Towed snowplough keeps the highway clear

Pennsylvania has a new tool to keep its multi-lane highways moving this winter - a 9.14m long, tow behind snowplough. The state's transport department (PennDOT) and the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) say the tow plough will allow one truck to do the work of two. Costing between US$99,000- 106,000 each, PennDOT plans to have at least one tow plough in each of its 11 engineering districts by winter 2012.
April 16, 2012 Read time: 1 min
Pennsylvania has a new tool to keep its multi-lane highways moving this winter - a 9.14m long, tow behind snowplough.
 
The state's transport department (4907 PennDOT) and the 4908 Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) say the tow plough will allow one truck to do the work of two.

Costing between US$99,000- 106,000 each, PennDOT plans to have at least one tow plough in each of its 11 engineering districts by winter 2012.

The Pennsylvania Turnpike expects to have four tow ploughs in service this winter.

Normally equipped with a 3.04m or 3.65m wide front plough, PennDOT trucks and some Turnpike trucks are equipped with a 'wing' plough attached to the side of the truck, increasing total ploughing width to about 4.8m-5.4m. A tow plough increases the ploughing width to 7.31m, allowing for two, 3.65m wide lanes to be cleared at once.

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