(From the Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission)
The Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission has announced the eight winners of its third annual Name-a-Snowplow contest. Each winner will receive a $100 gift card.
The winners are:
Don’t Flurry Be Happy
Denise Hocevar-Rendlesham (Chagrin Falls, Ohio)
Kunkle Maintenance Building
Blades of Flurry
Cameryn Wise (Waterville, Ohio)
Swanton Maintenance Building
We’re Off To See The Blizzard
Philip Metro (Painesville, Ohio)
Elmore Maintenance Building
Hang On Scoopy
Steven Borzymowski (Sandusky, Ohio)
Castalia Maintenance Building
Scoop! There It Is
Annette Soule (Lorain, Ohio)
Amherst Maintenance Building
Who Let The Plows Out
Christie Williamson (Akron, Ohio)
Boston Maintenance Building
I’ve Got Friends In Snow Places
Jacqueline Flowers (Austintown, Ohio)
Hiram Maintenance Building
Fast and Flurrious
David Kelso (Boardman, Ohio)
Canfield Maintenance Building
A snowplow truck will be named at the each of the Ohio Turnpike’s eight maintenance buildings (west to east): Kunkle (Williams County), Swanton (Fulton County), Elmore (Ottawa County), Castalia (Erie County), Amherst (Lorain County), Boston (Summit County), Hiram (Portage County), and Canfield (Mahoning County).
“We thank everyone who participated in this year’s Name-a-Snowplow contest,” said Ferzan Ahmed, executive director of the turnpike commission in Berea, Ohio. “The Name-a-Snow contest serves as a reminder that roadway safety needs to be top-of-mind during the winter driving season.”
This year, more than 100 snowplow trucks will be available to maintain the Ohio Turnpike’s 1,395 lane miles, 31 toll plaza interchanges, and 14 service plazas across 13 counties in northern Ohio.
“Motorists should take every precaution to avoid passing snowplow trucks and allow extra space for the crews to clear the road. They typically work together clearing multiple lanes simultaneously, so make sure to give them space to work,” Ahmed added. “Don’t crowd the plow. The safest place to be is behind a snowplow truck. During winter storms, motorists should consider traveling only when necessary.”
The entire Ohio Turnpike (241 miles in each direction) can be plowed once per hour with current staffing and equipment levels at the eight maintenance buildings. Each facility maintains about a 30-mile stretch of the turnpike in both the eastbound and westbound directions.
More than 3,600 names were submitted, and nearly 8,100 votes were cast on ohioturnpike.org during the 2023 Name-a-Snowplow contest.
The launch of contest coincided with the Ohio Turnpike’s annual safety inspection of all snowplow trucks and equipment, which was held from Oct. 24-27, 2023.