Talkin Winter Ops

Episode 146: First storm of the season

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 10:00:00 -0700

Every agency has gone through it. Perfect planning for winter, perfect preparation for that first storm, then mother nature sends a curve ball, all the planets line up and all the little things add up to a big thing. That’s what happened December 1st, 2025 to the Missouri DOT in the St. Louis area.

Becky Allmeroth, Chief Safety and Operations Officer at the Missouri DOT sets the stage and tells the story and aftermath of this first of the season storm.

Sign up for email notifications on future episodes and other communications associated with winter maintenance and winter weather management by clicking on subscribe on the Talkin' Winter Ops website at TalkinWinterOps.com

Thanks for listening in and stay safe out there!

Episode 145: The winter app that isn't an app

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 17:00:00 -0700

On this episode were going to showcase the work of a couple of innovative maintenance professionals long time friend and listener, Phillip Anderle turned me on to at the last APWA Western Snow and Ice Conference. These two guys created a winter app for smart phones and tablets that makes gathering storm response data from the crews much easer and checks it for accuracy before it gets input into the Cities asset management system.

District Supervisor Corey Rivera and equipment operator and Inspector Zach Mackey aren’t computer nerds, just a couple guys who plow snow and had an idea to make their paperwork process faster, easier, and better for themselves and others in the paperwork chain. With access to some common computer software, and a little computer savvy they’ve put together an amazing tool to make life a little simpler and a whole lot easer.

You can reach out to Corey at Corey.Rivera@coloradosprings.gov to learn more about their creation. In the mean time listen in as Corey and Zach are Talkin' Winter Ops.

Episode 144: Communicate, Coordinate, Cooperate - the I-80 Corridor Coalition

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 10:00:00 -0800

Born out of a desire to improve winter operations across state lines the Interstate 80 Corridor Coalition has grown into the second longest corridor coalition extending from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Likewise, the operational focus has also grown beyond winter operations to leverage coordination in the areas of traveler information, freight and economic efficiency, and smarter technology deployment all to benefit the motorists using this facility.

This episode features one of the movers and shakers making this corridor coalition a reality, Tracy Larkin-Thomason, Director of the Nevada Department of Transportation. Tracy talked about the beginnings and growth of the coalition as well as its importance to other interstate corridors across the nation.

Episode 143: Winter readiness, get your house in order

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 09:00:00 -0800

While it's important to have stockpiles full, equipment repaired and ready, and staff training and assignments set, it's important to have your home weather ready as well. After all, when you're out there battling the weather, there's peace of mind knowing that your own home and family are safe and sound. On this episode we're Talkin' Winter Ops with Jake Sorber, Research Project Scientist with the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety. Jake highlights the work of the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) in helping homeowners prepare for winter weather and take proactive steps to reduce risks and avoid costly repairs.

For additional ways to protect your home from harsh winter conditions, you can find a full checklist at ibhs.org/winter-ready/ to help you get started.

Bonus Episode 142: Pacific Northwest Snowfighters 2026

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 11:00:00 -0800

The Pacific Northwest Snowfighters Association will be holding their biannual conference for winter maintenance professionals and practitioners May 2026 in Spokane, Washington. This best in the west winter operations conference is a perfect time for exchanging ideas with your peers, finding out the latest and greatest in winter maintenance operations research, and interacting with vendors and suppliers.

On this bonus episode James Morin of the Washington DOT is going to give you the inside scoop on this conference and why it's important for you to check it out. More info and links to register for this conference can be found on the PNS website https://pnsassociation.org/

Episode 141: Maintenance-If you think it's not important, just stop doing it

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 09:00:00 -0800

From that moment the very first engineering project was completed the age of maintenance began. While the initial delivery of the public work carries a lot of fanfare nothing is more important than keeping it functional and in service. Maintenance organizations have been intrusted to manage every aspect of those assets since before Asset Management was a thing. From mowing and debris pickup to restoring mobility after the blizzard of flood, it's all important. George Conner, Deputy Director of Maintenance and Operations at the Alabama DOT and Chair of AASHTOs Maintenance Committee says if you don't think it's important just stop doing it and see how important it is to the users.

George has a huge passion for maintenance and on this episode he shares his insights and perspective on maintenance and the folks that keep the highway network clean, repaired and functional 24/7/365.

Episode 140: Salt is about the speed

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 17:00:00 -0800

In this episode we’re revisiting an earlier episode of Talkin Winter Ops that you may have missed. In this episode we visit with Dr. Scott Koefod, inorganic chemist, about just how salt works when used as part of a winter maintenance strategy.

Episode 139: Don't give your spouse the leftovers

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 03:00:00 -0800

Winter maintenance is more than work plans, budgets, disasters and recovery. Your family plays a huge role in your public works career and public service often demands family sacrifice during times of crisis. Lots of times the two worlds of work and family overlap and sometimes collide. Mike Duffy is the Assistant Public Works Director at the City of Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Janis Duffy works for the State of Iowa Foster Care and Adoption Unit. During Mike's 16 years at the City and 10 years before that with the county they've raised children, survived community disasters, and family crisis.

They share their story, challenges, triumphs, and insights on this episode.

You might want to check out Engineer Your Success with Dr. James Bryant. James has been part of the winter maintenance community through his past role at Transportation Research Board.

If you're facing challenges with work - life balance please reach out to resources available in your community or through employee assistance programs available through your organization for help. You're not alone.

Episode 138: Designed for snowplows

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 10:00:00 -0700

Developing an infrastructure project is series of compromises and tradeoffs and so often maintenance and operations considerations end up on the cutting room floor. Unfortunately, those decisions have implications that agencies have to live with for a long time. In the case of the GARS Intersection project in Fairbanks, Alaska everyone knew that snow removal was to be a significant consideration during the development phase.

Sarah Schacher, Transportation Department Manager for the Michael Baker International Alaska office, describes the process that had maintenance as stakeholder and shares some of the discussions and compromises that unfolded during the design phase that made this an outstanding project.

Learn more about this unique intersection design at: https://dot.alaska.gov/nreg/garsreconstruction/ and email Sarah to discuss their process at Sarah.Schacher@mbakerintl.com

Episode 137: Innovation, the little ones are the big ones

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 12:00:00 -0700

A hundred and fifty years ago road departments leaned on the farmers next to the road to help maintain it and often times paid them to do so. As time marched on and road departments became DOTs with dedicated maintenance workers and tools and technology advanced there is still a lot of innovation that takes place in the maintenance garage.

On this episode we're talking winter ops with Indiana DOT’s Director of Innovation and Process Improvement Todd May. Trust and innovation are core values at the Indiana DOT and they have a program that encourages their employees to come up with ideas to work smarter and safer. Todd’s got plenty of stories and examples to share with us on this episode. If you want to find out more about innovation and process improvement at the Indiana DOT you can email him at ToMay@indot.IN.gov

Episode 136: Keep snow off the road with Snow Fence, Minnesota style

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 09:00:00 -0700

The easiest snow flake to remove from the roadway is the one that never lands on it. Seems obvious but how to make that happen? On this episode we’re Talkin Winter Ops with Dan Gullickson, Minnesota DOT supervisor of their Blowing Snow Program. Ever since the 1880’s when the railroads first started building snow fence to protect the track and the work on snow fence design that was part of the Strategic Highway Research Program in the 1990’s, engineers have been working to refine snow fence design, materials, and earthwork configurations to manage drifting snow and keep it off the road.

Listen in as Dan describes the latest state of the practice in snow fence design considerations they are employing at the Minnesota DOT.

For more information on building a snow fence program check out the FHWA Road Weather Spotlight webinar on September 10, 2025. Register for the webinar using this link: https://lnkd.in/e7YuJHdJ

You can reach Dan by email at daniel.gullickson@state.mn.us for more insight into their practice and while your at it check out this flyer from the University of Minnesota LTAP center on a solar powered snow fence project https://mnltap.umn.edu/ltapnews/2024/october/solarsnowfence

Episode 135: 2025 National Briefing - No Boundaries

Sat, 21 Jun 2025 23:00:00 -0700

This briefing features the No Boundaries Pool Fund Study. The No Boundaries pooled fund project is a community of practice of state DOT maintenance and operations professionals who share innovative maintenance technologies and practices to promote adaptation, implementation and broader use.

Check out the PRESENTATION SLIDE DECK and If you want more information about No Boundaries check out the NO BOUNDARIES WEBSITE

or email its Chair, Todd May or the program support staff Kirsten Seeber

Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Talkinwinterops

Episode 134: 2025 National Briefing - Professional Snowfighters Association

Sat, 21 Jun 2025 21:00:00 -0700

This briefing features the Professional Snowfighters Association a North American based non-profit professional association dedicated to creating a community of practice, based upon adherence to sound science as it seeks to improve knowledge and practices in the pursuit of safe and sustainable snowfighting by the winter maintenance community.

For more information about this organization you can check out the PROFESSIONAL SNOWFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION WEBSITE or email its President Dr. Wilf Nixon, PE

Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Talkinwinterops

Episode 133: 2025 National Briefing - AMS

Sat, 21 Jun 2025 21:00:00 -0700

This briefing features the work of the American Meteorological Societies Committee on Road Weather and Technology. Focusing on advances weather science and technologies to fashion solutions to advance mobility during winter events the committee has many projects relevant to the highway community.

Check out the PRESENTATION SLIDE DECK and If you want more information about this Committee you can check out the ROAD WEATHER AND TECHNOLOGY WEBSITE

or email the Chair, Dr. Brittany Welsh

Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Talkinwinterops

Episode 132: 2025 PIARC Winter Service Technical Committee

Sat, 21 Jun 2025 19:00:00 -0700

This briefing features the international Winter Service Technical Service Committee of the PIARC. This Technical Committee focuses on activities facing all winter maintenance organizations across the globe.

Check out the PRESENTATION SLIDE DECK and If you want more information about this Technical Committee you can check out their website at: PIARC Winter Service TC

or email Chair Peter Nutz

Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Talkinwinterops

Episode 131: 2025 National Briefing - APWA

Sat, 21 Jun 2025 18:00:00 -0700

American Public Works Associations Winter Maintenance Subcommittee is the focus of this briefing. The Winter Maintenance Subcommittee’s mission is to promote the development and use of the safest, most cost-effective, efficient, and environmentally sensitive winter maintenance technologies, equipment, materials, and practices; thus providing citizens with excellent quality of life during the snow and ice season.

If you want more information about this organization you can check out the WINTER MAINTENANCE SUBCOMMITTEE WEBSITE

or email the Chair Matt Morreim

Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Talkinwinterops

Episode 130: 2025 National Briefing - MDSS

Sat, 21 Jun 2025 15:00:00 -0700

This episode of the National Briefing features the Maintenance Decision Support System Pool Fund Study. This organization is advancing winter maintenance decision support through advanced forecasting and understanding of the winter weather system yielding an operational system to aid agencies in winter maintenance treatment strategies.

Check out the PRESENTATION SLIDE DECK and If you want more information about this project you can check out the MDSS WEBSITE

or email its Chair Dave Huft or project support team Shawn Truelson

Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Talkinwinterops

Episode 129: 2025 National Briefing - Winter Weather Management TSP

Sat, 21 Jun 2025 14:00:00 -0700

On this episode of the National Briefing features AASHTOs Winter Weather Management Technical Service Program, Formerly SICOP. Winter Weather Management work focuses on the identification, promotion, and collaboration efforts necessary to advance state of the practice winter maintenance and road weather techniques.

Check out the PRESENTATION SLIDE DECK and If you want more information about this Technical Working Group you can check out the WINTER WEATHER MANAGEMENT WEBSITE

or email Chair Brad Darr or their subject matter expert Rick Nelson

Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Talkinwinterops

Episode 128: 2025 National Briefing - Clear Roads

Sat, 21 Jun 2025 13:00:00 -0700

On this episode of the National Briefing we feature the Clear Roads Pool Fund Study. Clear Roads focus is on all things winter maintenance from driver safety to liquid chemicals.

Check out the PRESENTATION SLIDE DECK and If you want more information about this Technical Working Group you can check out the CLEAR ROADS WEBSITE

or email the current Chair Todd Law or program support Greg Waidley

Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Talkinwinterops

Episode 127: 2025 National Briefing - Aurora

Sat, 21 Jun 2025 12:00:00 -0700

On this episode of the National Briefing we feature the Aurora Pool Fund Study. Aurora's work focus is on road weather, instrumentation, and forecasting among other related activities.

Check out the PRESENTATION SLIDE DECK and If you want more information about their work you can check out the AURORA WEBSITE

or email the current Chair Mike Chapman or Zach Hans project support

Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Talkinwinterops

Episode 126: 2025 National Briefing - TRB Update

Sat, 21 Jun 2025 10:00:00 -0700

In just the past few weeks there have been big changes at TRB that include the Winter Maintenance and the Road Weather Committees. On this episode of the National Briefing Paul Pisano, former chair of the Road Weather Committee is here to share the changes and what you can do to stay engaged with the new committees.

If you want to submit your name to be considered for membership in the new Standing Committee on Winter Maintenance and Response to Weather Events follow this link to the interactive organization chart of committees and click on the Transportation Infrastructure Group (AK000) https://nap.nationalacademies.org/resource/other/trb/standing-technical-committees/. Once there click on Section-Management Systems for Construction and Maintenance (AKJ00), then to the Standing Committee On Winter Maintenance and Response to Weather Events (AKJ17).

