Benefit
Winter maintenance personnel indicated that road weather information systems decrease salt usage, and anti-icing techniques limit damage to roadside vegetation, groundwater, and air quality (where abrasives are applied).
March 2001
United States
Summary Information
A research project to document the benefits of anti-icing techniques and road weather information system (RWIS) technologies was initiated under the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP). Benefits reported in the literature were supplemented with interviews from highway professionals.
Data were collected from:
FINDINGS
Also noted were anti-icing disadvantages, which can be avoided with proper use of information from RWIS. Liquid anti-icing chemical usage in windy conditions can cause blowing snow to adhere to pavements. Pretreating roads with liquid chemicals may cause slippery conditions or lead to surface freezing if pavement temperatures fall below specific thresholds. Pretreated areas may necessitate subsequent treatment with solid materials.
The report concluded that anti-icing is an effective winter maintenance strategy that can minimize environmental impacts, however, anti-icing techniques should be carefully planned and executed based upon reliable, accurate data from a RWIS. Appropriate training of maintenance personnel (from decision makers to plow operators) and effective public information campaigns were also noted as key to the success of an anti-icing program.
Data were collected from:
- Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Focus Articles and Technical Briefs.
- Transportation Research Board (TRB) International Symposium of Snow Removal and Ice Control Technology research reports.
- Pacific Northwest Snowfighter Conference reports; Iowa State DOT Winter 1999-2000 debriefing reports.
- Pennsylvania DOT’s anti-icing benchmarking project; vendors and consultants.
- Highway agencies participating in the Lead States Program created by implementation of the Task Force on Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP).
FINDINGS
Performance Measure | RWIS Benefits | Anti-icing Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| Environmental Quality |
|
|
Also noted were anti-icing disadvantages, which can be avoided with proper use of information from RWIS. Liquid anti-icing chemical usage in windy conditions can cause blowing snow to adhere to pavements. Pretreating roads with liquid chemicals may cause slippery conditions or lead to surface freezing if pavement temperatures fall below specific thresholds. Pretreated areas may necessitate subsequent treatment with solid materials.
The report concluded that anti-icing is an effective winter maintenance strategy that can minimize environmental impacts, however, anti-icing techniques should be carefully planned and executed based upon reliable, accurate data from a RWIS. Appropriate training of maintenance personnel (from decision makers to plow operators) and effective public information campaigns were also noted as key to the success of an anti-icing program.
Notes
No contacted agency had a formal performance measurement program to assess the benefits of anti-icing.Goal Areas
Typical Deployment Locations
Rural Areas
Keywords
None defined
Benefit ID: 2007-00470
Benefit Comments
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