ODOT to debut new green strobes

ODOT information

LIMA – The Ohio Department of Transportation’s new snowplow lighting scheme, featuring green as the department’s new signature lighting color, will be debuted locally during the annual equipment inspections that will occur in Van Wert County at 8 a.m. Thursday, November 1, at the county ODOT garage, 10238 Van Wert-Decatur Road.

District 1 encompasses the northwest Ohio counties of Allen, Defiance, Hancock, Hardin, Paulding, Putnam, Van Wert and Wyandot.

ODOT is making history this winter by being the first state in the nation to use green-colored strobe lights on its snowplow trucks. Studies show green is one of the colors that is more easily detected by the human eye. The new green lights, along with new white lights, will be added to the existing amber lights, creating a color combination unique to the ODOT.

“We plan to have a truck featuring the new lighting pattern at each of our inspections,” said Kirk Slusher, ODOT District 1 deputy director. “We invite the public and the media to see the new and distinct color and strobe pattern, which we believe will make our trucks more visible.”

The added visibility is deemed necessary, since ODOT snowplows are rear-ended nearly four times more often than snowplow trucks in neighboring states. ODOT officials note they hope that better visibility will lead to safer roadways, since motorists will be able to identify and avoid snowplow trucks easier.

A video of the new lighting color and pattern may be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVvJ17fxDbk&feature=youtu.be.