Local Resident Meets “Scraping By” as SDDOT Celebrates Snowplow Naming Contest Winner

Northeast Radio SD News – Hayti, SD - The Watertown Area of the South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT) officially welcomed its newest named fleet member on Thursday, March 5, 2026, as local contest winner Mike Marshall of Bryant visited the Hayti Maintenance Shop to meet “Scraping By.” 

The meet-and-greet allowed Marshall to see the snowplow he successfully named and take photos with the SDDOT staff who operate the machinery. Marshall’s submission, “Scraping By,” was selected for the Watertown Area following a statewide call for entries that concluded in December 2025.

A Statewide Tradition

This event is part of the 6th Annual SDDOT Name the Snowplow Contest, a public awareness initiative designed to highlight road safety and the essential work of highway maintenance crews.

To ensure representation across the state, the SDDOT named one snowplow within each of its 12 designated Areas. The winners were chosen through an official vote by SDDOT staff. Other 2025-2026 winning names across South Dakota include:

·         Iceorilla (Aberdeen Area)

·         Rhinestone Plowboy (Belle Fourche Area)

·         Sleddy Roosevelt (Custer Area)

·         Plowverine (Mitchell Area)

Priority on Public Safety

Beyond the lighthearted names, the contest serves as a reminder of the massive scale of South Dakota’s winter operations. The SDDOT is responsible for maintaining 7,800 miles of state highways. While this accounts for only about 9.4% of the state’s total roadway mileage, these routes carry approximately 68% of all vehicle miles traveled.

“Safety on our roadways is our number one priority,” said Transportation Secretary Joel Jundt. The initiative emphasizes the safety of both the traveling public and the snowplow drivers who work in extreme conditions.

Stay Informed This Winter

The SDDOT encourages all motorists to use the SD511 system to plan for safe travel. Maintenance workers update road conditions on the app and website (https://sd511.org) at least three times daily during the week and twice daily on weekends and holidays.

For more information on the Name the Snowplow winners or to view the Winter Weather Hub, visit https://dot.sd.gov.

Left to Right in this picture are the SDDOT staff from the Hayti Shop. Since the contest winner was from Bryant, the Watertown Area snowplow name was placed at the Hayti Shop.

Alan Salo – Highway Maintenance Worker

Mike Marshall, Watertown Area snowplow naming winner (Mike is from Bryant)

Mike Voelsch – Lead Highway Maintenance Worker

Keith Palo – Highway Maintenance Worker