You can also reach out to Paul Pisano at paul@allealle.com

Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Talkinwinterops

Episode 125: 2025 National Briefing - Maintenance Operations TWG

Sat, 21 Jun 2025 09:00:00 -0700

On this episode of the National Briefing we feature the Maintenance Operations Technical Working Group of AASHTOs Maintenance Committee. One of the 5 Technical Working Groups of this Committee, Maintenance Operations focuses on activities like winter maintenance, work zones, and safety.

Check out the PRESENTATION SLIDE DECK and If you want more information about this Technical Working Group you can check out the MAINTENANCE COMMITTEE WEBSITE

or email Chair Brad Darr or Vice Chair Jed Falgren

Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Talkinwinterops

Episode 124: 2025 National Briefing - Introduction

Fri, 20 Jun 2025 16:00:00 -0700

The National Winter Maintenance and Road Weather Briefing is an annual event where organizations working in this space can highlight their activities and advancements in winter maintenance and road weather. This year 11 organizations will be sharing their accomplishments in this series and how you may benefit for their work.

These presentations are also available on our YouTube channel http://www.youtube.com/@TalkinWinterOps

I hope you get an opportunity to listen in on all these episodes.

Episode 123: APWA Certification Program

Thu, 29 May 2025 20:00:00 -0700

We’ve been on a training theme for the last couple of episodes which, I think, is super relevant considering the average level of experience in the winter maintenance profession right now. As maintenance managers, where do you go to get relevant, state of the practice, training for you’re winter maintenance operators and supervisors?

One option is offered through the American Public Works Association. We just wrapped up a great conversation with Dan Schacher of the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities Northern Region Maintenance & Operations Manager and, more importantly, coordinator for APWAs Winter maintenance supervisors and operator certificate program.

Dan explains that this program is geared for state and local supervisors and operators alike. Listen in as we visit with Dan as he tells us about this certificate program and how it might be well suited for your staff.

For more information on the APWA Supervisor and Operator Certification Program you can email Dan at daniel.schacher@alaska.gov

Episode 122: The Maintenance Leadership Academy

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 12:00:00 -0700

When it comes to preparing your folks for leadership roles in highway maintenance the National Highway Institute Maintenance Leadership Academy is the gold standard. This comprehensive program and the experiences of the instructors provide a wealth of knowledge into all the aspects of highway maintenance a maintenance professional might face through 6 topic modules from administration to responding to severe weather events. Course coordinator Jeremy Birkey and certified instructor Greg Duncan of Applied Pavement Technology and Jim Weston of the Washington State DOT share their experiences and thoughts about this leadership academy and how folks can benefit for participation.

For more information about the National Highway Institute, The Maintenance Leadership Academy, and how you and your agency might benefit from hosting or attending a session you can reach out to Jeremy, Greg, or Jim. Check out the National Highway Institute at this link: https://www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov/ and the Maintenance Leadership Academy at this link

Episode 121: Are you a Green SnowPro?

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 12:00:00 -0700

When New Hampshire began developing the I-93 widening project there was concern about the amount of salt that might be introduced into the environment due to winter operations and this became to impetus for the creation of the Green SnowPro Program through the Department of Environmental Services. Marilee Enus, Director of the New Hampshire Local Technical Assistance Program (NH LTAP), at the University of New Hampshire's Technology Transfer Center (UNH T2) and Scott Kinmond, Technology Specialist/Instructor explain the program and certification program.

For more information about the Green SnowPro visit the NH Department of Environmental Services website at https://www.des.nh.gov/land/roads/road-salt-reduction. And if you’re interested in more detail on the Green SnowPro program, including a good discussion of the legislative process (including a legislative partner who was in the winter maintenance industry), as well as a review of a recent legal case that “tested” the liability coverage, our webinar with the NHDES Green SnowPro team is now available on YouTube: https://youtu.be/pf7k5LbvWYg

You can also reach out to Marilee at Marilee.Enus@unh.edu or Scott at Scott.Kinmond@unh.edu for more information about the training or program. Additional information on the certification program can be found on the New Hampshire Technology Transfer Center Website https://t2.unh.edu/

Episode 120: Machine learning pavement conditions

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 10:00:00 -0800

AI and Machine Learning will probably be the next disruptive technology that will spawn a quantum leap in the way we approach the provision of winter service. On this episode we’re heading to the University at Albany in New York to visit with Nick Bassill, director of the New York State Weather Risk Communication Center and Carly Sutter, graduate research assistant there at the Atmospheric Sciences Research Center about a project Carly has been working on with the New York State Department of Transportation to identify road conditions from images using machine learning and the results could have impacts well beyond.

They take some of the mystery out of AI and machine learning is a way that's easy to understand. For more info on this project, AI and machine learning reach out to Nick at nbassill@albany.edu or Carly at csutter@albany.edu

Episode 119 Plugin hybrid snowplows are on the way

Tue, 04 Feb 2025 10:00:00 -0800

We've been talking about electrification of the maintenance fleet for some time now and the conversation always turns to the challenges facing the rollout of this technology particularly when it comes to winter maintenance. Diminished load carrying capacity due to the weight of the batteries, battery performance in cold operating environments, range anxiety, and the lack of rapid charging infrastructure re just a few. Well, Edison Motors Ltd based in Merritt, British Columbia has found the answer to these challenges and are in the process of developing a plugin hybrid electric snowplow for Emcon Services Inc, the largest maintenance contractor in Canada.

Frank Rizzardo, President of Emcon Services is here along with the founders of Edison Motors, Chace Barber and Eric Little to tell us all about their plugin hybrid electric snowplow project.

check out the progress of the hybrid snowplow build and other vocational trucks Edison Motors have built on their YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@EdisonMotors. If this episode has got your interest up in hybrid snowplows you can reach out to Frank at emcon1@emconservices.ca, Chace at chace@edisonmotors.ca, or Eric at eric.little@edisonmotors.ca to continue the discussion.

Episode 118: You Can't Do Good Winter Maintenance Without Road Weather Information Systems

Sun, 17 Nov 2024 16:00:00 -0800

Road Weather Information Systems unlocked a whole host of opportunities when it comes to performing winter maintenance. Paul Bridge is an important player when it comes to RWIS from his early days at the Met UK through stints with RWIS vendors. His understanding of the technology and how it is used to help highway agencies do good winter maintenance is the topic of this episode from the early days of RWIS deployments in the US through AI as a force multiplier.

You can reach out to Paul by email at pbridge@campbellsci.com to continue the discussion or learn more about the technology in its various forms.

Episode 117: Show your skill at the National Snow Roadeo

Mon, 21 Oct 2024 09:00:00 -0700

APWA’s Western Snow and Ice Conference and Snow Roadeo is one of the premier events in the world of winter maintenance and it happens every year in Loveland, Colorado. In addition to the indoor activities and huge equipment and vendor display, hundreds of operators put their mastery of equipment operation on display at the National Snow Roadeo. Pete Adler and Tim Brady join us to discuss this event and particulars of the Snow Roadeo.

For more information about this event head over to their website at https://www.westernsnowandice.com/ or you can contact Pete Adler at rockies325@gmail.com or Tim Brady timothy.brady@cityofloveland.org

Episode 116: 2024 National Briefing on Winter Maintenance and Road Weather - Professional Snowfighters Association

Sat, 03 Aug 2024 20:00:00 -0700

The 2024 National Briefing on Winter Maintenance and Road Weather gives organizations working in this space an opportunity to showcase their efforts to advance the state of the practice through collaboration, research, technical support, and implementation. This episode features the Professional Snowfighters Association.

This series is produced in collaboration with the AASHTO Maintenance Committee, the Maintenance Operations Technical Working Group, and the Winter Weather Management Technical Service Program.

For more information you can reach out to:
Wilf Nixon at wilf@psassoc.org
Kathrine Nixon at kathrine@psassoc.org

Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Talkinwinterops

Visit the APWA website at https://professionalsnowfightersassociation.org

Episode 115: 2024 National Briefing on Winter Maintenance and Road Weather - AMS

Sat, 03 Aug 2024 19:00:00 -0700

The 2024 National Briefing on Winter Maintenance and Road Weather gives organizations working in this space an opportunity to showcase their efforts to advance the state of the practice through collaboration, research, technical support, and implementation. This episode features the American Meteorological Societies ITS and Surface Transportation Committee.

This series is produced in collaboration with the AASHTO Maintenance Committee, the Maintenance Operations Technical Working Group, and the Winter Weather Management Technical Service Program.

For more information you can reach out to:
Amanda Anderson at aander@ucar.edu

Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Talkinwinterops

Episode 114: 2024 National Briefing on Winter Maintenance and Road Weather - APWA

Sat, 03 Aug 2024 18:00:00 -0700

Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Talkinwinterops

Episode 113: 2024 National Briefing on Winter Maintenance and Road Weather - FHWA

Sat, 03 Aug 2024 17:00:00 -0700

Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Talkinwinterops

Visit the FHWA Road Weather Management website at https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/weather/index.asp

Episode 112: 2024 National Briefing on Winter Maintenance and Road Weather - PIARC Winter Service

Sat, 03 Aug 2024 15:00:00 -0700

The 2024 National Briefing on Winter Maintenance and Road Weather gives organizations working in this space an opportunity to showcase their efforts to advance the state of the practice through collaboration, research, technical support, and implementation. This episode features the World Road Associations Winter Service Technical Committee.

This series is produced in collaboration with the AASHTO Maintenance Committee, the Maintenance Operations Technical Working Group, and the Winter Weather Management Technical Service Program.

For more information you can reach out to :
Peter Nutz at peter.nutz@wien.gv.at

Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Talkinwinterops

Visit the PIARC Winter Service Technical Committee website at this link PIARC Winter Service.

Episode 111: 2024 National Briefing on Winter Maintenance and Road Weather - TRB Road Weather

Fri, 02 Aug 2024 15:00:00 -0700

The 2024 National Briefing on Winter Maintenance and Road Weather gives organizations working in this space an opportunity to showcase their efforts to advance the state of the practice through collaboration, research, technical support, and implementation. This episode features the Transportation Research Board Road Weather Committee.

This series is produced in collaboration with the AASHTO Maintenance Committee, the Maintenance Operations Technical Working Group, and the Winter Weather Management Technical Service Program.

For more information you can reach out to:
Paul Pisano at paul@allealle.com

Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Talkinwinterops

Visit the TRB Road Weather Committee website at:
https://sites.google.com/view/trbcommitteeakr50/home

Episode 110: 2024 National Briefing on Winter Maintenance and Road Weather - TRB Winter Maintenance

Fri, 02 Aug 2024 14:00:00 -0700

The 2024 National Briefing on Winter Maintenance and Road Weather gives organizations working in this space an opportunity to showcase their efforts to advance the state of the practice through collaboration, research, technical support, and implementation. This episode features the Transportation Research Board Winter Maintenance Committee .

This series is produced in collaboration with the AASHTO Maintenance Committee, the Maintenance Operations Technical Working Group, and the Winter Weather Management Technical Service Program.

For more information you can reach out to:
Anna Arvidsson at anna.arvidsson@vti.se

Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Talkinwinterops

Episode 109: 2024 National Briefing on Winter Maintenance and Road Weather - No Boundaries

Fri, 02 Aug 2024 13:00:00 -0700

The 2024 National Briefing on Winter Maintenance and Road Weather gives organizations working in this space an opportunity to showcase their efforts to advance the state of the practice through collaboration, research, technical support, and implementation. This episode features the No Boundaries Pooled Fund Study.

This series is produced in collaboration with the AASHTO Maintenance Committee, the Maintenance Operations Technical Working Group, and the Winter Weather Management Technical Service Program.

For more information you can reach out to:
Jim Fox at james.fox@state.co.us
Kirsten Seeber with CTC and Associates at kirsten.seeber@ctcandassociates.com

Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Talkinwinterops

Visit the No Boundaries website at:
https://maintainroads.org/

Episode 108: 2024 National Briefing on Winter Maintenance and Road Weather - MDSS

Fri, 02 Aug 2024 11:00:00 -0700

The 2024 National Briefing on Winter Maintenance and Road Weather gives organizations working in this space an opportunity to showcase their efforts to advance the state of the practice through collaboration, research, technical support, and implementation. This episode features the Maintenance Decision Support System (MDSS) Pooled Fund Study.

This series is produced in collaboration with the AASHTO Maintenance Committee, the Maintenance Operations Technical Working Group, and the Winter Weather Management Technical Service Program.

For more information you can reach out to:
Dave Huft at Dave.Huft@state.sd.us
Shawn Truelson with DTN at shawn.truelson@dtn.com

Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Talkinwinterops

Visit the MDSS Pooled Fund Study website at:
https://mdss.dtn.com/

Episode 107: 2024 National Briefing on Winter Maintenance and Road Weather - Clear Roads

Thu, 01 Aug 2024 19:00:00 -0700

The 2024 National Briefing on Winter Maintenance and Road Weather gives organizations working in this space an opportunity to showcase their efforts to advance the state of the practice through collaboration, research, technical support, and implementation. This episode features the Clear Roads Pooled Fund Study.

This series is produced in collaboration with the AASHTO Maintenance Committee, the Maintenance Operations Technical Working Group, and the Winter Weather Management Technical Service Program.

For more information you can reach out to:
Craig Bargfrede at craig.bargfrede@iowadot.us
Greg Waidley with CTC and Associates at greg.waidley@ctcandassociates.com

Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Talkinwinterops

Visit the Clear Roads Pooled Fund Study website at:
https://www.clearroads.org/

Episode 106: 2024 National Briefing on Winter Maintenance and Road Weather - Aurora

Thu, 01 Aug 2024 18:00:00 -0700

The 2024 National Briefing on Winter Maintenance and Road Weather gives organizations working in this space an opportunity to showcase their efforts to advance the state of the practice through collaboration, research, technical support, and implementation. This episode features the Aurora Pooled Fund Study.

