or anything else you have handy to encourage people to keep Arizona looking great by not littering. Please follow this link for more information.
Next Wednesday, April 22, we'll have a new activity about how engineers build bridges. For more ADOT Kids fun, please keep checking back at azdot.gov/blog or by following the #ADOTKids hashtag on our Twitter,Facebook and Instagram accounts.
EDITOR'S NOTE: During this unprecedented time, ADOT is creating transportation activities for kids. Please visit azdot.gov/ADOTKids or use the hashtag #ADOTKids on ADOT's Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts to see what we have going on.
Caroline Carpenter / ADOT Communications
Did you know a snowplow weighs as much as five elephants? If you didn't, that means you may have missed our first ADOT Kids blog about snowplows. Over the next few weeks, we'll be helping kids learn more about transportation, construction and engineering. We'll be providing fun, educational activities for kids of all ages. You can search "ADOT Kids" on our website for activities or search social media using the hashtag #ADOTKids.
Now, back to those really big snowplows! Kids, did you finish your snowplow coloring activity? Make sure you email it to [email protected] so it can be featured on our website! If you haven't finished your coloring project, visit the ADOT Blog to print our snowplow images for coloring. You can also read more about snowplows and watch videos of them in action when you visit the blog.
After you've emailed your snowplow art to [email protected], take our quiz below to see how much you know about snowplows. If you still have questions about snowplows, get them answered by an ADOT engineer! Email your questions to [email protected] or post them on social media using the hashtag #ADOTKids.
EDITOR'S NOTE: During this unprecedented time, ADOT is creating transportation activities for kids. Please visit azdot.gov/ADOTKids or use the hashtag #ADOTKids on ADOT's Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts to see what we have going on.
By Ryan Harding / ADOT Communications
Did you know that one ADOT snowplow weighs as much as five elephants? That’s 30 tons!
Snowplows keep the highways in Arizona's mountain areas clear of snow and ice to help everyone stay safe. Operating these powerful machines are drivers who receive a lot of training, including spending time in a snowplow simulator machine. That training is important, since a new snowplow costs at least $250,000.
Check out the video at right showing ADOT snowplows and snowplow drivers in action. It's from 2014.
A snowplow driver’s job is very important in keeping roads safe for travel. The city of Flagstaff, which is about a two-hour drive north of Phoenix, can get 90 inches of snow in a year. If that all fell at once, it would be taller than Deandre Ayton of the Phoenix Suns!
There are two busy freeways near Flagstaff, Interstate 40 and Interstate 17, so that area has a lot of ADOT plows on the road when it snows. That helps keep everyone safe.
Snowplow drivers work for 12 hours. That’s like starting when you first get up for school and finishing at dinnertime! Can you imagine sitting behind the wheel of one of these large vehicles in a snowstorm for that long?
If you think that these snowplows are big, check out the second video about the TowPlow. ADOT has two TowPlows. They attach to the back of a regular snowplow, and the driver steers it clear even more snow and ice.
TowPlows are HUGE! They allow one driver in a snowplow to do the work of TWO regular snowplows.
By now, I hope you love snowplows as much as I do. There's lots more to learn about them at a website we call Know Snow. You also can check out our Know Snow YouTube channel with videos about snow, snowplows and winter driving. Both links will take you to lots of safety tips. Most of these safety tips are for drivers, but here's one every kid should know: Never play in the snow next to a highway. One reason is that snowplows throw A LOT of snow and ice way off the roadway. You don't to be in the way when that's happening!
We also have activities for you:
COLOR A PICTURE AND SEND IT TO US: When you color one or both of the snowplow pictures below (click on them for a version you can print), have an adult scan or take a picture of your coloring and email it to [email protected]. We'll add every one we receive by 5 p.m. Wednesday, April 15, to a slideshow and put it right here on Friday, April 17, so you can see your masterpiece along with everyone else's. We've included spaces for you to include your first name (only your first name), your age and where you live. We can't post photos of you with your art, but we'd love to show just your art. UPDATE: We've added a slideshow with everyone's colorings below.
