Congratulations to this year’s Build a Better Mousetrap award recipients, whose creative innovations solved everyday transportation challenges.
2024 Winners
Minnesota Pioneer Award: Roseau County, Belly Plow Safety Access Step
Problem: In snowy or wet conditions, the steps to enter and exit plow trucks can pose a safety risk as they become slippery. Roseau County wanted to reduce this slip-and-fall hazard for when their staff is accessing equipment.
Solution: A Roseau County staff member welded a grip pad onto the upper surface of the belly plow, significantly enhancing the ease of accessing the truck’s cab. For under $100, this additional grip step makes getting into and out of a plow truck much safer in slippery weather conditions.
Minnesota SMART Transformation Award: Oak Lawn Township, Belly Scratcher
Problem: Oak Lawn Township was experiencing a few problems with maintaining their gravel roads. In the winter, these roads would become glazed-over and icy, and salt/sand would not stay in the travel lanes. In the summer, small washboards would develop on roads treated with calcium chloride (used for dust control on gravel roads). The county also noticed sod growing on the working edges of gravel roads.
Solution: One of Oak Lawn Township’s maintenance employees built the “Belly Scratcher” in-house for approximately $1,500, and this attachment solved all their issues. In the winter, the grooves cut by the scratcher retain salt/sand, keeping it in place on the roads. Thanks to this innovation, the township’s gravel roads stay very smooth but are not nearly as slippery. Salt/sand usage has also dropped by one-third.
In the summer, the attachment can level rough spots on the roads without destroying the calcium chloride. The belly scratcher also destroys sod clumps after grading.
Learn more about the Minnesota Build a Better Mousetrap competition.
The Minnesota competition is sponsored by the Minnesota Local Road Research Board and administered by Minnesota LTAP.