This series is produced in collaboration with the AASHTO Maintenance Committee, the Maintenance Operations Technical Working Group, and the Winter Weather Management Technical Service Program.

For more information you can reach out to:
Jason Norville at janorville@pa.gov
Zach Hans with Iowa State University at zhans@iastate.edu

Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Talkinwinterops

Visit the Aurora Pooled Fund Study website at:
https://aurora-program.org/

Episode 105: 2024 National Briefing on Winter Maintenance and Road Weather - Winter Weather Management TSP

Thu, 01 Aug 2024 17:00:00 -0700

This series is produced in collaboration with the AASHTO Maintenance Committee, the Maintenance Operations Technical Working Group, and the Winter Weather Management Technical Service Program.

For more information you can reach out to:
Brad Darr at bdarr@nd.gov

Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Talkinwinterops

Visit the Winter Weather Management TSP website at:
https://transportation.org/winter-weather-management/

Episode 104: 2024 National Briefing on Winter Maintenance and Road Weather - Maintenance Operations TWG

Thu, 01 Aug 2024 17:00:00 -0700

The 2024 National Briefing on Winter Maintenance and Road Weather gives organizations working in this space an opportunity to showcase their efforts to advance the state of the practice through collaboration, research, technical support, and implementation. This episode features the Maintenance Operations Technical Working Group of the Committee on Maintenance.

This series is produced in collaboration with the AASHTO Maintenance Committee, the Maintenance Operations Technical Working Group, and the Winter Weather Management Technical Service Program.

For more information you can reach out to:
Brad Darr at bdarr@nd.gov or
Emily McGraw at eomcgraw@ncdot.gov

Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Talkinwinterops

Episode 103: 2024 National Briefing Introduction

Wed, 31 Jul 2024 20:00:00 -0700

Each year, in cooperation with the AASHTO Committee on Maintenance, the Maintenance Operations Technical Working Group, and the Winter Weather Management Technical Service Program we sponsor a National Briefing on winter maintenance and road weather activities. These briefings give organizations workin gin this space an opportunity to showcase their work for groups and agencies providing winter service. Over the next 16 episodes you get to learn about these organizations and their work and how, quite possibly, it may impact how you are performing winter maintenance.

These presentations are also available on our YouTube channel http://www.youtube.com/@TalkinWinterOps

I hope you get an opportunity to listen in on all these episodes.

Episode 102: The new Guide for Snow and Ice Control Operations

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 08:00:00 -0700

The Guide for Snow and Ice Control was first published back in 1999 and with the exception of an addendum has remained unchanged since then. Since then there has been a vast amount of research, field trials, and advancements in winter maintenance and road weather technologies. In 2018 a project was launched through the National Cooperative Highway Research Program to rewrite the Guide incorporating the latest state of the practice. The new guide has been produced, accepted by AASHTO’s Committee on Maintenance, and is in the process of being published by AASHTO as the AASHTO Guide for Snow and Ice Control.

While we don’t know exactly when the new Guide will be released, Brad Darr, Chair of the Committee on Maintenance - Maintenance Operations Technical Working Group, John Habermann, Texas A&M Transportation Institute and Principal Investigator for the project, and Diana Clonch, Subject Matter Expert supporting the project give us some insight into the new Guide, what you can expect to see in it, and how it came to be.

For more information on this project and the new Guide you can reach out to Brad Darr at bdarr@nd.gov John Habermann at j-habermann@tti.tamu.edu and/or Diana Clonch at dwclonch@gmail.com

Episode 101: Clear Roads for clear roads

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 15:00:00 -0700

In 2004 a group of 5 states got together and pooled their money to test winter maintenance materials, equipment and methods for use by highway maintenance operations. The program has grown to 40 states and amassed a large collection of research and training. The Clear Roads Pooled Fund Program is funded through a $25,000 annual contribution per subscribing state and is eligible for SP&R federal pass through dollars.

Craig Bargfrede, Winter Maintenance Administrator for the Iowa DOT also serves as the current Chair of the Clear Roads Pooled Fund Study and is our guest to explain the program.

For more information you can check out the Clear Roads website at clear roads.org or reach out to Craig Bargfrede at craig.bargfrede@iowadot.us or Greg Waidley at greg.waidley@ctcandassociates.com

Listen in as Craig talks about the Clear Roads program and how it works to clear roads.

Episode 100: Where The Weather Meets The Road, revisited

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 17:00:00 -0700

Twenty years ago in 2004 “Where The Weather Meets The Road” was published by the National Academy of Science and it proposed a research roadmap over the next 20-years to advance road weather services. Now in 2024 the future described in Where The Weather Meets The Road is here Paul Pisano, Chair of the TRB Road Weather Committee and Dr. Gina Eosco, Division Chief, Science, Technology, and Society for the Weather Program Office at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration were both involved in this report and are here to discuss where we were, where we’ve come, and what the future might hold.

Check out the report at this link Where The Weather Meets The Road

You can continue the discussion of what you think the future of road weather management holds with Paul Pisano or Dr. Gina Eosco

Episode 99: Snowplow modeling or messing around?

Sun, 24 Mar 2024 16:00:00 -0700

Full scale testing of modern snowplow blades can be a difficult and often unrepeatable proposition depending on the weather and where your test track is located. In this episode Alex Klein-Paste of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) set about to design scale model testing of a particular snowplow blade design in a laboratory setting. Alex demonstrated that these tests closely mirror their full scale counterparts and set the stage for rapid development and testing of various designs. This work was presented at the 2024 Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting in Washington, DC.

Check out this video of the model snow plow clearing snow at this link
https://youtu.be/KDTDGT96-j0?si=gcwmTeQbjWs_dN4t

You can reach out directly to Alex by email at alex.klein-paste@ntnu.no and view the high speed videography of the plow blade tests at link here.

Episode 98: Can you see the snowplow?

Thu, 14 Mar 2024 15:00:00 -0700

You would think that it wouldn’t be difficult to see something as big as a snowplow but during a winter storm event at night you’d be surprised how hard it is recognize a slow moving maintenance vehicle. In this episode Jeff Pifer, Director of the Equipment Division at the West Virginia Division of Highways discusses techniques that are being used to make snowplows and other maintenance vehicles more conspicuous. Vehicle color, lighting packages, and reflective markings and patterns are the topic of discussion.

Clear Roads has also sponsored several research projects into vehicle conspicuity and you can review this work at their website https://www.clearroads.org/equipment-plow-trucks/

For more information on this topic you can reach out to Jeff Pifer at jeff.m.pifer@wv.gov

Episode 97: Where's the snowplow?

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 17:00:00 -0800

Whenever you mix snowplows, winter storms, and motorists on the same stretch of pavement everyone needs to be at the top of their game in vehicles equipped for conditions. Most of the time folks get where there headed and the roads get cleared without incident. But, there are times when vehicles get tangled up with a snow plow and the outcomes can be catastrophic.

On this episode we’ve got Jed Falgren, State Maintenance Engineer for the Minnesota DOT who’s been involved in some really innovative projects to help reduce the number of interactions between snowplows and motorists from their CAV-Traveler Alert System to reflective materials and lighting.

For more information on MnDOT’s efforts to reduce crashes with snowplows and other slow moving maintenance operations you can reach out directly to Jed at jed.falgren@state.mn.us

Episode 96: Shaken not stirred - the Rocker Ice Melting Test Method

Thu, 01 Feb 2024 17:00:00 -0800

When it comes to liquid deicing products how do you know you’re getting what you paid for and that it’s likely to perform as promised? The Nebraska DOT has been working on developing a easy to run, repeatable, and cost effective test method to determine the ice melting capacity of liquid deicing products.

Mike Mattison and Jasmine Dondlinger of the Nebraska DOT take us on the journey this test method has taken from the initial idea using a instrumented martini shaker to the Rocker AASHTO Provisional Test Method and why this test method should be part of your winter operations program when it comes to liquid deicing products.

If you would like more information about the new Rocker Test Method or how it might fit into your winter maintenance program you can contact Mike Mattison at mailto:Mike.Mattison@nebraska.gov or Jasmine Dondlinger at mailto:Jasmine.Dondlinger@nebraska.gov .

Episode 95: Help is on the way

Sat, 28 Oct 2023 11:00:00 -0700

There’s lots of discussion going on these days regarding artificial intelligence or AI. Like it or not you’re probably using or at least taking advantage of AI applications right now and you might not even know it. Winter operations takes place in an environment well suited for AI applications to provide assistance across a broad spectrum of activities from road weather forecasting to decision support to operator assistance in the cab through lane guidance, material applications, and a host of other potential applications.

In this episode Software Engineer Tom Brummet with the National Center for Atmospheric Research, Research Applications Laboratory discusses AI and ongoing work in winter maintenance and road weather.

If this episode peaked your interest in Artificial Intelligence applications in winter maintenance you can check out what’s happening at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, Research Applications Laboratory at this link https://ral.ucar.edu/technologies/artificial-intelligence-and-machine-learning or you can email Tom Brummet directly at brummet@ucar.edu.

Episode 94: 2nd Chances

Fri, 06 Oct 2023 11:00:00 -0700

Public works agencies have struggled for years recruiting and retaining a skilled workforce. These challenges have reached critical levels for many agencies since the pandemic. In this episode were Talkin’ Winter Ops with the City of Columbus Department of Public Service Human Resource Officer Lauren Hunter and Infrastructure Operations Coordinator Scott Lucas about a recruiting program that takes them into the Ohio Reformatory for Women in Marysville, Ohio and a unique vocational program partnership offering 2nd chances with the City of Columbus.

For more information of this program email Lauren Hunter at lbhunter@columbus.gov or Scott Lucas at selucas@columbus.gov

Episode 93: Its not just a job

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 11:00:00 -0700

Part 3 of our workforce recruiting and retention series showcases a grass roots program the Washington State DOT launched a few years back to encourage high school students to consider a career in transportation maintenance. Pasco Bakotich, State Maintenance Engineer for the Washington State DOT explains the program, the benefits they’ve seen, and success they’ve witnessed by bringing these young adults into the maintenance family.

If you’d like more information on the Washington DOT High School to Highways program contact Pasco at BakotiP@wsdot.wa.gov

Episode 92: Why's that snowplow pink?

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 11:00:00 -0700

Part 2 of the workforce series focuses on the No Boundaries synthesis Innovation strategies in Recruiting and Retention with Sandi Sauter, Deputy Director of Operations for the Maryland State Highway Administration. This episode zeros in on recruiting and retention and steps that some states are taking to include all segments of the applicant pool. Check out the No Boundaries synthesis at this link https://maintainroads.org/responses-to-staffing-shortages-synthesis/

0:00 Intro
3:29 Sandi and the Maryland SHA
7:22 No Boundaries synthesis-recruiting
10:12 The applicant pool
15:53 The hiring process
18:42 Messaging & alternative recruiting techniques
24:48 2nd chance programs
28:35 Getting diversity in the workforce
45:01 “can we” vs "why can’t we”
53:34 tying up loose ends

Email Sandi Sauter at SSauter@mdot.maryland.gov or Kristen Seeber kirsten.seeber@ctcandassociates.com at CTC Associates who provide support to the No Boundaries Pooled Fund Study.

Episode 91: This ain't your Dad's workforce

Mon, 04 Sep 2023 10:00:00 -0700

The topic of workforce, recruiting, and retention has dominated the discussion for years, but nowadays the issue seems particularly acute. In Part 1 of a 4 part series on workforce we’re focusing on a domestic scan conducted by the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) recently conducted titled Leading Practices in Strategic Workforce Management by Transportation Agencies. During the Committee on Maintenance annual meeting Bill Lambert of the New Hampshire DOT presented some of the findings and we’re revisiting his conversation with Lee Wilkinson of the Iowa DOT. Both Bill and Lee were members of the scan team and would welcome any discussion or comments. Read the final report at this link NCHRP domestic scan 19-02 and reach out to them by email william.r.lambert@dot.nh.gov and lee.wilkinson@iowadot.us

0:00 Intro
6:48 Driving force for a domestic scan
11:14 Retention of workforce
13:15 Domestic scan process, some observations
20:43 employee engagement
27:15 Employee development
34:21 Employee recognition
45:13 the applicant pool & recruiting
50:09 Key outcomes

Episode 90: Where's SICOP

Wed, 23 Aug 2023 11:00:00 -0700

Introducing the transformation of SICOP to the AASHTO Winter Weather Management Technical Service Program and SICOP Talks Winter Ops to Talkin Winter Ops. With the re-branding of SICOP we're re-branding the podcast as well. Same program, same podcast, with a new look.

Episode 89: It's about the speed

Wed, 26 Jul 2023 13:00:00 -0700

There’s a lot of ways we use salt in winter operations from solids to pre-wet, brines straight up or blended, and combinations of all of the above. regardless how you use it there a lot of chemistry going on when you put it on a snow packed or about to be snow packed road. Our guest for this episode is Dr. Scott Koefod who's an inorganic chemist with 30 plus years of experience researching various aspects and uses of salt which includes our business of winter maintenance.

You can reach out to Dr. Scott to discuss the chemistry of salt by email Scott_Koefod@cargill.com or visit his Q&A website at https://www.cargill.com/industrial/winter-road-maintenance/questions-and-answers

Episode 88: 4th National Briefing - Northwest Passage

Tue, 11 Jul 2023 21:00:00 -0700

4th National Briefing on Winter Maintenance and Road Weather give organizations working in the severe weather and maintenance operations space an opportunity to showcase their recent efforts to advance the state of the practice through collaboration, research, technical support, and implementation. This briefing features the Northwest Passage Pooled Fund Study.

