A Clear Roads project has earned top honors among research presented by U.S. authors at the PIARC 16th World Winter Service and Road Resilience Congress, which was held last month in Calgary. The project, Defensive Driving for Snowplow Operators, was the subject of an award-winning paper presented at the conference by a Virginia Tech Transportation … Read more
Clear Roads has prepared a listing of technical sessions and posters related to winter maintenance that were presented at the 2022 Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting. The list includes more than 15 papers and posters, with links to abstracts and presentation materials. The sessions covered a wide range of winter maintenance topics, including materials, equipment, … Read more
Using snowplow route optimization programs can reduce an agency’s winter maintenance costs by facilitating more efficient use of staff, equipment and materials. Developing a Request for Proposals (RFP) for optimization services can be challenging and time-consuming, however. To help expedite this process, a recently completed Clear Roads research project developed guidance on the technical requirements … Read more
AASHTO’s SICOP Talks Winter Ops podcast recently posted several new episodes. The latest looks at how agencies manage extreme weather events: Winter Operations Is More than Salt and Snowplows (Episode 56): Wilf Nixon of the Professional Snowfighters Association discusses operating a roadway network in the face of a severe winter event. Topics include traffic incident … Read more
Clear Roads has published its seventh Annual Survey of State Winter Maintenance Data, which compiles data on winter resources, materials and costs from 36 states for the 2020-2021 winter season. The interactive spreadsheet-based tool includes a United States map that displays many of these metrics. New this year is the inclusion of statewide averages for … Read more
For many transportation agencies, a new federal rule will mean changes to the way they train equipment operators who need to obtain or upgrade a commercial driver’s license (CDL). To help agencies comply with the new requirements, Clear Roads has developed entry-level CDL training materials for instructor-led classroom and behind-the-wheel training. Available as a free … Read more
Have a research idea? This year, Clear Roads is inviting members of the winter maintenance and research communities to submit ideas for consideration as future Clear Roads research topics. We welcome great ideas from anyone! Clear Roads funds winter maintenance research in six topic areas, with a focus on: Evaluating winter maintenance materials, equipment and … Read more
Clear Roads has reposted a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the following research project: Efficacy, Cost, and Impacts of Non-Chloride Deicers: An Educational Primer and Product Information Sheets Investigator proposals are due Friday, December 17. Please see the RFP page for more information.
As temperatures drop, industry magazines are turning their focus to winter maintenance. Clear Roads research features prominently in two of them this fall: “Steering Clear of Crashes“: Clear Roads’ safe and defensive driving training materials are featured in the October issue of APWA Reporter. “Can You Hold the Salt?“: Clear Roads research on alternative methods … Read more
Finding and keeping skilled, dedicated highway maintenance workers has become increasingly challenging for state and local transportation agencies. To help agencies navigate today’s employment landscape, a recently completed Clear Roads research project created a comprehensive guide of innovative, practical strategies for attracting and retaining new winter maintenance employees. Case studies cover recruitment programs, retention strategies, … Read more