The Ohio Department of Transportation's Paint-the-Plow contest is back, so even if the weather gets ugly this winter, snow removal will be a thing of beauty.
Students from 29 schools in six Northeast Ohio counties participated by painting the blades of snowplows with original designs.
Designs range from winter landscapes to school mascots to safe driving slogans, including a reminder for reindeer to "watch out for grandma!" (Apparently, the reindeer, who ran over grandma, doesn't want anyone to make the same mistake.)
Another says, "Seat belts are always in season," and depicts the Easter Bunny, Uncle Sam, Frankenstein and Santa all buckled up.
Bob Ross paints, "No happy accidents. Drive safely," on a plow also decorated with "The Starry Night," "American Gothic," "Mona Lisa" and "The Scream." It's not a bad idea, by the way, to channel Bob Ross's zen while navigating I-90 in Kirtland during a snow storm.
Penguins slide in ice on another plow with the reminder, "Don't rush in ice and slush." And a snowboarder reminds drivers to go, "Snowy but surely."
"It brings not only awareness to the Ohio Department of Transportation, but to these schools as well," Public Information Officer Ray Marsch said. "Because a lot of these schools put their names on it, their slogans."
Indeed, the Mckinley Bulldog looks like it could scare the snow away.
The contest also acts as a reminder to watch out for snowplows in the winter months, he said.
"As you are out traveling in Northeast Ohio and you come across one of our beautiful painted plows, please give our crews plenty of room to work," Marsch said. "Stay at least two car lengths behind them, because it just makes their job so much easier when they're able to focus on the roads."
Hudson High School's entry puts it succintly: "Don't crowd the plow."
You can view the plows and vote on your favorites on ODOT District 4's Facebook page.
Marsch hopes the contest will also bring more people to the page, where the agency posts snow and ice updates and reminders to slow down and move over in inclement weather.
Each like on the snowplow pictures equals one vote, and the plow with the most votes wins. Voting runs through Dec. 9, although the snow is just getting started — and even some forecasted for a Thanksgiving treat.