This briefing series is produced in collaboration with the AASHTO Maintenance Committee, the Maintenance Operations Technical Working Group, and the Winter Weather Management Technical Service Program - SICOP.

Watch the video at this link:
https://youtu.be/-ou8P9oO10Q

For more information Contact:
Dave Huft at Dave.Huft@state.sd.us

Visit their website at this link:
http://www.nwpassage.info

Episode 87: 4th National Briefing - No Boundaries

Tue, 11 Jul 2023 21:00:00 -0700

4th National Briefing on Winter Maintenance and Road Weather give organizations working in the severe weather and maintenance operations space an opportunity to showcase their recent efforts to advance the state of the practice through collaboration, research, technical support, and implementation. This briefing features the No Boundaries Pooled Fund Study.

This briefing series is produced in collaboration with the AASHTO Maintenance Committee, the Maintenance Operations Technical Working Group, and the Winter Weather Management Technical Service Program - SICOP.

Watch the video at this link:
https://youtu.be/rZtyNPtEGUM

For more information contact:
Heath Patterson at hpatterson@mdot.ms.gov
Kirsten Seeber with CTC at kirsten.seeber@ctcandassociates.com

Visit the No Boundaries website at this link:
https://maintainroads.org/

Episode 86: 4th National Briefing - FHWA's Road Weather Management Program

Tue, 11 Jul 2023 21:00:00 -0700

4th National Briefing on Winter Maintenance and Road Weather give organizations working in the severe weather and maintenance operations space an opportunity to showcase their recent efforts to advance the state of the practice through collaboration, research, technical support, and implementation. This briefing features the FHWA Road Weather Management Program.

This briefing series is produced in collaboration with the AASHTO Maintenance Committee, the Maintenance Operations Technical Working Group, and the Winter Weather Management Technical Service Program - SICOP.

Watch the video at this link:
https://youtu.be/Xr8vjJ7Px00

For more information contact:
Jeremy McGuffey at jeremy.mcguffey@dot.gov
David Johnson (Team Lead) at david.johnson@dot.gov
Ray Murphy (Resource Center) at ray.Murphy@dot.gov

Visit the Road Weather Management website https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/weather/index.asp
RWMO Outreach Publications: https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/weather/resources/publications.htm

Episode 85: 4th National Briefing - PSA

Mon, 10 Jul 2023 21:00:00 -0700

4th National Briefing on Winter Maintenance and Road Weather give organizations working in the severe weather and maintenance operations space an opportunity to showcase their recent efforts to advance the state of the practice through collaboration, research, technical support, and implementation. This briefing features the Professional Snowfighters Association.

This briefing series is produced in collaboration with the AASHTO Maintenance Committee, the Maintenance Operations Technical Working Group, and the Winter Weather Management Technical Service Program - SICOP.

View the video at this link:
https://youtu.be/QTvb9WKyhtQ

For more information contact:
Wilf Nixon at wilf@psassoc.org
Kathrine Nixon at kathrine@psassoc.org

Visit the Professional Snowfighters Association website at this link:
https://professionalsnowfightersassociation.org

Episode 84: 4th National Briefing - APWA

Mon, 10 Jul 2023 21:00:00 -0700

4th National Briefing on Winter Maintenance and Road Weather give organizations working in the severe weather and maintenance operations space an opportunity to showcase their recent efforts to advance the state of the practice through collaboration, research, technical support, and implementation. This briefing features the American Public Works Association (APWA) Snow and Ice Committee.

This briefing series is produced in collaboration with the AASHTO Maintenance Committee, the Maintenance Operations Technical Working Group, and the Winter Weather Management Technical Service Program - SICOP.

Watch the video at this link:
https://youtu.be/gMCRJ3PMykY

For more information contact:
Matthew Morreim at mmorreim@ci.shorewood.mn.us

Episode 83: 4th National Briefing - AMS

Mon, 10 Jul 2023 21:00:00 -0700

4th National Briefing on Winter Maintenance and Road Weather give organizations working in the severe weather and maintenance operations space an opportunity to showcase their recent efforts to advance the state of the practice through collaboration, research, technical support, and implementation. This briefing features the American Meteorological Society's ITS and Surface Transportation Committee

This briefing series is produced in collaboration with the AASHTO Maintenance Committee, the Maintenance Operations Technical Working Group, and the Winter Weather Management Technical Service Program - SICOP.

View the video at this link:
https://youtu.be/vMZG45uFHos

For more information contact:
Amanda Anderson at aander@ucar.edu

FHWA Road Weather Management Resources website mentioned can be found at this link: https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/weather/resources/publications.htm

Episode 82: 4th National Briefing -PIARC Winter Service

Sat, 08 Jul 2023 10:00:00 -0700

4th National Briefing on Winter Maintenance and Road Weather give organizations working in the severe weather and maintenance operations space an opportunity to showcase their recent efforts to advance the state of the practice through collaboration, research, technical support, and implementation. This briefing features the PIARC Winter Service Technical Committee

This briefing series is produced in collaboration with the AASHTO Maintenance Committee, the Maintenance Operations Technical Working Group, and the Winter Weather Management Technical Service Program - SICOP.

Watch the video at this link:
https://youtu.be/De8zNEfaFHo

For more information contact:
Peter Nutz peter.nutz@wien.gv.at

Visit the Winter Service website:
https://www.piarc.org/en/PIARC-knowledge-base-Roads-and-Road-Transportation/Road-Safety-Sustainability/Winter-Service

Episode 81: 4th National Briefing -TRB Road Weather Committee

Sat, 08 Jul 2023 09:00:00 -0700

4th National Briefing on Winter Maintenance and Road Weather give organizations working in the severe weather and maintenance operations space an opportunity to showcase their recent efforts to advance the state of the practice through collaboration, research, technical support, and implementation. This briefing features the Transportation Research Board Road Weather Committee AKR50.

This briefing series is produced in collaboration with the AASHTO Maintenance Committee, the Maintenance Operations Technical Working Group, and the Winter Weather Management Technical Service Program - SICOP.

Watch the video at this link https://youtu.be/csfDKR6oN7Q

For more information contact:
Paul Pisano paul@allealle.com

To become a friend of the Road Weather Committee follow this link:
https://sites.google.com/view/trbcommitteeakr50/membership

Episode 80: 4th National Briefing -TRB Winter Maintenance Committee

Sat, 08 Jul 2023 08:00:00 -0700

4th National Briefing on Winter Maintenance and Road Weather give organizations working in the severe weather and maintenance operations space an opportunity to showcase their recent efforts to advance the state of the practice through collaboration, research, technical support, and implementation. This briefing features the Transportation Research Board Winter Maintenance Committee.

This briefing series is produced in collaboration with the AASHTO Maintenance Committee, the Maintenance Operations Technical Working Group, and the Winter Weather Management Technical Service Program - SICOP.

Watch the video at this link https://youtu.be/8WP7n5MzBv0

For more information Contact:
Chair Anna Arvidsson at anna.arvidsson@vti.se

Become a friend of the Winter Maintenance Committee AKR40 by following this link to create a MyTRB account and register as a friend:
https://www.nationalacademies.org/trb/get-involved

Episode 79: 4th National Briefing - MDSS

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 21:00:00 -0700

4th National Briefing on Winter Maintenance and Road Weather give organizations working in the severe weather and maintenance operations space an opportunity to showcase their recent efforts to advance the state of the practice through collaboration, research, technical support, and implementation. This briefing features the Maintenance Decision Support System Pooled Fund Study.

This briefing series is produced in collaboration with the AASHTO Maintenance Committee, the Maintenance Operations Technical Working Group, and the Winter Weather Management Technical Service Program - SICOP.

Watch the video at this link:
https://youtu.be/x1ZTNzOm41E

For more information contact:
Dave Huft Dave.Huft@state.sd.us
Shawn Truelson shawn.truelson@dtn.com

Visit the MDSS website at https://mdss.dtn.com

Episode 78: 4th National Briefing - Aurora

Wed, 05 Jul 2023 09:00:00 -0700

This briefing series is produced in collaboration with the AASHTO Maintenance Committee, the Maintenance Operations Technical Working Group, and the Winter Weather Management Technical Service Program - SICOP.

Watch the video at https://youtu.be/iJo_v1GmRXM

For more information Contact :
Tonya Lohman tonya.lohman@modot.mo.gov
Zach Hans zhans@iastate.edu

Visit the Aurora website at
https://aurora-program.org/

Episode 77: 4th National Briefing - Clear Roads

Wed, 05 Jul 2023 09:00:00 -0700

Watch the video at https://youtu.be/Aqa0KU0dguM

For more information Contact :
Craig Bargfrede craig.bargfrede@iowadot.us
Greg Waidley greg.waidley@ctcandassociates.com

Visit the Clear Roads website at
https://clearroads.org/

Episode 76: 4th National Briefing - Winter Weather Management - SICOP

Tue, 04 Jul 2023 16:00:00 -0700

Watch the video at https://youtu.be/YbPUTsB7C9o

For more information Contact :
Rick Nelson rnelson@aashto.org
Brad Darr bdarr@nd.gov
Joe Thompson Joe.Thompson@dot.ny.gov
Heath Patterson hpatterson@mdot.ms.gov
Becky Allmeroth Rebecca.Allmeroth@modot.mo.gov
Doug McBroom dmcbroom@mt.gov

Visit our website at
https://sicop.transportation.org

Episode 75: 4th National Briefing - Maintenance Operations TWG

Tue, 04 Jul 2023 12:00:00 -0700

Watch the video at https://youtu.be/L9k7pcz4sZY

For more information Contact:

Brad Darr bdarr@nd.gov
Emily McGraw emcgraw@ncdot.gov
Natalie Roark Natalie.Roark@modot.mo.gov

Episode 74: 4th National Briefing - Introduction

Tue, 04 Jul 2023 11:00:00 -0700

For more information about this national briefing or the Maintenance Operations Technical Working Group contact:
Brad Darr bdarr@nd.gov
Rick Nelson rnelson@aashto.org

Episode 73: The MODOT Management System - The next generation

Mon, 19 Jun 2023 11:00:00 -0700

When your agency is responsible for vast amounts of infrastructure and performs hundreds of activities with thousands of employees having a robust management information system is imperative. On this episode Michael Middleton of the Missouri Department of Transportation and Project Director for MoDOT Management System talks about the development and implementation of their new maintenance management system.

Easy to input data for the employees, easy to extract information for managers, this system is a one-stop shop for employees. It’s not just maintenance activity based, this system includes a safety management component focusing on employee safety. This MMS has become such a powerful tool for the agency that it has become the MODOT Management System

Chapter marks
0:00 Intro with Becky
4:10 Kicking off the project / system requirements
9:55 COTS vs develop in house?
18:31 Roll out - champions
22:54 initial system functions
28:51 Safety module
40:28 Additional resources-videos
43:44 wrap up

For more information on the MoDOT Management System contact the Project Director, Michael Middleton at michael.Middleton@modot.mo.gov
or Check out these MODOT videos on the MODOT Management System

MMS Phase 1 – Documentation and Dashboards
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjPBFRuxwlA

MMS Phase 2 - Work Plans and Budget module.
https://youtu.be/lcOjUlCxe1E

Safety Management Module
https://www.youtube.com/embed/BZJMQ8evSco?rel=0%20

Story Board for Safety Module
https://youtu.be/kkNf06eGDro

New Incident reporting module
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hx1Edm6EShs&t=3s

Episode 72: Designing in salt reduction

Mon, 22 May 2023 15:00:00 -0700

Management of salt and salt reduction isn’t solely on the shoulders of maintenance operations. In many cases salt use is necessary to address problematic areas that maybe could have been mitigated with a more winter sensitive design. On this episode were visiting with Connie Fortin, Todd Hubmer, and Chris Chromy of Bolton & Menk on their approach with a new perspective on designs to optimize winter operations and minimizing the need for salt.

Designing new facilities or retrofitting existing facilities is the result of hundreds of tradeoffs and compromises with the goal of reaching the optimal sub-optimal solution. Long term operational costs of a highway facilities can include pavement maintenance, rehabilitation schedules, safety benefits, and other costs but seldom include the costs of winter maintenance like chemicals, equipment, and level of effort to provide a resilient network. Maximizing solar radiation, minimizing drifting snow, and eliminating the repeat offenders where melt water refreezes can dramatically reduce the need for chemicals throughout the life of the facilities.

For more information about winter sensitive design considerations you can contact Connie Fortin, Senior Project Manager at connie.fortin@bolton-menk.com , Todd Hubmer, Principal Water Resource Engineer at Todd.Hubmer@bolton-menk.com, or Chris Chromy, Senior Principal Transportation Engineer at Chris.Chromy@bolton-menk.com

0:00 Introduction
1:14 Chloride use is a blessing and a curse
4:03 unique things to consider in design
7:50 The maintenance worker has to live with the design we give them
11:53 Design possibilities for existing infrastructure
13:18 Vegetation options
14:28 A different thought process
17:45 Geometric considerations
20:40 Safety considerations
22:30 Challenges
28:02 Advise to owners contemplating a design in winter regions
33.14 Listening vs understanding
35:28 Signoff

Episode 71: Alternate fuels for winter maintenance part 2

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 13:00:00 -0700

As soon as that first snow plow was attached to a horse drawn wagon folks have been looking a other fuels to accomplish the winter maintenance mission for a variety of reasons including performance, availability of fuels, or environmental considerations. What defines an alternate fuel depends on your current situation with regards to fleet, engines, and powertrain. A recently completed Clear Roads project, 21-05: Evaluation of EVT and Alternative Fuels for Winter Operations provided a comprehensive look at this topic.

