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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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
Interviews with 13 state DOTs and others in government, as well as vehicle and fuel system manufacturers, informed this synthesis of industry best practices and future considerations for making winter maintenance fleets greener. Project details and final reportTwo-page brief