SEND US QUESTIONS: When an adult emails your picture to [email protected], please send us questions you have about snowplows. We'll share the most popular questions with an ADOT engineer who knows A LOT about snowplows. UPDATE: We've shared this video below in which Jesse Gutierrez, our deputy state engineer for operations, answers your questions.
I can't wait to see what you do with these drawings and to see what questions you have about ADOT snowplows!
When snow beckons, leave prepared for cold and for heavy traffic
When snow beckons, leave prepared for cold and for heavy traffic
By David Woodfill / ADOT Communications
December 31, 2019
If you’re planning on heading to the high country to frolic, romp and make general merriment in snow, it may seem like everyone and their cousin has the same idea.
This is the era of Instagram, after all. All those social media feeds aren’t going to fill themselves with spontaneous, uncannily photogenic magic-hour selfies. Larger crowds also tend to gather on weekends around the holidays, especially along US 180 northwest of Flagstaff.
That can means lots of traffic and delays. It also can mean potential safety problems when some snow-players try parking along highways, which is a big no-no. Highway shoulders are for emergencies only, so for your safety and the safety of others you need to park in designated areas.
The photo at right, from a few years ago, shows people making the unsafe decision to play in the snow at an Interstate 17 interchange ramp. Bad idea.
If you plan to go and can commit to parking safely, you'll need to pack plenty of patience and some old-fashioned common sense along with coats, blankets, food, water and other essentials.
Plan your trip. If your destination is the Flagstaff area, the Flagstaff Convention & Visitors Bureau lists designated snow-play locations at FlagstaffArizona.org and offers a hotline at 844.256.SNOW.
Be sure to check highway conditions before hitting the road and look at the latest weather forecast. Visiting ADOT’s Arizona Traveler Information site at az511.gov or calling 511 will alert you to incidents as well as snow and ice on the road. For I-17 travelers, ADOT’s message boards now provide estimated travel times to Flagstaff, Prescott and other popular high-country destinations.
The free ADOT Alerts app, available for iOS and Android devices at ADOTAlerts.com, will notify users about weather-related delays and closures. In addition, it will alert those along US 180 if delays back to Flagstaff appear likely.
Finally, you may be able to save yourself time by heading home earlier in an attempt to beat the rush. If your trip back toward the Valley takes you on US 180 through Flagstaff, you can save time by using a marked alternate route to Interstate 40 at Butler Avenue, via Switzer Canyon Drive and Route 66, and then heading west to I-17.
Heading to play in the snow? Think safety, leave prepared
Heading to play in the snow? Think safety, leave prepared
December 27, 2019
PHOENIX – This week’s winter storms will have many desert dwellers heading to the high country to toss snowballs, make snow angels, sled, etc., etc. Have a great time if you’re among them, but leave prepared to spend extended time in frigid conditions and pack a fully charged cellphone and other safety essentials.
Wherever you decide to play in the snow, make sure it isn’t along a highway. Using shoulders for anything but emergencies can endanger you, your passengers and other motorists while interfering with first responders and snowplows. In addition, the Arizona Department of Transportation’s plows can throw snow and ice a great distance off the roadway.
Pack plenty of patience and common sense along with coats, blankets, snacks, water and other essentials that ADOT lists here.
Pay close attention to the forecast. The latest for Arizona’s high country calls for snow showers to decrease but continue into Saturday around Flagstaff while persisting over the White Mountains. Be sure to slow down on roads slick with snow and ice.
With ADOT’s snowplows likely to be operating in many areas this weekend, always respect the plow. Stay a minimum of four vehicle lengths behind and don’t pass a snowplow until the operator pulls aside. Remember: The safest place on an icy highway is behind a snowplow.
Larger crowds tend to gather on weekends around the holidays at popular areas such as US 180 northwest of Flagstaff. That often leads to delays at day’s end when people stream home en masse.
You may be able to reduce the chance of being caught in delays by starting back early. And those taking US 180 through Flagstaff can save time by using a marked alternate route to Interstate 40 at Butler Avenue, via Switzer Canyon Drive and Route 66, and then heading west to I-17.
The Flagstaff Convention & Visitors Bureau lists designated snow-play sites at FlagstaffArizona.org and offers a winter recreation hotline at 844.256.SNOW.
