Longview approves purchase of towable crash attenuator to protect utility crews
Summary
Council approved Resolution 25-71 authorizing purchase of a Scorpion 2 towable truck-mounted crash attenuator to protect crews working lane closures and emergency repairs on high‑truck‑traffic routes; the cost will be split between the water and sewer funds and fit within existing budgets, staff said.
Longview City Council on July 22 approved a resolution authorizing purchase of a Scorpion 2 towable truck‑mounted attenuator trailer intended to protect city crews working lane closures and emergency repairs. City staff said the tool is designed to absorb rear impacts and can be hit and rebuilt after a crash, providing protection when crews work on busy truck routes.
Assistant city manager Chris Collins presented the item and said the attenuator attaches to a pintle hitch on dump trucks and can be deployed on tighter urban streets as well as higher‑volume routes such as Industrial Way and Washington Way. Collins said the device is MASH‑certified and that the city believes the Scorpion 2 best fits local needs because it can be moved among several trucks rather than permanently mounted to a single vehicle.
Collins told council the cost will be split between water and sewer and can be accommodated within existing departmental budgets; no additional appropriation is required for the initial purchase. He said water and sewer crews will be the primary users because they often perform after‑hours emergency repairs and need immediate access, while other departments could borrow the trailer for scheduled work.
A council member asked whether the water and sewer utility should pay if anticipated use is majority non‑utility work; Collins responded that interdepartmental equipment sharing is standard practice and that the city could later request additional purchases for other departments if demand warrants it.
Council members described the purchase as a relatively low‑cost safety investment to protect workers from distracted driving and corridor traffic. A motion to approve Resolution 25-71 was moved and seconded and carried by voice vote.
Staff said they will explore whether any external safety grant programs (for example, risk‑pool grants) might offset some costs in the future. The trailer will be placed into the city fleet and maintained per normal fleet practices.
