Snow Removal In The Windy City Gets TechnicalSnow Removal In The Windy City Gets Technical

Technology will get a workout this winter with the addition of global positioning satellites to Chicago's snowplow fleet. The GPS system joins a network of ground sensors, real-time remote cameras, and Doppler radar. Need salt on a road? Snow Command can find and redeploy the nearest truck to meet changing conditions.

The city's Streets and Sanitation Department is adding GPS to the plows at a cost of about $2,000 per truck. (Total cost is $1.6 million). Dispatchers will know where each plow is, how fast it's moving, where it's spreading salt, and whether its plow is up or down. They also can tell if and when a truck has visited a certain street.