MDOT testing Tow Plow in real time

OSHTEMO TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) - At first glance, the Viking Tow Plow looks like a trailer. That is until two 16,000-pound steering axles turn this behemoth 30 degrees sideways.

The Viking Tow Plow can clear two lanes at once, reducing manpower while saving time -- and it lasts longer than a conventional plow.

At its maximum width, the Tow Plow is 25 feet wide, able to effectively clean two lanes at once.

"The unit itself is about $93,000," said Michigan Department of Transportation driver Gary Schultheis. "It's about half as much as a plow truck."

Its life expectancy is about 30 years -- "which is 20 years longer than one of our plow trucks."

MDOT engineers are gathering to evaluate the Tow Plow's performance, but there wasn't any significant snow to test it, as of Wednesday afternoon.

"We have not signed anything yet. We have it to play with for about a week."

But snow is in the forecast for Thursday and Friday.

"It's weird to be standing here rooting for the snow to fall," he said. "If we get the snow tomorrow, yeah, we would love to see what it can do in real time."

After MDOT is done kicking the tires, they will face a fiscal evaluation to decide if and when to put a Tow Plow on the road.