colorado department of transportation

colorado department of transportation

The Colorado Department of Transportation's plan for this winter includes the typical snow removal equipment and products that CDOT has used over the years, with some minor improvements. "We will operate with the same number of employees and snowplows as we did last year so we can continue to provide the same level of service to the citizens of Colorado," said CDOT Executive Director Russ George. "Safety remains our No. 1 priority and that means our crews will be working days, nights, weekends and holidays during inclement weather to help ensure motorists reach their destinations safely."

This winter, CDOT will have 245 employees working in the Denver metro area. They work in 12-hour shifts and are responsible for 3,850 lane miles of highway. In all, 131 pieces of equipment will be used, including 112 snowplows that apply liquid and/or solid deicers, three 6,000-gallon tankers that apply liquid deicers and 16 brooms to sweep up or pick up material after a storm. Eleven of the trucks are new this year, replacing ones that have been used well past their original usefulness.

In five of the snowplows, technology will help drivers determine the appropriate treatments for a roadway. The Maintenance Decision Support System (MDSS) combines advanced weather prediction, advanced road condition prediction and rules of practice for anti-icing and de-icing to generate road treatment recommendations on a route-by-route basis. The goal of MDSS is to provide more effective use of maintenance resources and increase safety, reliability and mobility on roadways. "The use of our equipment, products and technology truly help us keep the roadways clear of snow and ice, but we still need the traveling public to do their part during a snowstorm," said Roy Smith, CDOT's acting maintenance superintendent for the Denver metro area.