Jan. 15—No cap, a recent social media post by state transportation officials ate and ate hard.
The “Skibbity Weather Warning” for road conditions was shared nearly 5,000 times and triggered nearly 4,000 comments. New Hampshire Department of Transportation officials flexed to better engage and be relevant for younger drivers, who last year were involved in an alarming number of road deaths.
Appropriating Generation Z lingo, the post alerted drivers to sus conditions Saturday.
“Our goal with this post was to communicate an important safety message about winter driving conditions in a way that grabs attention — particularly from younger audiences and parents who are helping shape the next generation of safe drivers,” NHDOT Director of Communications Jennifer Lane said.
The state saw a 233% increase in deaths among drivers ages 16-21 in 2024. The Facebook post is part of a larger outreach program called Driving Toward Zero, that calls for reducing roadway deaths and serious injuries by 50% by 2030. Safety officials hope their warnings will live rent-free in younger drivers’ minds.
“We recognize that engaging people online often includes leaning into trends, and we’ve found that this can make our messages more memorable and impactful,” Lane said. “The response to the post has been a mix of laughs, head-tilts, and plenty of shares, which is exactly what any marketing team hopes for when working to deliver an effective message. With reaching more than 2 million views demonstrates the success of this approach in amplifying an important reminder about safe driving in winter weather.”
Talk about rizz.
‘The Dude’ abides
You will soon see state snowplows called The Big Leplowski (aka “The Dude”), Live Free and Plow, Adam Sander and other monikers decided by online voters.
After receiving 975 name suggestions and more than 3,000 votes online, the Department of Transportation will be showcasing residents’ humorous suggestions stenciled on the side of those big, orange plows you see on highways.
The seven winners were as follows and in this order by votes received: CTRL-SALT-DELETE, Tomie DePlowa, Live Free and Plow, Adam Sander, 6 Snow 3, The Big Leplowski and Fritz Plowerbee.
“These snowplow names will proudly adorn our NHDOT plows, making winter road maintenance a bit more fun and engaging for everyone,” transportation officials said in a news release. “Thank you to all who participated and showed their creativity. Stay safe this winter and remember to give snowplows plenty of room to work!”
Pelham bridge fixes
The NHDOT will hold a public hearing next month to talk about the proposed rehabilitation or replacement of two Main Street bridges over Beaver Brook in Pelham.
The state-owned bridges, which were built in 1900 and 1988, were added to the state’s Red List in 1988 and 2010. The Red List designation means the structures are rated poor or worse. In the case of the older bridge, which was modified in 1929, the culvert is in serious condition of disrepair, according to the state’s inspectors.
Construction plans include several hundred feet of sidewalks to be added to the south side of Main Street, transportation officials said.
The hearing is slated to begin at 6 p.m. Feb. 12 at Pelham Town Hall, but doors will open for residents to view the plans at 5:30 p.m.
Maps, plans and environmental studies are available by calling project manager David Scott at 603-271-2731.
For a list of state and municipal Red List bridges, visit dot.nh.gov.
More electric vehicle charging
Last week, the state was awarded a $15 million federal grant to add more public electrical vehicle charging hubs as part of its Next Level NH program.
Transportation officials hope to entice more drivers to use electric cars as a way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Read more about the state’s plans for electric vehicle infrastructure at dot.nh.gov.
About this column
This is the first of what will be an occasional column devoted to New Hampshire transportation news and updates.
Suggestions, questions and your tales of getting there are welcome.
Contact transportation reporter Dave Pierce at dpierce@unionleader.com.