City of Wausau. MWC file graphic
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — Wausau’s Capital Improvements and Street Maintenance Committee approved the purchase of one ice breaker for the city’s streets department.
Alder Lisa Rasmussen says she thinks the concept is worth a try. “In my area, when we’ve had winter- not this year obviously, I received an awful lot of complaints about side streets. We’ve looked at the costs of additional products and curb-to-curb sanding and those aren’t sustainable.”
The cylinder device works just like a sidewalk sweeper but on a larger scale. It fits on the front of a loader and spins as the operator drives it down the street, grinding up ice and snowpack. a blade then sweeps the residue to the side, allowing sunlight to clear the street faster.
Representatives of the city’s streets department noted that the device works without breaking up the road’s surface and would allow them to use less sand and salt on trouble spots.
“I would love to have this as a treatment option for streets because if we get a winter where we get a bunch of rain and snowpack. Then freeze and thaw keeps happening, and those streets are in a bad state beyond the corners. That’s when the complaints come. I think it would be a great addition to the fleet,” added Rasmussen.
The device might be a new concept for Central Wisconsin but similar items have been used in other areas for nearly ten years. A current member of the streets crew brought the idea to management earlier this winter because they had worked with the devices at a previous job in Colorado. The Minnesota DOT uses similar items to clear some highways as well.
Thursday’s decision requires a budget modification because the item wasn’t included in the 2024 spending plan. That will go to the city’s Finance Committee at a future date. The full council would also need to sign off on the plan.
If the device gets final approval it would likely not be deployed until next winter. The city could consider adding more to its fleet if the first device is a success.
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