Two "tow plows" will be used on U.S. Highways (U.S.) 160, 550, 285 and 50, near Durango, Monte Vista, Alamosa, Blanca, Fort Garland, La Veta Pass, Poncha Springs and Salida during winter months.
"We will be able to do more with less," said Ronnie Medina, CDOT Alamosa maintenance supervisor. "It will be a great advantage to clear more miles in less time."
The new tow plow is a trailer equipped with a plow blade, which will be pulled by a snowplow truck. The driver has the ability to swing the tow plow out to the right of the road, in order to cover more area of the road surface. The tow plow also is equipped with a tank which carries and distributes sand or liquid de-icer that will be used as needed.
The blade of a regular snowplow is 10 ft. long and can clear that area of snow across the road surface. The new tow plows can clear 12 ft. more. With the extra 26 ft. blades extended at an angle, the tow plows will clear 22 ft. of snow across the road surface. The overall length of truck and tow plow together moving straightforward down the road is 70 ft. long.
Tow plows will typically be followed by an additional snowplow and a CDOT supervisor's vehicle.
However, if a motorist happens to follow directly behind a new tow plow, CDOT warns the public not to be surprised if and when the trailer deploys to the right.
"It may look like the snowplow is jackknifing," added Medina. "But the snowplow driver is actually swinging out the tow plow trailer to gain area and push as much snow as possible off the highway.
Like normal snowplows, the new tow plows will be equipped with flashing warning lights and will travels at speeds approximately 30-35 mph. Motorists are not ever to pass a tow plow and should allow plenty of room for the plows to maneuver.
Tow Plow Zones
Southwest Colorado
• Durango ― All directions, north, south, east and west of Durango;
• U.S. 160, mile points (MP) 77 to 91.8, west of Lightner Creek Road (CR 207) to east near Elmore's Corner; and
• U.S. 550, MP 0 to 49.5, south at the New Mexico state line to north at Purgatory.
South-Central Colorado
• Monte Vista ― U.S. 285 MP 51 to 53, north for approximately 2 mi. starting at the intersection of U.S. 285 and U.S. 160 to the Rio Grande bridge.
Alamosa ― East, West and South of Alamosa
• U.S. 160, MP 225 to 227, east between Three Mile Road and the intersection of U.S. 160 and CO 104;
• U.S. 160, MP 235 to 259, west from Alamosa to Fort Garland; and
• U.S. 285, MP 0 to 30, south from the intersection of U.S. 285 and County Road 15 to the NM state line.
Ft. Garland
• U.S. 160, MP 265 to 279, west of Ft. Garland to La Veta Pass.
Poncha Springs and Salida ― East, West and South of the Towns
• U.S. 50, MP 217 to 222, 7 mi. west of Poncha Springs to the intersection of CO 291 and U.S. 50 at Salida; and
• U.S. 285, MP 119 to 126, south from Poncha Springs to Poncha Pass.
Region 5 – Two Maintenance Sections
In addition to the new tow plows, Region 5 maintenance crews handle more than 200 pieces of heavy equipment in 15 counties during the winter months.
"When winter storms are forecast, our maintenance patrols are on standby for shifts 'round-the-clock," said Billy McDermott, CDOT Durango maintenance supervisor. "Once a storm actually hits, crew members are on 12-hour rotating shifts — until dry road conditions are reached. At least half the crew members on each patrol are out at any given time, some overlapping their shifts to keep coverage consistent."
CDOT Maintenance
Section 3 — Southwest Colorado
Headquartered in Durango
Area: covers eight counties — Archuleta, Dolores, La Plata, Montezuma, Montrose, Ouray, San Juan and San Miguel
Patrols: 21 patrols
Workers: 106 maintenance workers
Equipment: 107 pieces of snow removal and avalanche control equipment, including 62 snowplows
Product: Sand/salt, liquid de-icer that includes magnesium-chloride and salt-brine
Lane Miles: 1,750 lane-miles (combined lengths of each lane on every highway in Sec. 3)
Mountain Passes: five mountain passes — U.S. 550 Coal Bank, U.S. 550 Molas, U.S. 550 Red Mt, CO 145 Lizard Head and CO 62 Dallas Divide
Winter Budget: estimated at $6,302,400 (2017-18)
CDOT Maintenance
Section 7 — South-Central Colorado
Headquartered in Alamosa
Area: covers eight counties — Alamosa, Archuleta, Chaffee, Conejos, Costilla, Mineral, Rio Grande and Saguache
Patrols: 18 patrols
Workers: 99 maintenance workers
Equipment: 117 pieces of snow removal and avalanche control equipment, including 64 snowplows
Product: Sand/salt, liquid de-icer, ice slicer
Lane Miles: 1,530 lane-miles (combined lengths of each lane on every highway in Sec. 7)
Mountain Passes: eight mountain passes — U.S. 160 Wolf Creek, U.S. 160 La Veta, U.S. 50 Monarch, U.S. 285 Poncha, U.S. 285 Trout Creek, CO 17 Cumbres/La Manga, and CO 114 Cochetope
Winter Budget: estimated at $4,376,400 (2017-18)
For more information, visit codot.gov.
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