In this episode project champion Justin Droste, Michigan DOT and the research team lead by Kate Vigneau, Matrix Consulting Group, and Russ Owens of Energetics set the stage for transitioning a winter maintenance fleet to alternative fuels.

For more information you can review the Clear Roads report at this link: https://clearroads.org/project/21-05/

or you can ask specific questions or discuss this topic with our guests by sending them an email at the above links.

Episode 70: Alternate fuels for winter maintenance-Part 1

Tue, 21 Mar 2023 17:00:00 -0700

As soon as that first snowplow was attached to a horse drawn wagon officials have been looking at other fuels to accomplish the winter maintenance mission for a variety of reasons including performance, availability of fuels, or environmental considerations. What defines an alternate fuel depends on your current situation with regards to fleet, engines, and powertrain. A recently completed Clear Roads project, 21-05: Evaluation of EVT and Alternative Fuels for Winter Operations provided a comprehensive look at this topic.

In this episode project champion Justin Droste, Michigan Department of Transportation and the research team lead by Kate Vigneau, Matrix Consulting Group, and Russ Owens of Energetics set the stage for transitioning a winter maintenance fleet to alternative fuels by looking at the requirements for winter maintenance and the alternative fuel possibilities.

For more information you can review the Clear Roads report at this link: https://clearroads.org/project/21-05/ or you can ask specific questions or discuss this topic with our guests by sending them an email at the above links.

0:00 Introduction
1:30 Clear Roads project development
3:47 Considerations for alternative fuels
8:23 Alternate fuels currently being utilized
9:27 Biodiesel and biodiesel blends
13:35 What do the engine and truck manufacturers have to say
16:48 Renewable fuels
19:18 Compressed gasses for fuels
22:59 Fuel cells and battery electric vehicles (BEV)
26:07 Operational requirements
31:09 What’s next
31:44 Sign off

Episode 69: TRB International Road Weather and Winter Maintenance Conference

Fri, 10 Mar 2023 17:00:00 -0800

Every 4 years the Transportation Research Board sponsors an International Road Weather and Winter Maintenance Conference where winter maintenance professionals gather to learn about emerging technologies, new strategies, the latest technology, and current research for responding to severe weather events and winter maintenance. After a pause due to the pandemic this conference is happening once again. In Washington DC, May 9-10, 2023, you can be part of this gathering and exchange of information.

Learn more about this event from TRB Road Weather Committee Chair Paul Pisano and TRB Winter Maintenance Committee Chair Anna Arvidsson in this episode or by following this link to the conference website at https://trb.secure-platform.com/a/page/wintermaintenance

Special early registration and lodging opportunities expire on April 25th so mark your calendars.

0:00 Intro
00:54 History of the Conference
03:55 Planning for the 2023 event
07:30 What to expect when you get there
12:00 Why should I attend?
15:03 Who attends?
17:20 Conference details
20:45 Last minute thoughts
23:46 Sign off

Episode 68: Friction: The holy grail of successful winter maintenance

Sun, 05 Mar 2023 14:00:00 -0800

For over 40 years we have sought after a measure of friction during winter events to determine if additional treatments were required. Over the decades the science, sensors, and computing power have advanced to the point that friction or grip is making its way into winter operations.

On this episode we explore some cutting edge work in world of winter road friction. Lead Statewide Snow & Ice Engineer for the MassDOT Mark Goldstein and from the Research Applications Lab at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, Senior Software Engineer Gerry Wiener and Software Engineer Seth Linden discuss projects they are involved with and the finer points associated with using friction/grip in winter maintenance.

Follow this link for more information on the Aurora Road Friction Project https://aurora-program.org/research/completed/roadway-friction-modeling-improving-the-use-of-friction-measurements-in-state-dots/

You can reach out to our guests directly for more information on their work with wintertime friction and grip by emailing them directly through the links above.

Chapter marks:
0:00 Intro
1:54 when did you start thinking about friction and wintertime operations
4:03 how does friction play onto the highway environment
7:23 what are some of the grip measuring devices out there
12:31 how do friction sensors work, what are they measuring
17:05 The Aurora Roadway Friction Modeling study discussion
25:41 MassDOT friction project
38:04 What’s the future of friction/grip look like
44:04 Last minute thoughts - autonomous vehicles
46:4 2 sign off

Episode 67: Potholes and other leftovers from winter storms

Wed, 15 Feb 2023 15:00:00 -0800

Just because a winter storm is over and mobility restored doesn’t necessarily mean that your done with the impacts of weather. Moisture and water leftover from winter combined with freezing temperatures and loads can cause problems for your pavements and roadside long after the storm is over.

Greg Duncan has many years of experience with the Tennessee DOT and now with Applied Pavement Technologies shares his experiences in dealing with the leftovers from winter weather.

For more information on potholes and the pothole cycle that Greg mentioned in this episode follow this link to the Tennessee DOT website page on potholes https://www.tn.gov/tdot/maintenance/potholes.html

For more information about pavements and the effects of winter weather you can contact Greg directly by email at gduncan@appliedpavement.com

0:00 Intro
1:30 Things that cause problems for pavements
6:10 Keeping the water out
8:33 Pothole cycle
10:36 Pothole patching
12:08 Winter strategies for dealing with potholes in the winter
16:37 Pavements and deicing chemicals
20:35 Abrasion and physical deterioration
27:38 Roadside issues
30:42 Budget implications
35:25 Teachable moments that happen in real time

Episode 66: Implementing snow and ice control performance measures

Sun, 06 Nov 2022 09:00:00 -0800

NCHRP Project Report 889 details Performance Measures in Snow and Ice Control Operations. Caleb Dobbins, SICOP Chair from New Hampshire DOT, is working to move the material presented in this report from research to reality through an NCHRP 20-44 project conducting a series of implementation seminars to help states with their implementation goals.

Caleb explains snow and ice control performance measurers and how this project is helping with implementation of this important guide.

For more information you can download the Guide at https://www.trb.org/Publications/Blurbs/160864.aspx

or email Caleb Dobbins at cdobbins@manchesternh.gov

00:00 Intro
01:27 NCHRP report on winter performance measures (PM)
02:50 PM implementation project
06:15 Implementation workshops
09:28 How to use PMs
13:10 Role of Winter Severity Indices
17:00 Regional implementation seminars
20:10 Value of winter PMs

Episode 65: Back to school - The Purdue Road School Conference and Expo

Thu, 15 Sep 2022 17:00:00 -0700

Knowledge transfer plays a critical role in advancing the state of the practice and conferences and expositions play an important role in knowledge transfer. The Purdue Road School Conference and Expo have been playing a role in knowledge transfer since 1913. Listen in as Jeremy McGuffey, Indiana DOT, tells us about the Road School and how you might become involved.

Find more information about the Purdue Road School at this link https://engineering.purdue.edu/JTRP/Road_School

or email Jeremy directly at JMcguffey@indot.IN.gov

Episode 64: Implementing something new - overcoming the challenges

Wed, 24 Aug 2022 11:00:00 -0700

Everyday folks out there are coming up with better ways to do business. It might be a mechanic coming up with fix to solve a problem for an operator - to a research project that could fundamentally change the way we do snow and ice control. The thing is, if you can’t move this new idea from a one off - or a great research concept to reality you stay stuck in the status quo.

On this episode we are going to discus implementation and how some have overcome the challenges new ideas face on the road to implementation.

Craig Bargfrede, Winter Operations Administrator for the Iowa DOT and Jeremy McGuffey Statewide Winter Operations Manager for the Indiana DOT will be discussing their experiences moving ideas to the field.

For more information you can contact Craig at craig.bargfrede@iowadot.us
or Jeremy at jmcguffey@indot.in.gov

Episode 63: Introducing the next generation to DOTs and highway maintenance

Tue, 12 Jul 2022 11:00:00 -0700

On this episode we are going to introduce you to three programs designed to introduce K-12 students to a variety of science and engineering concepts used by DOTs and highway maintenance. AASHTO’s TRAC™ (Transportation and Civil Engineering) & RIDES (Roadways in Developing Elementary Students) outreach programs are designed for educators to use as part of their Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) classes and Front Range Community College's Senior Seminar in Public Works and Highway Maintenance offers high school seniors the opportunity to learn about highway maintenance in the class room and on the job through internships .

Julia Smith, AASHTO’s TRAC™ & RIDES Program Manager, discusses some of the modules that are part of the program and how educators can incorporate them into their curriculum. In addition to the most popular bridge building module there are modules on how salt depresses the freezing point of water, pavement friction, and environmental impacts facing DOT’s among many others. These hands on activities are designed to to introduce students to the world of transportation and civil engineering giving them a new perspective on how the world around them works and may inspire them to consider a career in these fields.

Sue Baillargeon, Director of the Highway Maintenance Program at Front Range Community College, has introduced a Senior Seminar in Public Works and Road Maintenance to the Highway Maintenance Management Degree offering. Designed for high school seniors, this program introduces them to world of highway maintenance through class room and independent study along with on the job training through an internship at a maintenance garage.

For more information on TRAC™ & RIDES follow this link: https://tracrides.transportation.org or contact Julia Smith at jsmith@aashto.org

For more information on the Senior Seminar in Public Works and Road Maintenance program and the Highway Maintenance Management Degree follow this link: https://www.frontrange.edu/programs-and-courses/a-z-program-list/highway-maintenance-management or contact Sue Baillargeon at susan.Baillargeon@frontrange.edu

1:50 TRAC & RIDE description
2:50 How does TRAC & RIDE work
5:25 Some RIDES activities
7:38 The educators perspective of the program
10:31 Some TRAC activities
13:15 Introduction to the Senior Seminar Program
17:11 Program details
19:32 Internships
21:56 Students can participate from anywhere in the US
25:10 how to get more information on these programs
28:22 How these programs change student perspectives

Episode 62: Keeping the paperwork flowing while the snow plows are rolling at the Rhode Island DOT

Fri, 03 Jun 2022 14:00:00 -0700

Maintenance operations adapted quickly in lots of ways we never thought we could due to the pandemic. On this episode we’re visiting with Joe Bucci, State Highway Maintenance Operations Engineer for the Rhode Island DOT to learn about some tools they use to help keep the paperwork flowing while the snow plows are rolling. The application they utilize to manage and coordinate over 400 vendors during winter operations has revolutionized the administration of those resources.

For more information about the Rhode Island DOTs winter maintenance program you can reach out directly to Joe Bucci at joseph.bucci@dot.ri.gov

1:27 Introduction to the Rhode Island DOT winter maintenance program
4:06 Tracking and coordinating with vendors
6:35 Reverse auction for winter maintenance materials
9:13 Admin to manage contractors and materials
14:00 Implementing the new system
20:21 Using the application for state forces
22:10 Communication the the vendors during winter operations
25:00 Enhancements
26:47 COVID changes to the way we do business
30:11 What's next for the winter maintenance program
32:55 Retirement?!

The contents of SICOP Talks Winter Ops are intended for general information purposes as a public service. Reference to any specific product or entity you might hear about on this podcast does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by SICOP or AASHTO.

Episode 61: Winter Maintenance and Road Weather in Arizona

Tue, 10 May 2022 14:00:00 -0700

Usually, when you mention winter maintenance and road weather the mind conjures up images of those northern states where winter comes in October and hangs around till April. but there are plenty of states across the south that have their hands full with all kinds of road weather challanges. On this episode we’re visiting with Kevin Duby, Arizona DOT’s Statewide Road Weather Manager about his state, Arizona, where the weather challenges are as diverse as the landscape.

1:04 Weather diversity of Arizona
2:20 Weather challenges
5:58 Equipment used in weather responses
7:28 Staff utilization and training
12:40 Dashboards & data for decision making
17:15 Southern state challenges
21:57 Extra technology - weather radar
25:40 Monsoon season
30:36 Social media
33:00 What’s in the future

You can visit the Arizona DOT at https://azdot.gov and for more information on Arizona DOT’s weather response programs contact Kevin Duby kduby@azdot.gov

Episode 60: You're not alone out there - Crowdsourcing for winter maintenance

Thu, 14 Apr 2022 17:00:00 -0700

Listen in as SICOP Talks Winter Ops with Randi Feltner, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Road Weather Program Manager about crowd sourcing in Kentucky.

In 2014 the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet began a program of crowd sourcing data from motorists from a variety of sources to aid in their delivery of mobility across their network especially during sever weather events. Providing extra sets of eyes on the condition of the network gives the KYTC enhanced situational awareness and a leg up in response.

For more information on crowdsourcing in Kentucky you can contact Randi by email at mailto: Randi.Feltner@ky.gov

and check out the travel resources provided by the KYTC at this link https://transportation.ky.gov/sites/snowky

More information on Crowd Sourcing can be found on the National Operations Center of Excellence website https://transportationops.org/edc5

NCHRP Research Report 889: Performance Measures in Snow and Ice Control Operations https://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/178901.aspx

Episode 59: Modeling road network conditions during weather events - IMRCP

Thu, 24 Mar 2022 17:00:00 -0700

Listen in as SICOP Talks Winter Ops with Tony Coventry of the FHWA’s Road Weather Management Program and Kyle Garrett of Synesis Partners about the Integrated Modeling for Road Condition Prediction or IMRCP.

When it comes to road weather management there have been a few major advances in the way agencies manage roadway networks during weather events. The latest under developed through a series of pilots is the Integrated Modeling for Road Condition Prediction or IMRCP. Modeling the performance of a roadway network during a weather event marks a milestone in understanding and prediction just how it will perform provides a practical tool to support operational decision making, maintenance planning, and traveler information.

