Mayor LaFrance announces snow equipment naming competition winners

The results are in! The Berminator, Taylor Drift, Blizzard Wizard, Luke Sidewalker and Bladey Gaga will be roaming the streets next winter, as some of the winning names submitted by the public for the Municipality's contest to name its snow plowing equipment.

Last month, Anchorage Mayor Suzanne LaFrance announced the municipality's snow plowing vehicles are now equipped with GPS, so residents can track online as the vehicles clear city streets and sidewalks during plow-outs.

To easily identify the various graders and sidewalk clearers, the Municipality held a naming contest. Members of the public gave their best ideas online over a two-week period in March. After receiving a flurry of submissions, a panel of judges voted for their favorite names.

Now - just in time for the plow equipment's spring hibernation - the "win"-ters have been selected and names have been assigned.

For the Municipality's graders, Berminator froze out the competition, coming in first place. Bladey Gaga clinched second, and The Big Leplowski and Plowasaurus Rex tied for third. Other winning names for graders include Ctrl Salt Delete, Darth Grader, Knik of Time, Plowabunga, Betty White-Out, Blizzard Buster, Austin Plowers and Arctic Blade.

Taylor Drift was the top name for the city's sidewalk clearers. Blizzard Wizard and Luke Sidewalker tied for second place, while Flurrious George and Sweeping Beauty came in third. Other winning names include Clearopathra, Pathfinder, Drift Destroyer, Drift Lifter, Edgar Allan Snow, Nunhdecheni ("One that eats snow") and Snow Big Deal.

While the 2024-25 snow season is (hopefully) over, during future snowfall, residents can see plows moving through their neighborhoods in near-real time at www.muni​.org/plow.

Anchorage is a winter city, and having a robust, coordinated snow response plan in place is critical. Providing the public immediate access to up-to-date information is one way Mayor LaFrance's administration has worked to improve the municipality's snow clearing operations.

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Contact: Emily Goodykoontz emily.goodykoontz@anchorageak.gov 1 (907) 205-6683