2022-2023 OPERA Projects
The Otter Claw
The Otter Claw
Otter Tail County Highway Department maintenance staff developed an extendable culvert cleaner attachment for a skid steer to easily and safely remove large amounts of debris in as little as 10 minutes from culverts and ditches, around bridges, and in other previously hard-to-reach locations.
The Road Widener shouldering machine
Road Shouldering Machine Improvements
Redwood County Highway Department staff improved the design of a new road shouldering machine with innovative repairs following extensive damage by a gravel supply truck. An added angle iron deflector has been successful in shifting the truck tailgate pins away from the machine's frame, preventing further damage and the resulting downtime.
St. Louis County Public Works remotely monitors
winter road conditions
Winter Weather Monitoring System
St. Louis County Public Works Department staff developed a cost-effective network of remote cameras to monitor winter road conditions on 3,000 miles of county roads to save maintenance costs and improve road user safety.
Snowplow Brine Tank System
Rochester Public Works modified snowplow brine
tank system
Rochester Public Works Department staff modified their snowplow brine system by adding a "nurse" tank to ensure operators can apply prewetted salt throughout an entire plow event for enhanced effectiveness in melting snow and ice .