Winter Maintenance E-Newsletter -
November 2008

Produced by CTC & Associates LLC
To be notified of new issues email, info@ctcandassociates.com

Past Newsletters: August 2008

News

Road Weather Management Web-based Course
FHWA and the Consortium for ITS Training and Education have developed an interactive Web-based course on the “Principles and Tools of Road Weather Management” that provides highway maintenance and highway operations professionals with training to develop tools and strategies for addressing road weather problems This course provides the same content as the National Highway Institute classroom version of the course, but in an online format. More information.

APWA Snow Conference
The American Public Works Association is gearing up for its next North American Snow Conference, to be held April 26 to 29, 2009, at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines. The Snow Conference is a national convention and equipment show focused on snow and ice control and winter operations, and will feature more than 40 education and roundtable sessions with more than 120 companies represented on the exhibit floor. Details.

Winter Maintenance Edition of Milestones
The Ontario Good Roads Association has released the annual, Winter Maintenance edition of its Milestones ezine. Topics addressed in the 2008 edition include: managing limited salt supplies, working with farmers to establish living snow fences, using joystick controls in snowplows, and using a standalone computer program to track plow operator hours. Articles.

 

Documenting the Benefits of Pre-wetting and Brine
The Ontario Ministry of Transportation has moved strongly into using liquids for winter road maintenance, and endeavored to document the benefits achieved by pre-wetting rock salt and applying salt brine directly to roads. Research Coordinator Max Perchanok reported the agency's findings recently during the Ontario Good Roads Association's annual Snow and Ice Colloquium. Article.

XIII International Road Congress
The World Road Association has slated its XIII International Road Congress for Feb. 8 to 11, 2010, at the Québec City Convention Centre. With a theme of Sustainable Winter Service for Road Users, the conference will address these topics: Winter Service Planning, Management and Implementation; Safety and Mobility in Winter -- Social, Environmental and Economic Aspects; Winter Service Information Systems; Snow and Ice Control Techniques and Technologies; Winter Service and Sustainable Transportation; and Winter Service and Climate Change Impacts. Details.

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Research Reports

Assessment of Soil and Wash Water Quality Beneath Salt Spreader Racks
FHWA/VTRC 09-R3, July 2008
Researchers investigated the pros and cons of paving beneath Virginia DOT salt spreader racks. Paving would enable consolidation of spreader washing, lubrication and storage into one location – the racks – and would reduce the potential for soil and groundwater contamination from dripping oils. However, paving also increases the risk of contaminating wash water runoff and the runoff storage pond with lubricants, rendering the pond unsuitable for brine production. Report.

 

 

Off-the-Shelf Component RWIS
Aurora Project 2003-02, May 2008
The purpose of this project was to develop a programmable, off-the-shelf road weather information system that allows practitioners to choose which sensors they would like to use initially and to change sensors or other components over time without needing to replace the entire system. Report.

 

 

The Deleterious Chemical Effects of Concentrated Deicing Solutions on Portland Cement Concrete
SD2002-01-X, April 2008
This South Dakota DOT research project investigated the effects of concentrated brines of magnesium chloride, calcium chloride, sodium chloride and calcium magnesium acetate on portland cement concrete. Report.

Driver Education for Safety in Adverse Driving Conditions
FHWA-AZ-08-609, February 2008
The purpose of this research was to 1) identify best practices for teaching drivers how to safely negotiate adverse conditions including sleet and blowing snow, and roads with snow, ice or slush cover, and 2) develop a realistic module for a driver education program that addresses adverse conditions. Report.

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Research in Progress

Evaluation of the Utah DOT Weather Operations Program
The purpose of this Aurora project is to evaluate the benefit-cost ratio of UDOT’s Weather Operations Program for winter maintenance, quantify the benefits and costs of the program’s RWIS elements, quantify the program’s benefits for other UDOT users, and quantify the program’s indirect benefits, including delay reduction and improved safety. Abstract.

Establishing Best Practices - Snow/Ice Removal in California
This project will develop guidelines for optimal snow and ice removal operations designed specifically for California highway environments. Preliminary guidelines will be established through a carefully crafted laboratory investigation and a field operational test to predict and/or verify the viability of selected chemicals under various road and weather scenarios. Sponsors: California Department of Transportation, U.S. DOT Research and Innovative Technology Administration. Abstract.

Lab Investigation of Deicer Impacts on Concrete Microstructure and Pavement Friction Coefficient
Researchers will conduct a laboratory study of the impact of deicers on the microstructure of concrete and on the pavement friction coefficient, two key performance components with infrastructure and safety implications. Sponsors: U.S. DOT Research and Innovative Technology Administration, Colorado Department of Transportation. Abstract.

Integration of Aviation Automated Weather Observation System with RWIS
This study will identify the benefits and costs of integrating Automated Weather Observation System (AWOS) and Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) meteorological data with Road Weather Information System (RWIS) weather data, and create and test a prototype of an integrated system. Sponsor: California Department of Transportation. Abstract.

Fate & Transport Behavior of Anti-icers & Deicers in Airport Soils - UTC
Researchers propose to investigate the primary mechanisms of the transport and fate of anti-icers and deicers in typical airport conditions and environment. This project will parallel an additional Western Transportation Institute project -- the Inhibitor Longevity and Deicer Performance Study funded by the Pacific Northwest Snowfighters Association. Sponsors: FHWA, U.S. DOT Research and Innovative Technology Administration. Abstract.