Performance Measurement for Highway Winter Maintenance Operations

Performance Measurement for Highway Winter Maintenance Operations

Author: Lin Qiu

Publisher:

Published: 2009

Total Pages: 122

ISBN-13:

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The goal of this research project was to develop a method to measure the performance of a winter maintenance program with respect to the task of providing safety and mobility to the traveling public. Developing these measures required a number of steps, each of which was accomplished. First, the impact of winter weather on safety (crash rates) and mobility (average vehicle speeds) were measured by a combination of literature reviews and analysis of Iowa Department of Transportation traffic and Road Weather Information System data. Second, because not all winter storms are the same in their effects on safety and mobility, a method had to be developed to determine how much the various factors that describe a winter storm actually change safety and mobility. As part of this effort a storm severity index was developed, which ranks each winter storm on a scale between 0 (a very benign storm) and I (the worst imaginable storm). Additionally a number of methods of modeling the relationships between weather, winter maintenance actions and road surface conditions were developed and tested. The end result of this study was a performance measure based on average vehicle speed. For a given class of road, a maximum expected average speed reduction has been identified. For a given storm, this maximum expected average speed reduction is modified by the storm severity index to give a target average speed reduction. Thus, if for a given road the maximum expected average speed reduction is 20 mph, and the storm severity for a particular storm is 0.6, then the target average speed reduction for that road in that storm is 0.6 x 20 mph or 12 mph. If the average speed on that road during and after the storm is only 12 mph or less than the average speed on that road in good weather conditions, then the winter maintenance performance goal has been met.


Sustainable Winter Road Operations

Sustainable Winter Road Operations

Author: Xianming Shi

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2018-08-27

Total Pages: 476

ISBN-13: 1119185068

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The first and only comprehensive guide to best practices in winter road operations Winter maintenance operations are essential to ensure the safety, mobility, and productivity of transportation systems, especially in cold-weather climates, and responsible agencies are continually challenged to provide a high level of service in a fiscally and environmentally responsible manner. Sustainable Winter Road Operations bridges the knowledge gaps, providing the first up-to-date, authoritative, single-source overview and guide to best practices in winter road operations that considers the triple bottom line of sustainability. With contributions from experts in the field from around the world, this book takes a holistic approach to the subject. The authors address the many negative impacts on regional economies and the environment of poorly planned and inadequate winter road operations, and they make a strong case for the myriad benefits of environmentally sustainable concepts and practices. Best practice applications of materials, processes, equipment, and associated technologies and how they can improve the effectiveness and efficiency of winter operations, optimize materials usage, and minimize cost, corrosion, and environmental impacts are all covered in depth. Provides the first up-to-date, authoritative and comprehensive overview of best practices in sustainable winter road operations currently in use around the world Covers materials, processes, equipment, and associated technologies for sustainable winter road operations Brings together contributions by an international all-star team of experts with extensive experience in designing, implementing, and managing sustainable winter road operations Designed to bring professionals involved in transportation and highway maintenance and control up to speed with current best practice Sustainable Winter Road Operations is essential reading for maintenance professionals dealing with snow and ice control operations on highways, motorways and local roads. It is a valuable source of information and guidance for decision makers, researchers, and engineers in transportation engineering involved in transportation and highway maintenance. And it is an ideal textbook for advanced-level courses in transportation engineering.


Managing Roadway Snow and Ice Control Operations

Managing Roadway Snow and Ice Control Operations

Author: David A. Kuemmel

Publisher: Transportation Research Board

Published: 1994

Total Pages: 68

ISBN-13: 9780309056663

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"This synthesis report will be of interest to transportation agency maintenance engineers, managers, and operators and others involved with roadway snow and ice control including safety engineers, traffic engineers, and law enforcement agency personnel. It presents information on the state of the practice in managing roadway snow and ice control considering both rural and urban locations. The document describes the developments that have occurred during the past 20 years to improve winter maintenance. This report of the Transportation Research Board discusses winter maintenance policies and provides examples for state, city, and county agencies. Included in the discussion of winter maintenance policies are issues such as: levels of service, public relations, liability for services, and experimenting with new policies. Additional information is included on estimating winter maintenance benefits and costs; personnel and management issues; weather information systems; and materials, equipment, and facilities for winter maintenance."--Avant-propos.


Guide for All-Hazard Emergency Operations Planning

Guide for All-Hazard Emergency Operations Planning

Author: Kay C. Goss

Publisher: DIANE Publishing

Published: 1998-05

Total Pages: 277

ISBN-13: 078814829X

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Meant to aid State & local emergency managers in their efforts to develop & maintain a viable all-hazard emergency operations plan. This guide clarifies the preparedness, response, & short-term recovery planning elements that warrant inclusion in emergency operations plans. It offers the best judgment & recommendations on how to deal with the entire planning process -- from forming a planning team to writing the plan. Specific topics of discussion include: preliminary considerations, the planning process, emergency operations plan format, basic plan content, functional annex content, hazard-unique planning, & linking Federal & State operations.