Blizzard Wizard, Snow Buster and Plowasaurus Rex are the three winning names for the city of Joliet’s new snowplows.

Elementary and junior high school students from Joliet Public Schools District 86 were invited in January to submit their most creative names.

Students were asked to submit one name per school. Hufford Junior High, Pershing Elementary and Taft Elementary all submitted Blizzard Wizard as their top-voted name.

Snow Buster came from the students at M.J. Cunningham Elementary, and Woodland Elementary students sent in Plowasaurus Rex. The winning names are now prominently stenciled on each snowplow.

“The creativity these students showed was fantastic,” director of the Joliet Department of Public Works Greg Ruddy said in a release announcing the names. “Our Joliet Public School students demonstrated some incredible imagination and it was very hard to pick just three from the dozens that were submitted. We have plenty of other snowplows in the fleet, so there will be many more opportunities for more names next winter.”

[ PHOTOS: Joliet D86 students name city snow plows ]

Joliet’s Department of Public Works maintains a fleet of 43 snowplows responsible for keeping the city’s 650-miles of roadways clear during snow events.

Each snowplow route is approximately 16 miles in length. Depending on the storm event, each route will be traveled two or three times before it is completely cleared of snow, the city said.

“Students are likely to see their plows come by next time we see some snow, which in these parts can be through April,” Ruddy said.

This is first time the city has offered residents the opportunity to name a piece of city machinery.