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If you’re looking for the latest research and guidance on deicers, extreme weather, or any other aspect of winter operations, be sure to check the Transportation Research Board. A recent TRB article serves as a guide to the organization’s winter-related resources, including:

• NCHRP Research Report 889: Performance Measures in Snow and Ice Control Operations
• NCHRP Research Results Digest 387: Alternative Delivery Methods for Winter Maintenance Operations
• NCHRP Synthesis 449: Strategies to Mitigate the Impacts of Chloride Roadway Deicers on the Natural Environment

Read the article: Preparing for Winter Weather with Transportation Resources, March 2021. Image credit: Washington State DOT

An ongoing plow route optimization effort at Delaware DOT is yielding benefits for state residents. By optimizing selected routes for mileage efficiency, the department has been able to reduce snow removal service times and improve its level of service. DelDOT began its route optimization work in 2019 following a 2018 research project, and the agency is currently working to expand the effort to more areas. The agency’s successes with route optimization were featured in a recent issue of FHWA’s Every Day Counts newsletter. For more on this topic, see Clear Roads’ Plow Route Optimization Research page. Image credit: Delaware DOT

While not yet widely available, corn-based deicers have shown some promise as an environmentally friendly alternative that could reduce the use of salt. Iowa DOT researchers conducted lab tests on a series of corn-based deicer blends—mixes of salt brine and three types of corn-derived alcohols. They identified several combinations that performed well in terms of freezing-point depression, corrosion inhibition and ice-melting capacity. While cost and logistics issues must be explored further, the blends’ performance showed enough promise to warrant further study. Read the final report and two-page research brief: Corn-Based Deicers, July 2020. Image source: Iowa DOT

Clear Roads is pleased to share the following opportunity from lead state Minnesota DOT: Winter maintenance professionals from all agencies are invited to join Minnesota DOT’s Winter Research Lightning Talks on Wednesday, February 24, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. CST.  The event will include 5-minute presentations from researchers about five in-progress MnDOT research projects: … Read more

A Michigan DOT research study confirmed that adding green strobe lights to existing amber warning lights on winter maintenance vehicles increases the trucks’ visibility to other motorists. Researchers evaluated dozens of lighting configurations to identify the best options for increasing the plows’ visibility while minimizing glare. MDOT began using green warning lights on winter maintenance … Read more

A new Clear Roads synthesis project surveyed state DOTs about how they meet their weather forecasting needs, including which approaches are effective and what additional resources would be valuable. The project also examined the practices DOTs use to convey information about forecasts and road weather conditions to operators in the field. Read the synthesis report: Resources, Practices and Needs for Weather Forecasting to Facilitate Winter Road Maintenance, December 2020.

Clear Roads has published its sixth Annual Survey of State Winter Maintenance Data, which compiles data on winter resources, materials and costs from 36 states for the 2019-2020 winter season. The interactive spreadsheet-based tool includes a United States map that displays many of these metrics. The tool includes six years of data, and displays averages and changes across winter seasons. See the project page.

Check out these recent Clear Roads research reports:

• Synthesis Report: Mechanic/Operator Equipment Training, August 2020. This synthesis report identified the training materials that state DOTs and others have developed on topics including pre- and post-trip inspections and diagnosing and correcting equipment problems. Synthesis report.
• Alternative Methods for Deicing, Clear Roads Project 18-05, July 2020. Researchers created a compendium of alternative deicing methods and technologies, ranging from low-investment process changes to larger mechanical improvements. Final report and research brief.
• Safe Driving and Defensive Driving Training for Snowplow Operators, Clear Roads Project 18-01, June 2020. This project added two new modules to Clear Roads’ training materials for snowplow operators. Final report, training modules and research brief.
• Test Bed Software for Plug-and-Play Technology, Clear Roads Project 13-05, April 2019. Researchers created a web portal that lets vendors test spreader controllers and AVL equipment for compatibility with the Clear Roads Communications Protocol—a key step toward plug-and-play device compatibility. White paper and research brief.

To see all completed and in-progress Clear Roads projects, visit the Research by Topic page.