Tony and Kyle describe the beginnings of the program, where its going in the future, and how it can help agencies achieve their maintenance and road network operation mission during weather events.

Follow these links to learn more about IMRCP:
Tony Coventry tony.coventry@dot.gov
Kyle Garrett kyle.garrett@synesis-partners.com

Repository & Open Science Access Portal (ROSA P) search on IMRCP
https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/gsearch?collection=&terms=imrcp

FHWA Road Weather Management Program
https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/weather/index.asp

Episode 58: The Wisconsin salt brine project

Sun, 06 Mar 2022 22:00:00 -0800

SICOP Talks WInter Ops with Andrea Bill from the Wisconsin Traffic Operations and Safety Laboratory at the University of Wisconsin, Madison as she discusses the latest research into use of salt brine.

Wisconsin DOT has been working hard to promote the use of liquids in winter maintenance operations. In 2021, the results of a 2-year research project into the use of salt brine was published. Andrea Bill presented this work at the 2022 Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting and in this episode describes the work and results of this study showing very positive results for the use of salt brine.

You can view the presentation "WisDOT Salt Brine Project 2020-2021”

For detailed information check out The Salt Brine Final Report Final Report

If you would like to discuss this project, results, or other aspects of salt brine in Wisconsin with Andrea you can email her directly at bill@wisc.edu

Other podcast episodes on liquids:
Episode 12: “Taking liquids to the max”
Episode 41: “The latest word on alternate methods for deicing”

Episode 57: Keep your snowplow in service through defensive driving

Mon, 14 Feb 2022 16:00:00 -0800

When a snowplow is involved in a crash there can be injuries to drivers and other motorists as well as damage to the snowplow that can take it out of service. In winter some agencies can experience up to 10% reductions in equipment and operators. To help address this Montana DOT advanced a project through Clear Roads Pooled Fund Project to look at the causes of crashes involving snowplows and develop a training program to help operators hone their defensive driving and safe driving skills when operating snowplows.

Doug McBroom, Operations Manager for the Montana DOT discusses a project funded by the Clear roads Pooled Fund Study that looked at the types of crashes impacting snowplows and suggested strategies that made their way into a training program for snowplow operators. The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute conducted surveys and analysis of snowplow crashes and created two easy to implement training programs that are available to all DOT’s and public works agencies. You can check out this work the training programs by visiting the Clear Roads website at https://clearroads.org/project/18-01/ You can contact Doug McBroom directly by email at dmcbroom@mt.gov if you would like to discuss any aspect of this program.

The research team at VTTI authored a paper describing this work and submitted it to PIARC's 16th World Winter Service and Road Resilience Congress Feb 2022 where it was presented. The US National Committee evaluated all the papers from US authors. This paper won the award in the winter service category. The full paper can be viewed at this link: Developing Comprehensive Defensive Driving Training for Snowplow Operators

Episode 56: Winter operations is more than salt and snowplows

Sun, 23 Jan 2022 11:00:00 -0800

Maintenance operations during extreme events is far more complex than salt and snowplows. Historically we thought of the motorist as a consumer of maintenance’s efforts but in reality they are an active participant who’s actions have implications on the operations of the network. In this episode Wilf Nixon, President of the Professional Snowfighters Association, joins the discussion of how we operate the network with the many major events that have happened so far in the winter of 2021-22 as a backdrop.

Things like Traffic Incident Management (TIM), traveler information, preemptively holding traffic, and disaster exercises are all part of the discussion.

Additional listening:
Episode 19: When the snow hits the fan - Emergency operations methodology
Episode 20: TSMO365 Weather or not
Episode 22: EDC5 - Weather responsive management strategies

Episode 55: Calgary 2022 What's in it for me - the technical program

Fri, 31 Dec 2021 10:00:00 -0800

The 16th PIARC World Winter Service and Road Resilience Congress is just around the corner. Being able to exchange knowledge and learn from winter service and road resilience professionals from around the world is a valuable takeaway from participating in this event. The technical program offers papers from a diverse body of authors from around the world ranging from practitioners showcasing their approach to the challenges they face to academics sharing their current research into issues facing winter service and road resilience. Papers have also been considered for international prizes in several categories. Learn about the technical program, the international prize categories, and what you can take away from attending this congress by listening in as we talk to members of the Calgary 2022 Organizing Committee about the technical program.

Find out more about the 16th PIARC World Winter Service and Road Resilience Congress and the technical program through their website at this link: https://www.piarc-calgary2022.org

Episode 54: Calgary-Adapting to winter service challenges

Mon, 13 Dec 2021 16:00:00 -0800

The City of Calgary, Alberta, Canada has had to adapt to a variety of circumstances from changing weather patterns to changes in mobility needs and travel patterns brought on by the Pandemic. These challenges are not unique as cities, counties, states, and countries who provide winter service can attest. This heightens the relevance of the upcoming PIARC World Winter Service and Road Resilience Congress is “Adapting to a Changing World” being hosted virtually be the City of Calgary and Canada. https://www.piarc-calgary2022.org Learn more about how Calgary is addressing these issues from Troy McLeod, Director of Roads at the City of Calgary as he describes their approach to winter service and road resilience as they adapt to these changing conditions.

Find out more about the City of Calgary Roads program and specifically about their programs dealing with winter snow and ice control through their website at this link: https://www.calgary.ca/transportation/roads/roads.html

Episode 53: Winter Maintenance in the Chinook City - Calgary

Mon, 29 Nov 2021 12:00:00 -0800

In 2022 winter maintenance professionals from around the world will be focusing their attention on Calgary, Alberta, Canada, host of the World Winter Service and Road Resilience Congress. In this episode Chris Hewitt, Manager of Roads Maintenance at the City of Calgary, discusses winter operations at the city and the unique challenges they face in a large urban environment subjected to some unique winter weather conditions.

More information about snow services in the City of Calgary including their snow plan, snow routes and parking bans, snow clearing bylaw, and other information visit their website at https://www.calgary.ca/cfod/csc/snow.html or you can contact Chris Hewitt at Chris.Hewitt@calgary.ca

Episode 52: 16th World Winter Service Congress is coming to Calgary in 2022

Mon, 27 Sep 2021 10:00:00 -0700

Back in 1969 Permanent International Association of Road Congresses or PIARC held a World Winter Maintenance Congress in Berchtesgaden, Germany. Reuniting every 4 years in a different country, winter maintenance professionals from around the world have turned this world Congress into the grandaddy of them all. Hosted by Calgary, Alberta, Canada, the next international gathering of winer maintenance professionals is planned for February 7-11, 2022 as a virtual event.

On this episode we’re visiting with Nadia Lappa, Project Manager for this 16th Congress to find out all about this event, what to expect, and what you can take away from this quadrennial world-wide gathering of winter maintenance and road resilience professionals.

For more information about the PIARC 16th World Winter Service and Road Resilience Congress happening February 7-11, 2022 you can check out its website at https://www.piarc-calgary2022.org.

Episode 51: PIARC Winter Service Technical Committee: What's in it for me?

Wed, 01 Sep 2021 15:00:00 -0700

You might not know that there is an International Winter Maintenance committee that mirrors SICOP. The Permanent International Association of Road Congresses (PIARC) houses a Winter Service Technical Committee that in a lot of ways mirrors SICOP in advancing winter service. Interaction with with the international winter maintenance community through international scanning tours and participation on the PIARC Winter Service Technical Committee (TC) has jumpstarted the introduction of several winter maintenance strategies and tools like the use of liquids and RWIS.

On this episode Steve Lund and Paul Pisano join Rick Nelson, all three English Speaking Secretaries on the PIARC Winter Service TC, to discuss PIARC and why our participation on this TC is important to the winter maintenance community here in the US. Every 4-years PIARC conducts a worldwide winter maintenance conference and in 2022 the 16th World Winter Service and Road Resilience Congress: Adapting to a Changing World will be hosted by Calgary. Registration is open and more information can be found at https://www.piarc-calgary2022.org

Episode 50: The year in review

Thu, 12 Aug 2021 16:00:00 -0700

SICOP has been busy this past year and on this episode Steve Lund, State Maintenance Engineer for the Minnesota DOT and Chair of SICOP spends some time filling us in on several activities SICOP has worked on this past year and what’s in store for the next. He introduces the Strategic Initiatives contained in the 2021-2023 Strategic Plan recently approved by the Steering Committee and available at https://sicop.transportation.org/strategic-plan/ . Steve makes a special announcement regarding the SICOP leadership at 32:16.

Episode 49: 6 Summertime projects for winter maintenance

Tue, 20 Jul 2021 14:00:00 -0700

For those of us in the business of winter operations there are 2 seasons, winter and getting ready for winter. In this episode we’re visiting with Paul Brown of Road Tech and formerly the winter maintenance guru at the Mass DOT about 6 summertime projects you should consider in order to be prepared for next winter.

For more information on these 6 summertime projects for winter maintenance and other insightful tips you can contact Paul Brown at roadteck@comcast.net

Episode 48: Not all pavements are equal when it comes to winter maintenance

Fri, 18 Jun 2021 13:00:00 -0700

Not all pavements are equal when it comes to winter maintenance. Different pavements and pavement designs respond differently to winter maintenance strategies. A recent research project looked at the various performance aspects of open graded, ultra thin permeable friction course surfaces that have been used by transportation agencies for many years. While they have lots of advantages, in the wintertime they tend to freeze more rapidly, deicing and anti-icing chemicals drain off more readily, and they tend to retain snow and ice for longer periods of time. In this episode we’re going to look into winter maintenance operations on permeable friction courses with Michelle Akin formerly of Washington State University and Laura Fay from the Western Transportation Institute.

Check out the report “Understanding the chemical and mechanical performance of snow and ice control agents on porous or permeable pavements” by clicking on the link https://clearroads.org/project/12-03/

Episode 47: Public Affairs, a key ingredient for successful winter operations.

Mon, 17 May 2021 15:00:00 -0700

When it comes to winter operations it’s easy to become focused on the tasks at hand but getting information to the motoring public is critical to helping them make smart decisions about travel during difficult conditions. Thats where public affairs can be your most important partner. In this episode we’re talking with Anne Meyer, MnDOT Public Affairs, about the role they play in getting the winter operations message out to the masses. Anne talks about the relationship with maintenance and tools, tips, and techniques they use to get out the winter maintenance message.

Check out the MnDOT videos on the Minnesota DOT YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJkXcazb32HwAihN9CGHO_Q

or for more information about winter maintenance public affairs at MnDOT you can reach out to Anne Meyer at anne.meye@state.mn.us directly.

Episode 46: Ways to improve winter resilience of roads

Wed, 28 Apr 2021 14:00:00 -0700

What are some key elements to improve winter resilience of roads to severe winter conditions? In 2020 Mark Corbin, Highways Key Route Network Manager at Transport for West Midlands, received a Winston Churchill Fellowship to investigate winter resilience in several countries and bring his findings back to the UK. During his visits to Canada, Finland, and Sweden he interviewed over 50 interviews with winter maintenance professionals zeroing in on key themes to enhance resiliency during wintertime. While his focus was on UK roads his findings are relevant across the sector regardless of your jurisdiction or country.

You can view more information about Mark Corbin and download his Winston Churchill Fellowship Report “Improving Winter Resilience on UK Roads” at this link: https://www.wcmt.org.uk/fellows/reports/improving-winter-resilience-uk-roads

Episode 45: Qualified Product List for Deicing Chemicals

Fri, 05 Mar 2021 10:00:00 -0800

How do maintenance managers know what’s in deicing chemicals and do they meet the specifications? Many years ago a group of states in the pacific northwest region of the US banded together as the The Pacific Northwest Snowfighters (PNS) and one of their objectives was to collectively test deicing chemicals and share best practices in purchasing materials that are effective deicers and also protective of the environment. The PNS created the Qualified Products List (QPL) to review, test, and approve products used by the Pacific Northwest states.

PNS and Clear Roads have partnered to refresh the QPL and make it relevant for agencies across the nation. In this episode SICOP Talks Winter Ops with Patti Caswell, Maintenance Services Section Manager at the Oregon DOT and chairs the Clear Roads subcommittee that oversees the QPL.

For more information on the QPL you can visit the QPL website at

https://clearroads.org/qualified-product-list/ or contact Patti at patti.CASWELL@odot.state.or.us

Episode 44: Let's break the ice

Sun, 31 Jan 2021 22:00:00 -0800

There are many different alternative methods and equipment available to perform winter maintenance. In this episode Jed Falgren and Jeff Perkins from the Minnesota DOT talks about a new strategy to break up ice pack on the roadways without the use of any chemicals at all. Mechanical ice breakers make short work of ice pack in an environmentally friendly way. This equipment is another tool in the winter maintenance arsenal.

Listen in as SICOP Talks Winer Ops with Jed Falgren and Jeff Perkins with the Minnesota DOT. Want to see an ice breaker in action? Check out the MnDOT Minute showcasing the IceBreaker at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbD9iJ-dzD0 or a more detailed video on the IceBreaker at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPgHKh1tpkw

Contact Jed Falgren at jed.falgren@state.mn.us or Jeff Perkins at jeff.perkins@state.mn.us for more information.

Episode 43: What's new in FHWA Road Weather Management?

Thu, 26 Nov 2020 12:00:00 -0800

The Federal Highway Administration Road Weather Management Program plays an important role in winter maintenance across the nation. Contributing significant work in the development of Maintenance Decision Support Systems and the use of Road Weather Information Systems to improve safety for the motorists and efficiencies for the DOT’s the Road Weather Management Program continues to help advance programs the DOT’s rely on during winter operations like Pathfinder, Integrated Mobile Observations, and Automated Driving Systems in inclement weather.

