Snow plowing protected bike lanes: problem solved!

hehe

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Permalink Reply by Mike Zumwalt on December 10, 2011 at 7:35am

Would work better with a recumbent I think.

Permalink Reply by Thunder Snow on December 10, 2011 at 8:12am

A recumbent?  Coming right up!  (Designed & built by an engineer at Trek in Wisconsin.  Those folks know snow.)

Permalink Reply by Thunder Snow on December 10, 2011 at 8:26am

If it's for the city to plow the bike lanes...just send out a Street & Sans truck to the 'burbs for the parts pick up.  Or wait...I gotta uncle, he's friends wit' da alderman...he'd build this for a juicy city contract!  No problem!!!!

Permalink Reply by Thunder Snow on December 10, 2011 at 8:40am

Well, if you're really serious about this...you may want to touch base with the fellow in the video who designed and built the prototype.  If you explain that it will be used for nonprofit community improvement, who knows, maybe he and his company, Trek, will donate one or two finished models?  Or at least send you good construction drawings.

Not living on your South Side and possessing zero mechanical or welding skills, I'm probably no help in constructing one of these, if that's what you plan to do.  Any welder/mechanical types interested?  I'd supply some beer and moral support.
 
h' said:

I know we're being silly here, but I can't help but seriously entertain this; most of the sidewalks on the boulevard parkway that are major pedestrian connections in my neighborhood don't get plowed, and I've often thought of trying to do it myself somehow . . . but I don't see how this could be workable as an option for the city unless they built mini-garages to store them all around the neighborhoods.

Even though the builder makes the operation look kind of easy, It would not be practical to ride one 4 miles from the far end of a ward back to the "yard."

And I don't think they'd do well with wet or packed snow.  Still, would  love to start work on building one or two-- speak up if you want to partner.

Permalink Reply by Thunder Snow on December 10, 2011 at 8:57am
Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on December 10, 2011 at 10:10am

Fermi lab guys have been doing it for years - Link here.

A plow towed behind a bike.

 Plow behind bike   Plow behind bike   Plow behind bike   Plow behind bike   
This shows the plow deployed behind a bike.
The carriage bolts on top mate with the rear rack holes during transport.
  
The photos below show the original hitch design but click here to see the present hitch.

Plow behind bike   Plow behind bike   
Detail of the hitch attachment.
A triangular piece of wood with slightly larger plywood sides is captured in the stays ahead of the rear axle. 


Plow behind bike   Plow behind bike   Plow behind bike   Plow behind bike   
A piece of rope at the joint near the tire provides a flexible connection for cornering and tilt.
The metal bracket holds the tip of a shovel in case I want to bring one along.

Plow behind bike   Plow behind bike   
A bolt and wing nut secure the flexible joint when the unit is up for transport.
The yellow wire just makes removing the bolt easier.
  
Plow behind bike   Plow behind bike   
Detail of test ice breaking tooth.
The clearance is adjustable.  This tooth helped keep the wheel low but did occasionally catch on cracks.  The stress of stopping the bike eventually cracked the main hitch bar and so the tooth was removed.

Each steel blade meets the ground at a 45° angle.  The sides are made from two pieces of 1x6 (actual size 3/4" x 5-1/2") wood fastened 90°  to each other so the top of the blade tilts out at a 45° angle.  I added a filler piece of wood to reinforce the joint. The cross section of the blade looks roughly like three sides of an octagon.  The blue plastic is from a cheap roll up sled with the shiny side out.  It helps keep wet snow from sticking to the blade.

Plow behind bike   Plow behind bike   Plow behind bike   Plow behind bike   
The plow flips up and rests on the bike bag for transit.
A bungie cord holds it in place.

Here are some higher resolution photos of the plow with a top mounted hitch (no longer used since it caused tilting) and no plastic sheeting.
Bottom V1 Bottom     Top V1 Top    Front V1 Front    Rear Right V1 Right Rear    

Photos on the Path


  Plow in action        Plow in action   
The plow in action.            (Action photos courtesy of Gary Ross.)
A test scraper attachment is stowed on the top of the plow.  It attaches behind the plow and is designed to skim down the hard packed crust that the main plow can't get.  


  Plow in action        Plow in action    
This is what the plow does.  Note the relatively clean ski tracks to the sides of the plow track.
These photos were taken only three days days after a snowfall with wind and drifting.        

Plow in action            
Here is what the path looks like where it is not plowed.  Note the ski tracks and foot prints.  

Plow in action            
And nearby where the plow has been.  Again, note the ski tracks and foot prints.       


Ongoing Improvements

Wet snows in February 2004 showed the need for more lift of the exiting snow.  After a few snowfalls the plowed path has deep sides and the current design is not able to fling the snow over the edges of the trough.  Wet snow then tends to pile up in front of the plow and can become heavy enough to stop the bike.  You can see that happening somewhat even with the shallow track in the action photos.

A modification has been made to open up the outer top half of each side to allow a more vertical and outward exit for the snow.  A new design is in development that will also shape the sides of the trough outward similar to the action of the wings on the push plow.

I have received many requests for drawings or parts lists. Click here to see more details and have a look at the next generation!

Some comments

Although I did not anticipate this, I have received many thanks from walkers, runners, bikers and even skiers.  It seems people tend to walk in the most compacted path.  A plowed path keeps most of the walkers out of the ski tracks.

I have noticed even dogs will prefer to walk in the clear track.

The plow does not remove the snow perfectly but it certainly is better than nothing at all.  
In general:
     - Dry pavement is easier to ride on than snowy pavement.
     - Thin snow is easier to ride on than deep snow.
     - Smooth snow is easier to ride on than lumpy snow.
     - Smooth ice is easier to ride on than lumpy ice.

Even during a cold spell when the temperature does not exceed freezing for many days, the plow track will be clear and dry in a day or two just from sublimation.  The plow does not have to scrape the pavement completely clean for this to occur.

I have been asked "Why don't you just drive the car when it is too snowy?"  There are many reasons why I decided to try to keep a clear path to ride on; the commute along the bike path is so much more peaceful than driving in traffic, it gives me an hour of (usually) low impact exercise at least 5 times a week,  many of the side streets are plowed and the bike path is a small but critical portion of the ride, and so many other people can get out and use the path too.

Someone called into the Sound Off for the March 1, 2003 edition of the Kane County Chronicle and said
 "I want to thank the thoughtful person or persons who, after a snowfall, shovels a single-lane footpath along the east side bike trail between Fabyan and Batavia.  It makes our morning walk less hazardous and more enjoyable."

Click here to go to Page 2

Created by Dave Peterson
email:  email address 
Original: March 4, 2003
Updated: January 13, 2004 with new photos. February 2, 2004 with electric vehicle information.  Feb. 5, 2004 with action photos. Feb. 18, 2004 with path photos.  Feb.27, 2004 with links to the next generation. Feb. 2, 2005 added Contents. May24, 2005 changed email to image.  January 28, 2008 removed hit counter, added links to page 2 for the Better Cutting Plow. Feb. 19, 2008 latest version of 30 degree plow. Jan. 2, 2009 with links to articles.  Feb. 26, 2009 updated  contents with links to snow grommer and movies.

Key phrases:
Bicycle pulling snow plow, Bike path plowing, Shoveling the bike path, A plow behind a bike, Bike Snow Plow, Clearing snow from bike path.












Permalink Reply by Thunder Snow on December 10, 2011 at 10:57am

No that looks MUCH easier to build and use.  Thanks, Julie!

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