JACKSON, Mich. — Getting a flat tire is an expensive fix and can easily ruin someone's day, but Jackson County has an innovative way to prevent that from happening.
The SuperMag is an industrial-size magnet that attaches to the front of a snow plow truck and picks up metal debris.
Officials are hoping the device leads to fewer flats for Jackson County drivers.
For the Department of Transportation, it's made a big difference.
Director Christopher Bolt says the $15,000 device has paid for itself.
"Besides the cost of actually replacing a flat which can be $500-$700 usually, we have down time, employees waiting around for that repair," said Bolt.
Road crews were getting a flat tire every day, but now they say they've had one this year.
Many of the parts used to make the SuperMag come from Mid-Michigan.
"Everything's laser cut from steel that's produced right at Jackson at the Alro facility, comes in to us, our friends at Mason Dynamics provide us with pumps that are produced here locally," said Matt Carr, President and CEO of Storch Magnetics.
Once the magnet is full, a crew member will release whatever was collected, sweep it up, and put it in recycling.
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