New Clear Roads Research: Understanding the Effects of Deicer Additives
To determine how well mixed salt products perform at lower temperatures, this Clear Roads project tested eight solids and prewet solids.
Recent Research Results
New Clear Roads Research: Managing Liquid Deicing Storage Systems
Agencies selecting a new or replacement storage system for their liquid deicers have a lot to consider, such as safety, environmental impacts, and cost-effectiveness. This Clear Roads project examined transportation and public works agencies’ systems and developed a manual of best practices for agencies to consult when creating a new system or expanding their current system.
New Clear Roads Research: Dashboards for Improving Winter Operations
This Clear Roads project examined the use of dashboards among transportation agencies to assess current strategies and identify innovative and effective practices. The results offer guidance to transportation agencies that are considering implementing or expanding their dashboard use to enhance winter maintenance operations.
New Clear Roads Research: Training Module Development for Evaluation of Storm Severity Index and Winter Severity Index Variables
Clear Roads project 18-03, Evaluation of SSI and WSI Variables, produced a step-by-step guide and flowchart tool to help agencies identify or develop severity index methods to fit their needs and available data sources.
As estimating the impact of weather on roadway maintenance resources is becoming an increasingly important issue for agencies across the country, a recently completed Clear Roads project, 21-04, produced additional training modules geared toward three key audiences: division directors, snow and ice managers, and supervisors.
New Clear Roads Research: Update to CR 13-04 – Best Practices for Protecting DOT Equipment from the Corrosion Effect of Chemical Deicers
Maintenance equipment exposed to chloride deicers can quickly corrode, presenting a common challenge for transportation agencies across the country. In 2015, Clear Roads project 13-04 published a Manual of Best Practices to compile the various products agencies use as well as guidance for preventing corrosion on highway maintenance equipment.
New Clear Roads Research: Tools to Maximize Snowplowing Efforts
This Clear Roads project developed a methodology for calculating plow cycle times considering road type, road width, weather conditions, traffic volume, and other factors. This could form the basis for a map-based visualization tool that agencies can format with their own electronic data to make real-time operational decisions.
New Clear Roads Research: Identifying Environmentally Sensitive Roadways
To help agencies identify which highway segments are most sensitive, this Clear Roads project developed a geospatial tool that offers an analysis of environmental impacts that can be balanced against other safety and performance objectives.
New Clear Roads Research: Efficacy, Cost and Impacts of Non-Chloride Deicers
Salt products used during winter maintenance can corrode vehicles, damage vegetation and contaminate road-side wells and waterways. Non-chloride deicers could potentially serve as viable substitutes, but their pros and cons have not always been been well understood.
Corrosion and Connectors Don’t Mix
This synthesis project used a survey of winter maintenance professionals and a review of relevant literature to gather information that will aid transportation agencies in reducing—or avoiding—the corrosion of electrical connections on winter maintenance equipment. Project details and final report
High Performance Blade Evaluation
New tools—including a testing protocol and quick reference guide—aim to help agencies compare the costs and variables of different plow blades and determine which blades are the most cost-effective. Project details, webinar and final reportQuick reference guide