Partnership Projects

National Winter Maintenance Peer Exchange

In collaboration with the Aurora pooled fund, Snow and Ice Pooled Fund Cooperative Program, FHWA, and the Pacific Northwest Snowfighters, Clear Roads helped to organize and host a national winter maintenance peer exchange conference dedicated to information sharing and research coordination among winter maintenance professionals in 2007. Thirty-five states plus Washington D.C. attended, and work continues on the 70 research problem statements developed. A second peer exchange took place August 24-26, 2009 in Madison, Wisconsin. A third Peer Exchange is planned for September 20-22, 2011 in Bozeman, Montana. For reports, related documents and updates on follow-up activities for both peer exchanges, see the Montana State University website.

Aurora Pooled Fund’s Wiki Knowledge Base

The Aurora Pooled Fund in partnership with Clear Roads is developing a Wiki-style knowledge base for road weather and winter operations research and innovations. Click here to access this resource.

National Winter Safety Campaign

Clear Roads initiated a national multimedia campaign designed to educate drivers about the importance of driving safely in winter conditions. Working with public information officers from around the country, Clear Roads developed numerous sample campaign materials, photos and videos with the “Ice and Snow… Take it Slow” slogan created for the campaign. See these materials on the Winter Safety Campaign page of this website.

Computer-Based Training

Clear Roads supports the efforts of the Snow and Ice Pooled Fund Cooperative Program in developing computer-based training modules that help train snow plow drivers, maintenance crews and others. Eight CBT modules are currently available. A list of the modules and details on their content is available here.

Snowplow Design Project

Clear Roads has worked with the Winter Concept Vehicle Pooled Fund to conduct research on optimum snowplow design. Clear Roads members have also collaborated with the Iowa DOT to conduct research on multiple blade plow designs. Please see the Multiple Blade Plow Prototypes page for more details.