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KANSAS CITY, Mo., April 21, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Over 2,000 snow fighters and the latest equipment and technology in snow and ice control are expected in Des Moines, Iowa for the American Public Works Association (APWA) 2017 North American Snow Conference.  Known as "The Show for Snow," the Snow Conference takes place during April 23-26, 2017 at the Iowa Events Center where snow and ice management professionals from U.S. and Canadian transportation and public works departments will converge to attend educational and networking sessions, and view the latest technology, such as autonomous snowplows, in the approximately 200 equipment and technical displays.

"The APWA Snow Conference brings together more than 2,000 snow fighters from every corner of the winter maintenance community across North America.  The public, private, rural, metropolitan, domestic and international professionals will attend the conference to enjoy quality education sessions, and a packed Exhibit Hall with the newest equipment and technologies, including the autonomous snowplow demonstration," said APWA Executive Director Scott Grayson. "And, the Technical Tours provide opportunities to exchange ideas with manufacturers, distributors, consultants and other public works professionals," Grayson said.

The Exhibit Hall will open on Sunday, April 23 at 4:30 p.m., with Exhibit Hours on Monday and Tuesday, and will close at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 25^th.

Exhibit Hall Highlights and Headliners:

• Autonomous Snowplows: Unmanned snow plows on display in front of booth 1931 near Hall C - Café Lounge.
• New Product Showcase: New this year with voting via the App during the show. Winner will be announced on Tuesday
• Exhibitor Solutions Theater: Eight exhibitor presentations over two days, educating attendees on solutions to common issues they face. 

The Snow Conference educational highlights include the APWA Winter Maintenance Supervisor Certificate workshop and the Traffic Incident Management for Responders Course on April 23^rd. During the second day's education sessions, winter maintenance professionals will discuss challenges in the "When It All Goes Wrong" session and the representatives from the Center for Sustainability will lead a discussion on "Sustainability for Winter Road Maintenance." The third day will be highlighted by the "Snow Celebration" that will take place at the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates from 6 to 9 p.m.

The Wednesday Technical Tours of the City of Waukee Public Works Operations and Regional Salt Storage Facility will take place from 8am-12 noon at the following locations:

• City of Waukee Public Works:  Waukee's fast-growing community has increased to 20,000 in 2016, and its new facility was built to accommodate the growing community's needs. The new facility is approximately 76,000 square feet, with 64,000 dedicated to operations and the remaining to administration. It includes Streets, Water/Sewer, Gas, GIS, Engineering, Stormwater, and Fleet departments. Staff will be stationed throughout the building to discuss their operations, equipment and challenges.
  
  
• Regional Salt Storage:  The regional salt storage facility is an example of collaboration at its finest. It was constructed to store bulk road salt for several municipalities and the surrounding area.  Now 10 years old, and  the facility also has a solid waste transfer station on site in addition to the salt storage facility.

About APWA: The American Public Works Association (www.apwa.net) is a not-for-profit, international organization of more than 29,800 members involved in the field of public works. APWA serves its members by promoting professional excellence and public awareness through education, advocacy and the exchange of knowledge. APWA is headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, has an office in Washington, D.C. and 63 chapters in North America.

SOURCE American Public Works Association