Snowplows

With another winter storm blowing in on New Year’s Eve, Arizona Department of Transportation snowplow operators will work 12-hour shifts to clear snow and ice from highways. And they need your help to do their jobs effectively and safely.

With another round of winter storms approaching, the Arizona Department of Transportation’s snowplow fleet includes 25 new, high-tech vehicles ready to clear state highways of snow and ice.

ADOT's snowplow drivers are ready for the severe winter weather that's already underway. Can you say the same for your vehicle?

If you were born and raised south of Cordes Junction, let’s face it: You’re probably not an expert when it comes to driving in snow. We're here to help.

When a couple of October storms dropped early snow on Arizona’s high country, the Arizona Department of Transportation and its plows were ready because the agency prepares year-round for winter weather.

ADOT staff members in the field shared photos and video during the recent snowstorm to help drivers make safe decisions.

Mother Nature seems to think it's still summer in Arizona, but ADOT is gearing up for winter.

A snowblower in action doesn't scream "spring has sprung," but that's exactly what's happening on State Route 67 north of the Grand Canyon.

PHOENIX ‒ Three Arizona Department of Transportation employees working to keep highways open in recent storms avoided serious injury when vehicles struck two ADOT snowplows in separate crashes. The drivers of the other vehicles came out fine as well.

One of the plows wasn’t so lucky, however, when a semi rear-ended and severely damaged it Jan. 21 on Interstate 40 near Seligman. In addition to sending the two ADOT employees aboard to the hospital with minor injuries, the crash hindered ADOT’s efforts to clear snow and ice along that route.

The last in a series of winter storms has moved through. Here's a look back at the snow and rain as told through tweets throughout the storm.

In these back-to-back storms, our Twitter and Facebook accounts have allowed us to share what's happening on the highways -- and for you to share with us.

PHOENIX ‒ With the worst of back-to-back winter storms yet to come, the Arizona Department of Transportation’s snowplow operators are working 12-hour shifts to keep highways open. 

In some cases, other drivers are making that difficult job even tougher.

On Thursday afternoon, an SUV struck a snowplow working on State Route 89A between Prescott Valley and Jerome (as shown in the photo). Everyone was OK – though the SUV was severely damaged – but ADOT lost precious time clearing that route.

As Christmas weekend showed, a snowstorm can be so intense that travel can become unsafe quickly.

We understand the temptation, but the highway shoulder is NOT a safe place to pull over and play in the snow.

While ADOT works to keep our roads drivable and safe all season, the decisions everyone else makes are equally important.

PHOENIX – With winter and the promise of snow in the high country rapidly approaching, preparation throughout the year means the Arizona Department of Transportation is ready to keep highways open and travelers safe.

Through its certification and training programs, ADOT has 400 certified snowplow operators ready for winter storms.

Regular maintenance by ADOT Equipment Services has the agency’s 200 snowplows ready to go. Last winter, ADOT spent $2.2 million, an average of $11,000 per vehicle, to keep its snowplows in top condition.

When Arizona’s latest winter storm hit Sunday evening, ADOT crews went into high gear.

Snow hasn’t changed since the 1950s, but the way ADOT clears it from the road has.

We’re wrapping up the week with a new video that shows off some winter driving season stats.

Our new infographic outlines many important facts about snowplows and ADOT's winter operations.