We know, we know - the last thing you want to think about at the end of August is the coming winter and (gulp!) snow.  But someone has to.

The St. Louis County Public Works department starts their winter prepping early; truth be told, it's really an all-year-long sort of thing.  But they did recently have some tangible, visible signs of those preparations.

There'll be ten new county snowplow trucks to greet the first snowfall - when it comes.  And, these trucks offer some of the latest, greatest, and most high-tech features around - all the better to clear the roadways of snow.

St. Louis County crews took delivery of three trucks this week, with seven more to come in the next few weeks.  According to details shared on their Facebook page, these trucks are "the first of their kind in the state". Apparently the purchasing department worked with "multiple vendors", customizing the trucks along the way.

The design feature ideas came from the people who actually use them: heavy equipment operators from St. Louis County Public Works department.  Together with mechanics, vendors, and management, they worked to make the trucks the best they could be.

Some of the technology that's onboard includes:

  • Newly-designed under-body scraper
  • Improved lighting
  • Redesigned high-capacity liquid application system
  • An in-box wedge tank for mixing salt and liquid while on the road.

Together, the improvements will allow St. Louis County Public Works crew members smarter ways to tackle keeping our roads clear this winter.

Here are some pictures of those new snowplows:

St Louis County
St Louis County
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St Louis County
St Louis County
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St Louis County
St Louis County
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St. Louis County Public Works is responsible for maintenance and snow removal of more than 3,000 miles of County State Aid Highways, County Roads, and Unorganized Township Roads.

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