Chicago City Wire

The Department of Streets and Sanitation (DSS) in Chicago has announced the winners of the city's third annual "You Name a Snowplow" contest. On January 10, a list of 50 finalists was made public, drawn from names submitted by Chicago residents. The voting period ended on January 21, allowing residents to select up to six names.

Commissioner Cole Stallard expressed appreciation for the community's involvement: “Thank you again to the many Chicagoans who continue to engage in this contest by submitting and voting for these fun and creative names.” He noted that the contest has become an enjoyable tradition for city staff as they tally votes and announce winners.

Thousands of responses were received from residents participating in the voting process. Each winning name will be displayed on a snowplow in one of the city's six snow districts. This follows last year's introduction of named snowplows into the fleet. Residents who originally submitted winning names will have an opportunity for a photo session with their named plow, along with receiving city-themed merchandise.

The DSS oversees over 9,400 lane miles using more than 300 salt spreaders ready for deployment during winter conditions. Additionally, there are over 400,000 tons of salt stored at various locations across Chicago. During winter storms, residents can track the city's full snow fleet in real-time through the city's plow tracker system.