The Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) is looking to clear roadways and debris faster with its new J-Tech LaneBlade.
ALDOT’s Alabama Service Assistance Patrol Program (ASAP) has recently taken strides to achieve that goal by adding a J-Tech LaneBlade to the front of one of its Ford F-350s.
The LaneBlade is a retractable device that functions like a snow plow, cleaning debris from roadways. It allows drivers to stay in their vehicles and monitor clean-up progress using mounted cameras.
Service operators in the truck must slow down to at least 20 miles per hour to use the LaneBlade. The LaneBlade can push debris left or right out of major traffic while they wait for law enforcement to arrive.
The truck also has a wheel lift allowing it to safely tow vehicles to a safe location to restore traffic. Both items help prevent a minor crash from turning into a major incident and helps keep traffic flowing for Alabama’s residents.
The LaneBlade helps first responders and drivers comply with Alabama’s Quick Clearance Law, protecting ALDOT workers and first responders.
ASAP has five main areas of focus – Traffic Incident Management, Emergency Operations, Road Maintenance, Work Zone Management and Motorist Assistance.
Traffic Incident Management means the ASAP service operators will likely be boots on the ground and the first to arrive to a crash location. In those situations, if the crash is minor, service operators will help move vehicles out of the way of major traffic while waiting for law enforcement to arrive.
Service operators patrol assigned interstate sections and respond to incidents.
