This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Politics & Government

GPS Tracks Which Streets Have Been Plowed

Call to complain that the plows haven't been down your streets? The city will know exactly when the plows came through now because of new GPS units.

Ever wonder when or if at all the city's snow plows have been down your street? Well now every path the trucks make will be monitored on a GPS unit.

That is ... when the snow actually arrives. (Find out how much money the city has saved from a snowless December here.)

The units are connected to a computer program which allows personnel to see where plows and salt trucks have been – and where they need to go next.

Find out what's happening in Stowwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“We used (the GPS program) during our leaf pickup program and it was really helpful to see where we had already picked up. It’s a good tool for us that gives helpful information for snow removal. We intend to put up a monitor at the street department so when drivers come back in to refill on salt, they can look at the screen to see where they’re needed next,” Assistant Service Director Mike Miller explained.

When the , it was announced that the city would post an interactive map on its website so residents could see where the trucks had been and where they are going.

Find out what's happening in Stowwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

But Miller said that feature “won’t be available to the public for the foreseeable future because we’re still working with the vendor … trying to figure out how to make (the map) accessible to the public via the city’s website so as not to overload the vendor’s server.”

Another change in the department this year is the transformation of a former street sweeper into a brine distribution vehicle. In late October, City Council approved the expenditure of $29,892 for the purchase and installation of a 1,600-gallon brine tank and distribution system on a city-owned cab and chassis.

Miller said the conversion of the vehicle should be completed in January. The city has been using more salt brine on roads the past several years because it is much cheaper than road salt. It’s anticipated the “new” brine truck will probably pay for itself in the first year.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from Stow