Be sure to check highway conditions before hitting the road. Visiting ADOT’s Arizona Traveler Information site at az511.gov or calling 511 will alert you to incidents as well as snow and ice on the road. For Interstate 17 travelers, ADOT’s message boards provide estimated travel times to Flagstaff, Prescott and other popular high-country destinations.
The free ADOT Alerts app, available for iOS and Android devices at ADOTAlerts.com, will notify users about weather-related closures. In addition, it will alert those along US 180 if delays back to Flagstaff appear likely.
Winter hasn’t officially started, but at ADOT, we know colder temperatures and icy conditions are on their way. We also know that our snowplow fleet is prepped and that our operators are trained and ready to go.
Our team is prepared, but we really need drivers to be ready, too...
Each year, I use this Driving Safety Home column to remind everyone that when you’re behind the wheel, you need to know how to handle your vehicle in snowy and icy conditions. As I’ve said previously, winter travel safety tips generally don’t change much from year to year, but that doesn’t mean we can become complacent.
So I’d like to encourage you to review the winter-driving safety tips on our Focus on Driving website. As always, be sure to share what you learn with your loved ones.
I also want to remind you about keeping your vehicle ready for winter trips and the importance of a winter emergency kit. Just like in the summertime, it’s crucial to be prepared and to expect the unexpected. You never know when a storm or a crash might create the need for an unplanned road closure that might last for hours. Drivers should be prepared.
Before you even head out on a trip, make sure your vehicle is in good working condition by paying special attention to the battery, ignition and exhaust systems, thermostat, defroster, heater, tires, and brakes.
You should never drive into snowy, icy or cold conditions without a fully charged cell phone, drinking water, and winter coats, warm blankets or both. But also consider keeping these items available too:
Gloves, scarves, caps and extra socks
Necessary prescribed medication(s) and pain relievers
First-aid kit
Flashlight with extra batteries
Ice scraper
Small bag of sand (or kitty litter) for wheel traction
Small folding shovel for snow removal
Travel tool kit and battery cables
Safety flares
Plastic bags or containers for sanitation
Healthy snacks
Road map
Also be sure to stay informed. You can visit ADOT’s Travel Information site at az511.gov or call 511 to get the latest highway conditions. ADOT’s Twitter feed (@ArizonaDOT) is an excellent source of information, as is ADOT’s free app that sends critical information directly to app users in affected areas — find details at ADOTAlerts.com.
For more information and tips on staying safe on the road this winter, visit our Know Snow and Focus on Driving sites.
It's time to start thinking about winter driving. Or should we say there's a "Hazy Shade of Winter" coming?
While Arizona is typically known for its gorgeous desert landscapes, we get our fair share of winter weather too. Did you know the average annual snowfall in Flagstaff is just a hair over 100 inches? That makes it one of the snowiest cities in the United States. Just this year, Mount Lemmon near Tucson can see snow as late at May and Snowbowl gets dusted with white as early as September!
Adverse weather can happen at a moment’s notice, and we want you to be prepared while out on the road. Please take some time on our website to Know Snow, and find out how you can be best equipped for traveling during the winter season.
But before you get in the car, check out our brand new snow and winter playlist on Spotify. It's 25 songs for the season, with lyrics about snow, the cold or winter, and all perfectly curated for an Arizona winter road trip.
So if, like Foreigner, you think it's "Cold as Ice," or, like the Counting Crows, you aren't looking forward to "A Long December," take this playlist with you. Listen along as you trek out into the unpredictable Arizona winter, fully loaded with the knowledge you need to arrive safely at your destination.
Believe it or not, it's time to Know Snow. We shared safety tips and more last week, including directing everyone to our Know Snow safety tips at azdot.gov/KnowSnow. With a winter storm at hand, here's a chance to put that knowledge to test!
TowPlows, training help give ADOT an edge when snow hampers travel
TowPlows, training help give ADOT an edge when snow hampers travel
November 14, 2019
PHOENIX – Arizona Department of Transportation snowplows will operate around the clock when winter storms hamper travel on state highways. For Interstate 40 between Flagstaff and Williams, the highest freeway stretch in Arizona, an innovation known as the TowPlow helps give ADOT an edge by allowing just one driver to clear snow and ice from two lanes.
