The Clay County Secondary Roads Department in Iowa worked with frozen or damaged sandbags that caused many issues, including back injuries while moving and filling sandbags and finding a place to stockpile them. The county wanted to find a better solution for moving and placing the sandbags safely.
The county turned a stockpile of unusable truck tires into barricade weights by using a Sawzall blade to cut the tires. Using these tires eliminates the need to purchase, haul, or fill sandbags. This innovation saved time and money, as the county used tires that were already in house. The tire barricade weights have a 20-year shelf life and can be used repeatedly.
The project received an honorable mention in the Pioneer category of the 2023 Build a Better Mousetrap national program.
Learn more:
- Jim O'Hearn, Clay County Secondary Roads Department, 21cosign@gmail.com, 712 240-3913