This season, UDOT will employ a range of new technologies and practices, including the state's first TowPlow, an attachment pulled behind a standard plow that allows drivers to clear two lanes of traffic in a single pass, a driving simulator, and GPS-equipped snowplows.
UDOT officials say the new equipment will make snow removal more efficient and save money.
"These new technologies really allow us to do our jobs better," said UDOT maintenance engineer Rob Wight. "They allow our crews to respond to the most critical and heavily hit areas first and to clear snow and de-ice highways and roads more quickly and efficiently."
UDOT's snow removal team includes 481 full-time maintenance employees and a total of 566 construction staff and other employees licensed to drive snowplows.
The team is responsible for clearing and maintaining more than 16,300 miles of roadway.
UDOT's operations budget for this winter is $22 million, including equipment, salaries, sand, salt, brine and dynamite. Last year's operating costs were $22.2 million.
According to the National Weather Service, Utah averages 25 to 40 winter storms annually. The Wasatch Mountains typically receive 450 inches of snow every year.
Operation costs average up to $1 million per storm.
Wight said by using GPS technology to monitor salt use, the state saves about $500,000 per year.
"With the GPS, we can monitor how much salt we are putting on the road and track idle engine time," Wight said. "And that saves us money."
According to UDOT statistics, the state used an average of 221,000 tons of salt per winter on Utah roads before using GPS. With the GPS technology, that has dropped to 208,000 tons.
Snow removal crews receive significant simulator training to prepare for the season. UDOT estimates simulator training saves 15,000 gallons of gas a year.
"You can feel the vibrations in the seat and steering wheel, it's pretty realistic," UDOT equipment and safety trainer Curtis Sanchez said of the simulator. "When you're plowing snow, you're very busy. You're dropping salt, lifting and dropping your plows, communicating on the radio -- all this while trying to be as safe as possible. So it's important to get as much practice as you can."
According to a University of Utah study, the training reduces driver incidents by 55 percent.
UDOT spokesman Adan Carrillo said motorists should use extreme caution around snowplows, staying a football field's length behind them and never passing on the right or on a shoulder.
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