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Meet Alice Scooper, Princess Sleigh-a and Clark W. Blizzwald — winning submissions of ‘name-a-snowplow’ contests across the state

Snowplow naming competitions have gained popularity in states that experience abundant snowfall. According to NPR, the tradition of naming snowplows started in Scotland in 2006. The Minnesota Department of Transportation was one of the first departments in the United States to start holding snowplow naming contests in 2020 after borrowing the idea.
Michael Leland
/
Iowa Public Radio
Snowplow naming competitions have gained popularity in states that experience abundant snowfall. According to NPR, the tradition of naming snowplows started in Scotland in 2006. The Minnesota Department of Transportation was one of the first departments in the United States to start holding snowplow naming contests in 2020 after borrowing the idea.

Alice Scooper, Scoop Dogg and Darth Blader.

Those are the winning submissions from Cedar Falls and Waterloo residents who participated in naming three Black Hawk County snowplows. The area held its first-ever snowplow naming contest this year.

Come January, residents can spot the plows bearing stickers with their new names as they clear the streets during winter snowfalls.

The Black Hawk County Road Department started the competition on their social media pages after observing initiatives that gained popularity in other cities and states. Last year, one of North Liberty’s plows, named “Taylor Drift,” made local headlines.

“We’ve seen several DOTs in the Midwest, some in the northwest, had started naming their snowplows just as a way of getting the public involved and more knowledgeable about what they do,” said Black Hawk County Engineer Catherine Nicholas. “We thought that was a great idea.”

The community submitted over 200 creative entries. After narrowing them down to 15 finalists, the department tallied 1,500 votes to select the top three. The individuals who submitted the winning entries will receive prizes, including an “I Named a BHC Snowplow” t-shirt.

“It was all about increasing snowplow safety, visibility, as well as a fun way to highlight what we do out in Black Hawk County.”
Catherine Nicholas, Black Hawk County Engineer

Snowplow naming contests have caught on the United States since their origins in Scotland in 2006. The Minnesota Department of Transportation was one of the first departments in the United States to start holding snowplow naming contests in 2020 after borrowing the idea. That year, the department received more than 24,000 suggestions and has held annual competitions ever since.

Nicholas says the contests are more than a fun way to engage residents — they help transportation departments raise awareness about snowplow operations, safety and the drivers who work to keep the roads clear.

“We want the public to know that they need to be aware when they’re driving around snowplows, and be safe around snowplows — know how big a snowplow is,” she said. “It was all about increasing snowplow safety, visibility, as well as a fun way to highlight what we do out in Black Hawk County.”

Other cities around the state have begun naming their plows, too. “Clark W. Blizzwald” was voted the winning submission in Grimes. In a separate competition in Cedar Falls, two dozen city-owned plows pushing snow will bear names like Blizzard of Oz, Frosty the Snowplow, Crtl+Salt+Delete and Princess Sleigh-a. Nine of those are dedicated to the area elementary schools.

Polk City will reveal the winner of its first-ever contest on Dec. 20.

The contest has already boosted engagement on the department's social media platforms, and Nicholas hopes it will encourage more people to sign up for alerts from the department about road closures, construction detours, dangerous conditions and plowing updates.

“We figured, if we name it, they might pay attention to where the plows are and just be more interested in the process,” she said.

Josie Fischels is IPR's Arts & Culture Reporter, with expertise in performance art, visual art and Iowa Life. She's covered local and statewide arts, news and lifestyle features for The Daily Iowan, The Denver Post, NPR and currently for IPR. Fischels is a University of Iowa graduate.