Developing practical, user-friendly tools that help practitioners improve their winter operations is an important aspect of Clear Roads’ research program. Designed to empower managers to make data-driven decisions across their operations, these tools can help agencies:
- Improve performance.
- Save money and materials.
- Improve efficiency.
- Limit environmental impact.
Clear Roads tools are available for free download by any interested agency.
Resource Management Tools
State Winter Maintenance Data (annual survey): Interactive map (spreadsheet). This annual effort compiles and analyzes winter operations data from state DOTs, including tons of salt applied and total winter costs.
Use this tool to: Identify trends in key areas, compare data by year or by state, and facilitate peer-to-peer discussions regarding approaches, tools and costs.
About this project: Annual Survey of State Winter Maintenance Data (CR15-S1)
Tow Plow and Wing Plow Efficiency: Decision Support Tool (spreadsheet) and User’s Guide | Best Practices Guide
Use these tools to: Quantify the efficiencies, costs of ownership, and return on investment for Tow Plows and wing plows and identify the best locations to deploy them. Understand the considerations for purchasing, deploying, and operating specific plow types.
About this project: Measuring the Efficiencies of Tow Plows and Wing Plows (CR19-03)
Weather Tools
Accumulated Winter Season Severity Index (AWSSI): Web-based tool. This easy-to-use tool was developed using nonproprietary data available from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Use this tool to: Conduct analyses to relate storm severity to other factors, such as winter maintenance costs.
About this project: AWSSI Enhancements, Phase 2 (CR20-07)
Choosing a Severity Index: Flowchart tool | Final report (includes step-by-step selection guide)
Use this tool to: Help identify or develop severity index methods that fit your needs and available data sources. Implementing a severity index lets agencies more effectively compare winter operations across jurisdictions and compare individual storms across years, which in turn allows them to more accurately evaluate the impacts of innovations and new winter maintenance methods.
About this project: Evaluation of SSI and WSI Variables (CR18-03)
Weather Event Reconstruction and Analysis Tool: Web-based tool | Final report and user manual. This web-based tool gathers existing online weather data for a specific location and time and prepares the results in a single clear and comprehensive report.
Use this tool to: Efficiently reconstruct and analyze winter storm events. Minimize time spent finding and preparing weather data, allowing managers to focus on analysis and follow-up. This will help agencies better understand the development and outcomes of winter storms, react appropriately to such events in the short and long term, and refine future maintenance decision-making.
About this project: Weather Event Reconstruction and Analysis Tool (CR16-05)
Costs and Finance Tools
Impact of New Capital Projects: Decision support tool (spreadsheet) | Final report
Use this tool to: Help calculate the financial impact of capital improvements on snow and ice control operations. Final report includes recommendations for how winter maintenance personnel can work within the project development process to include winter operations in the considerations for geometric design of roadways.
About this project: Quantifying the Impact That New Capital Projects Will Have on Roadway Snow and Ice Control Operations (CR14-02)
Coming Soon
- Using GIS to Highlight Highway Segments Sensitive to Deicing Materials (Coming in 2023): This project is developing a geospatial tool that incorporates data about roadways, topography, hydrology, and ecology to model the impact of deicing chemical application on the local environment. This information can then be used by maintenance personnel to adjust material application to balance mobility and environmental concerns.
- Grip Sensor Technology and Salt Applications (Coming in 2023): This project will provide winter maintenance teams with an algorithm or decision matrix that incorporates pavement friction and other data to produce real-time recommendations for the appropriate type and application rate of deicing materials.
- Calculating Plow Cycle Times from AVL Data (Coming in 2024): This project is developing a methodology to calculate plow cycle times based on relevant factors. This methodology will then be used to create the framework for a visualization tool that agencies can format with their own electronic data.