LPS Plow Painting Program

Art teachers from nine Lincoln Public Schools (LPS) and their students participated in the first annual "Artistic Snow Plow Program" by creatively painting the 3-foot tall by 10-foot wide plow blades with images that they felt represented their school or community.

The program was initiated by Lincoln Public Works and Utilities, Street Maintenance West District Manager, Roger Tiedeman, who saw the idea in a January 2012 article in the APWA Reporter about Green Bay, Wisconsin. Tiedeman felt it was a great opportunity to educate the public about the new and improved snow routes that incorporate LPS schools. Each of the eighteen existing snow routes now covers 60-70 miles of street, for a total of 1,179 miles, to keep the City up and running during snowy weather.

These functioning mobile art murals are assigned to the participating school's snow route, which gives the students an opportunity to see their plow performing winter maintenance activities. Moreover, this program is a means to strengthen community relationships and communication about winter weather response efforts.

During round-the-clock snow and ice control operations, the City's goal is to keep the streets cleared and safe. The Street Operations crews keep our city moving by using a policy that outlines a variety of methods to manage snow and ice, including: anti-icing materials, sanders, plows, and routes that prioritize the City's needs.

To accomplish this goal effectively and efficiently, community cooperation is required. Residents are asked to stay informed on the status of snow operations by using the following methods: local news media sources, the City website—lincoln.ne.gov keyword: snow, RSS feed/email alerts and Twitter.

The City's hope is to make this an annual event to give other schools the opportunity to participate and learn.

Related:

City Celebrates Artistic Snow Plow Project