The North Dakota Department of Transportation announced on April 5 that it is competing against the South Dakota Department of Transportation in the final round of the second annual Battle of the Blades, a public snowplow naming contest. The event runs alongside March Madness and encourages people to vote for their favorite named snowplows, with championship voting open today and tomorrow.
The contest aims to promote winter safety awareness through community engagement. By involving residents in a friendly competition, both states hope to highlight important transportation topics during winter months.
Sarah Arntson, spokesperson for the North Dakota Department of Transportation, said, “The contest is a way for both DOTs to talk about winter safety in a fun and engaging way through some friendly competition.” She added, “South Dakota won last year’s battle and North Dakota is hungry for a win. We need the public’s help!”
According to the official website, the North Dakota Department of Transportation manages eight district offices across the state that handle roadway maintenance, construction oversight, and administrative services according to the official website. The agency also facilitates safe transport across North Dakota while advancing quality service and economic progress according to the official website. Executive leadership includes a director and deputy directors who oversee engineering, administration, planning, and driver services per the official website.
Additionally, NDDOT provides vehicle registration services, driver licensing operations, as well as maintenance for more than 8,500 miles of roadways and 4,900 bridges statewide per the official website. As reported by its site, NDDOT functions as a state agency responsible for developing and operating surface transportation systems throughout North Dakota according to the official website.
The winning state will earn bragging rights until next year’s event.