Listen in as we discuss advancements at the FHWA Road Weather Management Program. If you would like to learn more about this technology follow this link to the FHWA Road Weather Management Program:
https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/weather/index.asp

For more information you can contact Team Leader David Johnson at david.Johnson@dot.gov or Tony Coventry at Tony.Coventry@dot.gov

Episode 42: Whats up with the weather?

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 11:00:00 -0700

What is El Nino and how do the trade winds influence the weather on the east coast? We’ve all heard the terms atmospheric rivers, the polar vortex, Siberian Express and others, but what are they really. SICOP Talks Winter Ops sits down with Mike Alger, Chief Meteorologist at KTVN, 2 News in Reno, Nevada to talk about what these weather phenomena really are, what sets them in motion, and what do they mean for the maintenance crews.

Mike is no stranger to winter highway maintenance. Many years ago when the Nevada DOT began creating their Road Weather Information System network and the precursor to 511, Mike provided a conduit and explanations to his viewers on the RWIS information and road weather forecasts to improve winter-time commutes in northern Nevada. Find out more about Mike at https://www.ktvn.com/story/6059462/mike

Episode 41: Latest word on alternate methods for deicing

Sun, 04 Oct 2020 10:00:00 -0700

There are many different alternative methods and equipment available to perform winter maintenance. In this episode Laura Fay from the Western Transportation Institute at the University of Montana talks about a recently completed project for the Clear Roads Pooled Fund Study dealing with Alternative Methods for Deicing. This project helps maintenance managers dealing with snow and ice obtain a better understanding of the performance and impacts of various alternate methods through case studies.

Listen in as we discuss this project Laura Fay. If you would like to learn more about this project and its final report follow this link to the Clear Roads website for this project https://clearroads.org/project/18-05/ or contact Laura Fay at laura.fay1@montana.edu

Episode 40: Smart Salting for Sustainability

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 14:00:00 -0700

Having sustainable winter maintenance practices is one of the Top 10 things for a world class winter maintenance program. Environmental considerations is one of the three pillars of sustainability along with budgets and societal needs. In this episode we’re visiting with Connie Fortin of Fortin Consulting about environmental considerations for winter maintenance. Of all the water on the planet only 2.5% is freshwater. Once salt is introduced its very difficult to remove it. Listen in as SICOP Talks Winter Ops with Connie and hear about smart salting from the environments perspective.

There are several good resources regarding salt (chlorides) and water. Connie mentioned this site from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency https://www.pca.state.mn.us/water/chloride-salts and follow the link to Salt Applicators for Smart Salting training and success stories.

Fortin Consulting is active in promoting smart salting through Salt Symposiums (https://fortinconsulting.com/salt-symposium/) and several training programs (https://fortinconsulting.com/training-and-presentation-calendar/). For more information contact Connie Fortin at connie@fortinconsulting.com

Episode 39: Covid impacts on maintenance operations

Thu, 27 Aug 2020 12:00:00 -0700

The Covid pandemic has dramatically altered the way we do business and maintenance has not been immune. In this episode we’re having a discussion with the leadership of the AASHTO Maintenance Committee - Maintenance Operations Technical Working Group on the impacts they’re seeing in maintenance operations in response to Covid safety guidelines while still maintaining mobility across the roadway network.

Episode 38: Winter service by contract

Wed, 12 Aug 2020 15:00:00 -0700

In this episode of SICOP Talks Winter Ops were visiting with Frank Rizzardo, President of Emcon Services, an employee owned construction company, with maintenance contracts across Canada that includes providing winter service in some of the harshest environments in North America. Frank shares his story of how British Columbia transitioned from an agency that self-performed maintenance into one that contracts for those services and his take on winter service from a contractors perspective.

You can check out Emcon Services at http://www.emconservices.ca or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/emconservicesinc/

Episode 37: RWIS - How many and where?

Fri, 26 Jun 2020 08:00:00 -0700

Road Weather Information Systems or RWIS provides invaluable data about road weather and the real-time condition of the roadway during winter events. When RWIS began to be deployed back in the 1990’s the big question was, and still is 30 years later, how many sensor stations should be installed and where should they go. The Aurora consortium has been looking at this question and recently completed a project on Optimum RWIS Density, Phase 2.

Dr Tae Kwon from the University of Alberta describes this work and the results he obtained. For more information on this project visit the Aurora website at https://aurora-program.org/research/completed/optimal-rwis-sensor-density-and-location-phase-2/

or you can contact Dr. Tae Kwon by email at tjkwon@ualberta.ca

Episode 36: Decisions, Decisions

Sun, 07 Jun 2020 10:00:00 -0700

Maintenance Decision Support Systems or MDSS are an excellent tool to help maintenance managers evaluate all the important information about a storm including the output from advanced forecasting tools and make better decisions regarding optimal treatment strategies. On this episode Dave Huft of the South Dakota DOT will give us some insight into these systems and how DOTs utilize them in their winter maintenance operations.

For more information about the MDSS Pooled Fund Study you can follow this link to their website: https://mdss.iteris.com/mdss/pfs/

Episode 35: Maintenance Goes to College

Mon, 04 May 2020 12:00:00 -0700

Colorado DOT and Front Range Community College collaborated in the creation of the first Highway Management Program in the nation. Developed strictly for current highway maintenance personnel this two-year degree program is an excellent way to advance your career in highway maintenance. Listen in as the programs director, Susan Baillargeon, explains how it came about and what students can expect to experience as they make their way through the program.

You can find out more about this program through the program flyer, visiting the Front Range Community College website, or by contacting our guest Susan Baillargeon directly.

Episode 34: Asleep at the wheel - Fighting Driver Fatigue

Mon, 13 Apr 2020 16:00:00 -0700

The most important element of a successful winter maintenance program are the employees. Having a well trained, efficient, and alert workforce is a key to success. However, working long hours during a emergency without opportunities to refresh can lead to dire consequences. For example, when you’ve been awake for 24 hours your performance can be similar to someone with a blood alcohol content of 0.1%

Listen in as Dave Orr, Director of the Cornell LTAP center talks about research into driver fatigue and discusses Tech Tips they’ve developed to help agencies understand driver fatigue and ways to combat it.

You can reach out to Dave Orr for more information through his email dave.orr@cornell.edu

View the Tech Tips at https://cornell.app.box.com/v/SnowFatigueFullSeries

Episode 33: Nordic Experiences

Sun, 22 Mar 2020 21:00:00 -0700

Lots can be learned from see how others approach winter operations. James Morin of the Washington State DOT had the opportunity to interact with the Norwegian Road Authority and compare notes. On this episode James shares his observations on the similarities and differences between the two winter operations. Some key elements during our conversation included equipment, materials, relationships with academia, and levels of service.

Episode 32: A new guide for material application methodologies

Tue, 03 Mar 2020 10:00:00 -0800

One of the primary missions of SICOP is to promote work advancing winter maintenance operations. Clear Roads is a consortia of states conducting practical research in winter maintenance. In this episode we’re going to spend some time with Paul Brown, a long time member of Clear Roads, discussing a recently completed project 15-01: Synthesis of Material Application Methodologies for Winter Operations. For more about this project follow the link to the Clear Roads website: https://clearroads.org/project/15-01/

Episode 31: What is the Professional Snowfighters Association?

Tue, 11 Feb 2020 15:00:00 -0800

Recording at the TRB Annual Meeting, Wilf Nixon returns to SICOP Talks Winter Maintenance to visit about winter maintenance and the new Professional Snowfighters Association (PSA). The PSA is a new non-profit professional association dedicated to creating a community of practice, improved knowledge and practices in the pursuit of safe, sustainable snowfighting.

If you want more information about the Professional Snowfighters Association you can visit their website at http://professionalsnowfightersassociation.org or you can contact Wilf Nixon by email at wilf@psa.org

Episode 30: 2019 SICOP Year in Review

Mon, 27 Jan 2020 11:00:00 -0800

In this episode Steve Lund, SICOP Chairman and Rick Nelson, SICOP Coordinator, recap SICOP activities from the past year. From producing episodes of SICOP Talks Winter Ops to hosting State Showcase Webinars to collaborating with other winter maintenance organizations, SICOP has had a busy year.

AASHTO’s technical service programs are supported by voluntary contributions from state DOTs. For SICOP this contribution is $4,000 and has been since the creation of the program back in 1998. It’s important for the program to communicate the activities accomplished back to our member states to show how their contribution was used to promote winter maintenance and help states with their winter maintenance maintenance mission.

To view the hard copy of the 2019 SICOP Year in Review CLICK HERE

Episode 29: Let's talk some road weather

Thu, 19 Dec 2019 09:00:00 -0800

When you talk about maintaining mobility during inclement weather, one group of folks that can make it or break it for the maintenance crews are the weather forecasters. On this episode of SICOP Talks Winter Ops we’re going to get some perspective from that side of the fence from a someone who’s no stranger to the winter maintenance community, Chris Albrecht, Director of Business Development and Consulting Services at The Narwhal Group and member of the American Meteorological Society Committee on ITS and Road Weather.

We first met Chris many years ago when he was involved with the AURORA Pooled Fund Study Focusing on research in Road Weather Information Systems and road weather. Over the years these two fields have experienced rapid growth in the technology and the mainstreaming of the strategies the technology allows.

If you want more information about road weather and the connections with the American Meteorological Society ITS and Road Weather Committee you can contact Chris by email at calbrecht@narwhalgroup.com

Episode 28: Challenges of winter maintenance in the south

Tue, 12 Nov 2019 08:00:00 -0800

No part of the country is immune from the effects of winter weather. Winter storms in the southern reaches of the US are particularly difficult to deal with. Events severe enough that require attention, frequent enough you have to plan for them, and the challenge of dealing with budget realities of not enough to address all your maintenance activities.

Listen in as SICOP Talks Winter Ops with David as he shares some insight into what it’s like to deal with the winter on the roadways in Louisiana.

For more information about the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development visit their website at http://wwwsp.dotd.la.gov/Pages/default.aspx

or contact Chief Maintenance Engineer David Miller at david.miller@la.gov

Episode 27: Integrated Mobile Observations at the Nevada DOT

Thu, 17 Oct 2019 11:00:00 -0700

SICOP Talks Winter Ops with Rod Schilling from the Nevada DOT as he talks about Integrated Mobile Observations. Obtaining data about the weather and other things happening onboard snow plows helps managers and the public know what's happening out there during winter storms. Rod discusses the experiences and growing pains surrounding this newest way to gather data on the fly.

FHWA has a collection of presentations discussing a host of aspects regarding the Nevada DOT IMO project that you can view here: http://bit.ly/2MOnGGa

The Nevada DOT IMO project Final Report can be viewed here: http://bit.ly/35Hddov

Contact Rodney Schilling directly for more information at roschilling@dot.nv.gov

In the mean time, listen in as SICOP Talks Winter Ops with Rod as he shares some insight into Integrated Mobile Observations.

Episode 26: I ain’t afraid of no winter maintenance problem

Mon, 16 Sep 2019 16:00:00 -0700

SICOP Talks Winer Ops with Laura Fay.

Who are you going to call when you have a perplexing problem in Winter maintenance, Laura Fay at the Western Transportation Institute. Winter maintenance is much more than salt, trucks, and snow plow drivers. Without the folks behind the scenes supporting the practitioners we could not have progressed as far and as fast as we have over the past 20 years. Laura Fay is no stranger to the winter maintenance community. As the Program Manager for the Cold Climate Operations and Systems Research group at Western Transportation Institute at Montana State University Laura has been involved in many winter maintenance research projects that have made their way into practice.

Listen in as SICOP Talks Winter Ops with Laura Fay as she shares some insight into what it’s like being a researcher of winter maintenance. If you’d like to reach out to Laura to talk about winter maintenance or other projects you can drop her an email at laura.fay1@montana.edu

Episode 25: The Swedish perspective on winter maintenance

Mon, 26 Aug 2019 15:00:00 -0700

SICOP talks winter ops with Dan Eriksson from the Swedish Road Administration.

While State DOT’s here in the United States self perform the vast majority of winter maintenance they are relying more and more on contracted workforce and equipment to meet the level of service demands with the limited resources available. On the other hand, The Swedish Road Administration has been providing winter service utilizing contracts and contractors for many years.

Listen in as SICOP Talks Winter Ops with Dan Eriksson as he shares winter maintenance in Sweden.

Episode 24: The road to road weather management

Fri, 09 Aug 2019 19:00:00 -0700

SICOP talks winter ops with Paul Pisano. Paul had a very productive career with the Federal Highway Administration retiring as the Road Weather Management and Work Zone Team Leader. During his time with the FHWA Paul and his Road Weather Management team saw the development of several significant projects to benefit the winter maintenance community. Projects like the Maintenance Decision Support System, Clarus later the weather data environment, and initiatives through Every Day Counts like Weather Savvy Roads, Pathfinder, and Integrated Mobile Observations were just a few of the advancements in the area.

Listen in as SICOP Talks Winter Ops with Paul as he shares some history, some current events, and some thoughts on the future of winter maintenance.

Episode 23: Is the wind blowing in Wyoming? High wind blowover hazard warnings.

Fri, 21 Jun 2019 09:00:00 -0700

One of the benefits of the Connected Vehicle Pilot Project is the ability to generate weather alerts including high wind blow over hazard warnings. This system is proving to be most helpful to commercial traffic along Interstate 80 through Wyoming. During last years Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting Rhonda Young made a presentation on this topic The material she shared is being revisited in this podcast.

