Category Archives: Maintenance Operations

Clear Roads Selects 2023 Research Projects

At its 2023 spring meeting, the Clear Roads Technical Advisory Committee reviewed new research proposals and selected projects to fund. This year, the committee selected eight projects:

  • Development of a Public Service Announcement Library
  • Quantifying the Economic Value of Snow and Ice Operational Success
  • Update to CR 14-02: Quantifying the Impact that New Capital Projects will have on Roadway Snow and Ice Control Operations
  • Solar Radiation Benefits / Chloride Reduction Potential Associated with the Use of Vegetation Management Practices Near Roads
  • Computer-based Training for the Clear Roads ELDT Modules
  • Synthesis: Management of Video Recordings and Images taken from Truck-mounted Cameras
  • Synthesis: Brine-making Practices
  • Synthesis: UAV Uses for Winter Maintenance

More information about these projects is available in the 2023 All Proposed Projects summary. Requests for investigator proposals for the new projects will be posted this summer.

The agenda, budget and minutes from the spring meeting are available on the Clear Roads Meetings page.

New Clear Roads Research: Evaluating high-performance plow blades

A variety of factors can affect a snowplow blade’s long-term performance, making it difficult for an agency to determine which blades are the most cost-effective overall. By developing a field test protocol and cost-benefit analysis methodology, the new research will make it easier for Clear Roads agencies to evaluate and compare blades in the future using the same standard procedures used in this project.

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New Project: Evaluation of Gravel Stabilizer Used on Gravel Roads and Shoulders

Approximately 50% of roads in Minnesota are gravel. The performance and long-term sustainability of such roads depend on the quality of the surface layer. Unbound large particles can form an unstable road surface that becomes rough, developing potholes and corrugations as this material is scattered by vehicles or washed away by rain. As a result, more frequent maintenance and reconstruction is required, which becomes very expensive for Minnesota counties.

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Call for Presentations: 2024 North American Snow Conference

Interested in sharing your knowledge, experience, and vision for the future? Organizers of the 2024 North American Snow Conference are looking for public works professionals with new perspectives, solid best practices or innovative twists to winter maintenance, workforce development, and operations.

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Research, Updated Tools Help MnDOT Encourage Landowners to Join Snow Fence Program

This article was originally posted on Catalyst, November 2022.

Snow fences are a useful tool for controlling snow and ice on Minnesota’s roads. However, installing them relies on the cooperation of landowners. An ongoing collaboration between U of M researchers and the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) aims to develop outreach tools that can be used to attract more landowners to the MnDOT snow fence program.

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Expanding Alternative Snow Control Through Landowner Engagement

Some rural landowners maintain snow fences to prevent blowing snow from reaching highways, decreasing the resources MnDOT spends on winter maintenance. A recent project provided new information and updated tools to encourage more landowners to adopt this alternative snow control method.

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