Commerce City Uses Online Tool To Track Snowplows
COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (CBS4) - On the last day of fall, Colorado is preparing for a blast of winter.
Snow and frigid temperatures are moving in as many people plan to head out of town for the holidays. Thousands of drivers are expected to hit the road these next few days, so snowplows in places like Commerce City are ready to clear the way.
"The crews will be on call and basically we'll be ready to roll at any moment," Travis Huntington, Communications Specialist with Commerce City, said.
Commerce City is also rolling out new technology this season. 'Snow Trooper' is an online map that shows where plows are in the city and what roads are being treated.
"I think all of us in Colorado have probably been through the same thing – you wake up in the morning and you're getting ready for work or any time of day and you're wondering what the roads are going to be like," Huntington told CBS4's Kelly Werthmann.
Colorado Department of Transportation offers a similar map for drivers. It shows where CDOT plows are across the state. However, Huntington said not many local communities provide that kind of weather tool.
"We're proud to be among the first," he said. "We know exactly how much street has been treated, how much material is being used, which really we're hoping internally can help the city maximize efficiency of our operations."
The first day of winter may not see a lot of snow, but no matter what the season brings, Commerce City wants people driving to or through the region to be ready with the help of Snow Trooper.
"It's really about safety and being able to know what you're facing on the road," Huntington said.
Kelly Werthmann joined the CBS4 team as the morning reporter in 2012. After serving as weekend morning anchor, Kelly is now Covering Colorado First for CBS4 News at 10. Connect with Kelly on Facebook or follow her on Twitter @KellyCBS4.