Read more about Rhonda Young at https://www.gonzaga.edu/academics/faculty-listing/detail/youngr1 and listen to her TEDx Spokane 2019 talk on the coming transportation revolution at https://www.tedxspokane.com/?p=5034

Episode 22: EDC5 - Weather Responsive Management Strategies

Tue, 11 Jun 2019 10:00:00 -0700

Weather Responsive Management Strategies is one of the rapid deployment initiatives that is part of the FHWA program Every Day Counts. Every Day Counts is a program that helps states rapidly deploy proven but underutilized technologies.

When it comes to managing the transportation system during adverse weather events there are three actors involved in making this a success. The maintenance operators who are performing the winter maintenance operations of plowing and applying chemicals to remove the snow and ice from the roads, the network operators who staff the traffic management centers and insure motorists have the most up to date information about the transportation network, and the motorists who actions or inactions can keep the network operating smoothly or tie it in knots.

Every Day Counts #5 - Weather Responsive Management Strategies is designed to demonstrate how road management strategies driven by data from the road users themselves can help keep the system operating smoothly.

Check out the Every Day Counts website
Click the link for more information about Weather Responsive Management Strategies
For more information on EDC5 Weather Responsive Management Strategies Contact our guest Roemer Alfelor at roemer.alfelor@dot.gov

Episode 21: Snow fence is a safe bet for blowing snow

Mon, 20 May 2019 09:00:00 -0700

Controlling drifting snow has been a winter maintenance challenge for as long as there has been the desire to have mobility. Departments of transportation have using these structures for many years to help keep blowing snow from the roadway. One way to look at the effectiveness is how well they keep snow off the road and another is to see what positive benefit there is for the driver.

On this episode we’re talking with Graduate Student Rachael Larson and Dr. Mohamed Ahmed of the University of Wyoming about a presentation made at the Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting on recently completed work looking at the safety effectiveness of snow fences in Wyoming based on vehicle crashes. You can view this paper “19-05707 Quantifying the Safety Effectiveness of Snow Fence Implementations Based on Crash Severity and Snow Fence Type Utilizing Contemporary Statistical Analysis Methods” at the TRB Annual Meeting Online 2019 website at http://bit.ly/2JStNcz

Episode 20: TSMO369 - Weather or not

Thu, 04 Apr 2019 21:00:00 -0700

Keeping the public moving in all weather conditions is an orchestrated dance between the maintenance forces, the network operators, and the public. The actions of one influences the reactions of the others. Road weather management strategies are employed by both the maintenance forces and the network operators independently or in unison to help mitigate the mobility challenges for the motorists to maintain a safe, reliable transportation system. This is what we call Transportation System Management Operations every day of the year, rain or shine, or TSMO365.

SICOP talks Winter Ops with Steve Cook of the Michigan Department of Transportation, Chairman of the Community of Practice on Road Weather Management and member of the Committee on Transportation System Operations, Committee on Maintenance, and the SICOP Steering Committee.

Episode 19: When the snow hits the fan - Emergency operations methodology

Mon, 11 Mar 2019 21:00:00 -0700

Maintenance is used to responding to severe weather but when the storm escalates into a state of emergency maintenance becomes just one of the players addressing the event. Clear Roads commissioned a project - Emergency Operations Methodology for Extreme Winter Storm Events. SICOP Talks Winter Ops with the Principle Investigator, Jim Sullivan from the University of Vermont - Transportation Research Center and the best practices he uncovered during this project.

For more information about Clear Roads and this project head over to the Clear Roads website at http://clearroads.org

Read more about Jim Sullivan and his work at the University of Vermont - Transportation Research Center at https://www.uvm.edu/cems/profiles/james-sullivan

Episode 18: Just what has SICOP been up to? The 2018 SICOP Year in Review

Wed, 06 Feb 2019 21:00:00 -0800

SICOP exists to support member states in fulfilling their winter maintenance mission. As one of AASHTOs Technical Service Programs we are supported through voluntary contributions made by state DOTs. Throughout the year SICOP performs many different activities in this cause. In this episode, SICOP Steering Committee Chair Steve Lund from the Minnesota DOT talks about the accomplishments of the program in 2018.

Check out the 2018 Year In Review on the SICOP webpage at
https://sicop.transportation.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/36/2019/02/2018-year-in-review.pdf

Episode 17: You Can't Manage What You Don't Measure

Thu, 24 Jan 2019 21:00:00 -0800

You can’t manage what you don’t measure. Agencies have been performing winter maintenance in one manner or another for a hundred years. Measuring how well we’ve been doing is a much harder proposition largely because no two storms are alike and the fact that they come and go so quickly and often overlap. Our two guests on this episode are no strangers to winter maintenance; Steve Lund is the State Maintenance Engineer for the Minnesota DOT and Caleb Dobbins is the State Maintenance Engineer for the State of New Hampshire. Both states have well developed programs to measure how well they perform winter service. Listen in as we talk about levels of service and performance metrics in use today and how they are used to manage winter maintenance operations.

Episode 16: Winter Maintenance and the Social Sciences

Wed, 14 Nov 2018 21:00:00 -0800

Why do travelers make the decisions they do during bad weather is a much more difficult question than many transportation agencies are geared up to answer. The trinity of successful winter operations is the maintenance operation, the road weather, and the motorist. Highway agencies have focused much resource on the maintenance operation and road weather but not so much on understanding why motorists do what they do.

The National Academy of Sciences impaneled a project team to explore opportunities to integrate social and behavioral sciences in the weather enterprise during 2016-17. I had the privilege and honor to serve on this panel co-chaired by Dr. William “Bill” Hooke, American Meteorological Society, and Dr. Ann Bostrom, University of Washington. Our final report, Integrating Social and Behavioral Sciences within the Weather Enterprise, has implications for surface transportation.

In this episode Dr. Hooke draws some parallels from his past experiences making the case that if we focus some more energy on the motorist we can have a better winter maintenance operation.

Episode 15: What's the news from TRB?

Wed, 10 Oct 2018 21:00:00 -0700

The Transportation Research Board is a lot more than the week long Annual Meeting that happens every January. Listen in as SICOP Talks Winter Ops with James Bryant, TRBs Maintenance and Preservation Engineer, as he shares whats on the calendar this next year for the TRB committees on Winter Maintenance and Surface Transportation Weather.

The TRB eNewsletter is another way to keep on top of all the activities and offerings of the TRB throughout the year. Anyone can subscribe through the link https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USNASTRB/subscriber/new

Want to take an active role in the winter committees, AHD65 Winter Maintenance and AH010 Surface Transportation Weather? Head over to “My TRB” at https://www.mytrb.org and sign up as friend of the committee to get involved.

Episode 14: Oral history of winter maintenance in the US

Sat, 29 Sep 2018 21:00:00 -0700

How did the evolution of modern winter maintenance take place? What significant milestones ushered in the tools that make up the modern winter maintenance tool box? Lee Smithson, formerly of the Iowa Department of Transportation and a past SICOP Coordinator, was one of the few individuals leading the charge that produced significant advancements in winter maintenance technologies. Listen in as SICOP Talks Winter Ops with Lee Smithson, as he shares his recollections on how we got where we are with winter maintenance in the US.

Episode 13: We got big data - Now what?

Wed, 22 Aug 2018 21:00:00 -0700

Many agencies have been collecting a lot of data, GPS/AVL coordinates, RWIS, mobile observations, photos and the like. Now comes the time to ask So What? Until you do something with it its just a bunch of 1s and zeros occupying peta bytes of space. There are however great opportunities to mine these data and turn it into information that can help transportation agencies manage the system and their operations. One agency, the Iowa DOT, has take that leap and demonstrated success in turning all that data in useful information. Tina Greenfield, Iowa DOTs RWIS Coordinator, shares their experiences in working with Big Data.

Episode 12: Taking liquids to the max, Liquid Only Routes

Wed, 04 Jul 2018 21:00:00 -0700

Agencies have been using salt brines and a variety of other liquid concoctions for years as a winter maintenance strategy. Pre-wetting stockpiles, pre-wetting at the spinner, slurries, direct application for anti-icing have been tried and true practices. Now some have taken the use of liquids to the max , and now, utilizing direct liquid applications through the course of the storm. Some would say using liquid only routes are a risky proposition throughout the storm although some states and countries abroad have been successfully running field trials with liquid only routes. Jim Hughes, State Maintenance Engineer with the Wisconsin DOT is talking winter ops with SICOP about their experience with liquid only routes.

Episode 11: Which Way Should The Snowplow Go?

Tue, 05 Jun 2018 21:00:00 -0700

Having an efficient and effective winter maintenance program is built largely on having the right resources at the right place at the right time. This begs to question, Which way should the snowplow go? Route optimization made the top-10 list of things for a world class winter maintenance program and is front and center on the minds of state members of the SICOP winter maintenance technical service program. Several state DOTs are utilizing route optimization programs and many more are considering starting a route optimization program. Kyle Lester(CO DOT), Jim Hughes (WI DOT), and Larry Gangle (ND DOT) sit down with SICOP and Talk Winter Ops and talk about their experiences with route optimization in their states.

Episode 10: It's All About the Equipment

Wed, 09 May 2018 21:00:00 -0700

It’s no surprise that having the right equipment, in the right place is one of the top-10 things you should have to be a world class winter maintenance operation. Caltrans Division of Equipment have a daunting task of keeping snow fighting crews outfitted with the best snow removal equipment to keep people and goods moving throughout the winter. Their winter operations mirror many situations across the US from the season long fight in the Sierra Nevada to the occasional storm in more temperate regions. Kris Keague, Lisa Kunzman, and Virgil Realin from Caltrans Division of Equipment sit down with SICOP and Talk Winter Ops as it relates to equipment

Episode 9: Why You Should be a Pathfinder

Sun, 15 Apr 2018 21:00:00 -0700

The true value in a forecast is when folks actually use them and make smart decisions in response to the weather. Road weather forecasts are specifically focused on how the weather will impact the roadway. There are hundreds if not thousands of places where you can get some information on the weather but when a department of transportation collaborates with the National Weather Service and specialized forecasting services the impacts on travelers can be positive creating a safer commute. Paul Pisano from the FHWA talks about such a program called Pathfinder in this episode.

Episode 8: Timely and Accurate Forecasts

Tue, 13 Mar 2018 21:00:00 -0700

Having timely and accurate road weather forecasts is one of the top-10 things you should have to be a world class winter maintenance operation. Utah DOT has a program where meteorologists are positioned in their traffic management center and are an integral part of their winter maintenance operations. Jeff Williams, UDOTs Weather Operations and RWIS Manager talks winter operations with SICOP and discusses how they deliver timely and accurate road weather forecasts to UDOT maintenance crews.

Episode 7: Are we sustainable?

Wed, 14 Feb 2018 21:00:00 -0800

Using sustainable winter maintenance practices is one of the top-10 things you should be doing to have a world class winter maintenance program but what does being sustainable mean? Sustainability requires balancing three factors – economics, the environment, and the public need. Building a winter service program around these three legs creates a system that can provide optimal benefits to all. So how do you know just how sustainable your agencies practices are. Mark DeVries and Wilf Nixon have taught many winter maintenance professionals through the APWA and are here to share their thoughts on sustainability.

Episode 6: Winter always wins the budget wars

Sun, 21 Jan 2018 21:00:00 -0800

In the struggle to second guess Mother Nature when preparing your winter maintenance budget winter will always win, often at the expense of other maintenance activities. Here are 10 things to consider when formulating your budget for winter maintenance.

Episode 5: Part 2: Top-10 Things For A World Class Winter Maintenance Program

Mon, 18 Dec 2017 21:00:00 -0800

A short while back SICOP took to social media with the goal of identifying the 10 most important things an agency should do to have a world class winter maintenance program. Using crowd-sourced data from winter maintenance professionals we hit upon the 10 most important topics, with a bonus, that would be necessary for a world class winter maintenance program. In this episode Dr. Wilf Nixon joins Rick Nelson to reveal the Top-10 and why they're important. Follow this link for more information on the Top-10

Episode 4: Part 1: Top-10 Things For A World Class Winter Maintenance Program

Mon, 27 Nov 2017 21:00:00 -0800

A short while back SICOP set about to identify the Top-10 things that would be necessary to have a world class winter maintenance program. Using crowd-sourced data we hit upon 11 important topics that would be necessary for a world class winter maintenance program. In this episode Dr. Wilf Nixon joins Rick Nelson to discuss the process by which the Top-10 were identified and why.

Episode 3: Whats up with TRB Winter Maintenance?

Sun, 05 Nov 2017 21:00:00 -0800

Tina Greenfield and Kathy Ahlenius give some insight into the Transportation Research Board (TRB) committees they chair and how you can participate in this enriching activity. Tina chairs TRB Committee AHD65 Winter Maintenance and Kathy chairs TRB Committee AH010 Surface Transportation Weather. Become a friend of the committee by creating an account on the MyTRB Portal at https://www.mytrb.org

Episode 2: What is SICOP?

Tue, 10 Oct 2017 21:00:00 -0700

Steve Lund, SICOP's Chairman and State Maintenance Engineer for the Minnesota DOT visits with Rick Nelson about the SICOP program. We discuss what SICOP is, what we do, and the value of the program.

Episode 1: Welcome to SICOP Talks Winter Ops

Thu, 21 Sep 2017 21:00:00 -0700

Introduction to the SICOP Talks Winter Ops podcast. The podcast of AASHTOs Winter Maintenance Technical Service Program - SICOP.