The TowPlow is a steerable trailer with a 26-foot blade that attaches to the back of a snowplow. Two TowPlows are assigned to I-40 west of Flagstaff, an area that often sees intense snowfall.
Able to do the job of two snowplows by clearing a 24-foot-wide path, this combination lets ADOT clear more lanes in less time using less fuel. When possible, ADOT will run another snowplow alongside the TowPlow setup, clearing both lanes and the shoulder at once.
Everyone benefits from having all of ADOT’s two TowPlows and nearly 200 snowplows clearing highways rather than having some taken out of service when misguided motorists crash into them. That’s why ADOT’s Know Snow tips include this simple request: Respect the plow.
Here’s how you do that:
Give them room: Stay well behind any snowplow – a minimum of four vehicle lengths.
Don’t try to pass: Plow drivers will move over periodically and allow traffic to pass when it is safe to do so.
Think safety: The road behind a snowplow is the safest place to drive.
ADOT’s 400 snowplow drivers undergo extensive training so they can keep state highways safe. With the potential for winter storms to hit soon, now it’s time for you to get to Know Snow by reviewing ADOT’s safety tips at azdot.gov/KnowSnow.
For starters, slow down when roads are slick with snow and ice, leaving extra room behind the vehicle ahead. Take a fully charged cellphone, warm clothing and an emergency kit that includes blankets, food and water, medication and sand or kitty litter.
Check your vehicle before heading out in winter weather, making sure – at a minimum – that the tires, heater and windshield wipers are in good shape.
Before traveling, research weather conditions to determine whether it would be smarter to sit out a storm so ADOT’s snowplows can clear highways. Check road conditions by calling 511 or visiting az511.gov. ADOT’s Twitter account (@ArizonaDOT) and Facebook page (facebook.com/AZDOT) provide real-time information and interaction. And the free ADOT Alerts app available at ADOTAlerts.com will send critical information, including alternate routes, should snow and ice close a major highway.
So do you Know Snow in Arizona? If not, now’s the time to start learning with a trip to azdot.gov/KnowSnow.
Winter hasn’t officially started, but at ADOT we know colder temperatures and icy conditions are on their way. We also know that our snowplow fleet is prepped and that our operators are trained and ready to go.
Our team is prepared, but we really need drivers to be ready too.
Each year, I use this Driving Safety Home column to remind everyone that when you’re behind the wheel, you need to know how to handle your vehicle in snowy and icy conditions. As I’ve said previously, winter travel safety tips generally don’t change much from year to year, but that doesn’t mean we can become complacent.
So I’d like to encourage you to review the winter-driving safety tips on our Focus on Driving website. As always, be sure to share what you learn with your loved ones.
I also want to remind you about keeping your vehicle ready for winter trips and the importance of a winter emergency kit. Just like in the summertime, it’s crucial to be prepared and to expect the unexpected. You never know when a storm or a crash might create the need for an unplanned road closure that might last for hours. Drivers should be prepared.
Before you even head out on a trip, make sure your vehicle is in good working condition by paying special attention to the battery, ignition and exhaust systems, thermostat, defroster, heater, tires and brakes.
You should never drive into snowy, icy or cold conditions without a fully charged cellphone, drinking water and winter coats, warm blankets or both. But also consider keeping these items available too:
Gloves, scarves, caps and extra socks
Necessary prescribed medication(s) and pain relievers
First-aid kit
Flashlight with extra batteries
Ice scraper
Small bag of sand (or cat litter) for wheel traction
Small folding shovel for snow removal
Travel tool kit and battery cables
Safety flares
Plastic bags or containers for sanitation
Healthy snacks
Road map
Also be sure to stay informed. You can visit ADOT’s Travel Information site at az511.gov or call 511 to get the latest highway conditions. ADOT’s Twitter feed (@ArizonaDOT) is an excellent source of information, as is ADOT’s free app that sends critical information directly to app users in affected areas – find details at ADOTAlerts.com.
For more information and tips on staying safe on the road this winter, visit our Know Snow and Focus on Driving sites.
