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Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities

23-24 NAME A SNOWPLOW CONTEST
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Alaska's 2023-24 Name a Snowplow Contest

image of a snowplow cab with the name Darth Blader on the door
word cloud of all the name finalists

DOT&PF's Snowplow Has Been Named Darth Blader

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - In a galaxy not so far away, 'Darth Blader' is leading our snow-clearing forces in Anchorage today, armed with the strength of resilience and the determination to keep Alaska moving in the face of winter's icy empire. Darth Blader, the winner of the 2023-24 Alaska DOT&PF Name a Snowplow Contest, was chosen after over 900 creative name suggestions from the community were entered, showcasing Alaskan's winter spirit and appreciation for our winter plow operators.

Those attending the Alaska Snow Summit in-person and viewing on the Facebook Live event voted to narrow down the entries to the top choices where our plow operators then choose the winner. Darth Blader will proudly serve the Glenn Hwy from Muldoon to Hiland Road and the Seward Highway from 5th Ave to Potter's Marsh.

The Name a Snowplow Contest is a fun and lighthearted way for Alaskans to engage with our crews, while also recognizing the critical role our plow operators play in keeping our highways open and safe for everyone. "Alaska's winters require resilient efforts to keep our roads clear, and our maintenance and operations crews work tirelessly to ensure this," said Central Region Maintenance & Operations Chief Kirk Warren Kirk Warren.

We thank everyone for their enthusiasm and support, and we look forward to 'Darth Blader' leading us into another winter season. For further information about the "Name a Snowplow Contest" please visit dot.alaska.gov/nameasnowplow or contact Danielle.Tessen@alaska.gov.

The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities remains committed to its mission to "Keep Alaska Moving" overseeing 237 airports, 9 ferries, over 5,600 miles of highway, and 839 public facilities throughout the state.

Contest Details

We invite Alaskans to share their most clever, distinctive, and winter-inspired snowplow names through this survey. The submission form will remain accessible until Thursday, October 19th, and will also be featured on Alaska DOT&PF's social media platforms.

This year's contest includes a few basic rules:

  • Submissions are limited to no more than 30 characters (including letters and spaces).
  • Keep it classy, Alaska. Any submissions that include profanity or other inappropriate language will not be considered.
  • Politically inspired names (including phrases, slogans or plays on politicians' names) will not be considered. Naming snowplows is meant to be fun and lighthearted, so we're going to keep this contest nonpartisan and nonpolitical.

After the submission form closes, staff will review all the entries and select the best ideas to be formally voted on at the Alaska Snow Summit on October 20th.