Kane County Announces Winning Names in “Name the Snowplow” Contest
Kane County has announced the winners of its “Name the Snowplow" contest, a lighthearted initiative that drew more than 100 creative entries from residents across the county. With so many clever and imaginative submissions, selecting the winners proved to be no easy task.
A committee of employees from the Kane County Division of Transportation (KDOT) reviewed the entries and ultimately selected three standout names.
The first winning name, Plowasaurus Rex, was submitted by Olivia Gates, a second-grade student from Batavia. Olivia said she was inspired by her younger brother's love of dinosaurs, making her entry both fun and personal.
The second selection, Clear-o-patha, is a playful twist on Cleopatra, the iconic female ruler of ancient Egypt. The name was submitted by Erik Jensen of Batavia who has the unofficial title of 'master of puns' in his family. He was inspired by a recent streaming series he watched about ancient Rome. His idea impressed judges with its clever wordplay and snow-clearing theme.
The third winning name, Mailbox Mauler, was submitted by David Bus of Batavia. While the name may sound a bit mischievous, KDOT officials emphasize that snow removal crews take great care to avoid damaging mailboxes whenever possible. Bus shared that he has always appreciated the hard work and dedication of Kane County's snowplow drivers, especially on roads west of town where drifting can quickly become a challenge during and after storms. Although his mailbox has been “mauled" a couple of times over the years, he understands it's the result of crews doing their best to keep roads as wide and safe as possible for drivers. 
On average, about a dozen mailboxes are accidentally struck each season, despite crews passing hundreds upon hundreds of mailboxes while clearing snow and ice from more than 700 lane miles of county-maintained roads.
Residents whose mailboxes are damaged during snow operations can file a claim with KDOT by calling 630-584-1170 or emailing kdotcomments@kanecountyil.gov
