BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Just three weeks into Sean Ryan’s term as Buffalo mayor, changes are coming to the city’s snowplows, with a plan to make sure plows now scrape right against the pavement for the first time in years.
If you’ve ever seen City of Buffalo snowplows come through your neighborhood, and there’s still a little bit of snow left behind, that’s because all of them are intentionally outfitted to sit 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch above the pavement.
“The blade itself is at a higher angle to avoid hitting things,” Deputy Mayor Benjamin Swanekamp said. “There’s so many objects on Buffalo streets: potholes, manhole covers, speed bumps…”
However, Swanekamp tells me that practice is soon about to change.
“So we hear the classic story of somebody coming from Buffalo to Kenmore and the road surface goes from having that layer of slush down to bare pavement,” Swanekamp said. “Folks have heard it for years. We want residents to have the best possible driving surface and while protecting our roads.”
WATCH: Buffalo set to try out new technology on city snowplows to improve snow removal
In order to make this happen, Swanekamp tells me they’re going to trial a few new things this winter.
The angles at which the snowplow blades sit will change to press much closer to the road, and new types of blades, like Live Edge and REACT Blades (which Erie County already uses), will also be trialed on some vehicles.
“What we are looking at now is some new technology called REACT blades, which have a modular, spring-loaded piece on it, that are individual segments. As you go over impediments, that spring is going to pop the item up,” Swanekamp said.
“It’s all about the longevity of the blades,” city fleet coordinator Kevin Savage said. “I’m looking for wear, how long they are going to wear, [and] damage, whether it’s damage to sewer boxes, road or our equipment.”
If the trials go well, Swanekamp plans to outfit all city plows with the changes and/or new technology for next winter.
