Better Roads

April 2014

Better Roads Digital Magazine

Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/291564

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 14 of 31

Better Roads April 2014 13 ÊnääÎÈΣÇÇ£ÊUÊÜÜÜ°}Ü>ÞiµÕ«iÌ°VÊÊUÊ^ÊÓä£ÎÊ}Ü>ÞʵիiÌÊ «>Þ°ÊÊÊÀ}ÌÃÊÀiÃiÀÛi`°Ê Improved Deicing: UÊiÃÃÊ>ÌiÀ>ÊLÕViÊ>`Ê«ÀÛi`ÊÀ>`Ê>`ið UÊiÃÃÊyÕiViÊvÀÊÜ`° UÊVViiÀ>Ìi`ÊiÌ}Ê«ÀViÃð ,PSURYHG(IÀFLHQFLHV UÊ À>`V>ÃÌÊÊi]ÊÌÜ]ÊÀÊÌÀiiÊ>ið UÊ}iÀÊ>««V>ÌÊëii`ÃÊ>`ÊÜ`iÀÊëÀi>`ÊÜ`Ì° UÊ,i`ÕVi`Ê>ÌiÀ>ÊÕÃ>}iÊ>`Ê}iÀÊÀÕÌið UÊ"i«iÀÃÊÃÌ>>ÌÊÀÊÀiÛ>ÊÊ ÊÊÊÕ`iÀÊxÊÕÌiÃ. 7iÊ>ÊÜÌiÀÊÃÌÀÊÌÃ]ÊÞÕÀÊ}>ÊÃÊÌÊi>ÌiÊÃÜÊ>`Ê ViÊÊÀ>`ÃÊ>ÃʵÕVÞÊ>ÃÊ«ÃÃLi°Ê/iÊ7>ÞÊ8â>ÌÊ>iÃÊ ÞÕÀÊÃÌÀiiÌÃÊÃ>viÀ]ÊÃiÀ]ÊLÞÊ>««Þ}Ê>ÊÇä\ÎäÊÝÌÕÀiÊvÊ Ã>ÌɵÕ`ÊÜÌÊ«ÀiVÃÊ>««V>ÌÊÌiV}Þ°Ê 7H[W,1)2WRRUYLVLWZZZEHWWHUURDGVFRPLQIR surface travel and create hazardous conditions that cause thousands of accidents annually. The toll from fatalities, inju- ries, property and vehicle damage and disruptions to com- merce is in the billions of dollars each year. Other routine ac- tivities, such as work, medical, educational, religious, social and sporting events and appointments are affected by cancel- lations due to the weather. Therefore, winter weather snow and ice control operations are one of the most vital functions of public works. How do public works agencies plan for winter storm emergencies? While most of Canada and the U.S. routinely experience winter storms to some degree, even the southern regions have been hit with winter events that overwhelm the limited capabilities of those agencies. In many towns, cities, counties and states/provinces throughout most of North America, what seems to be increasingly severe winters has focused the atten- tion of officials on snow equipment, material stockpiles, and keeping a well-trained and ready workforce of snow fighters. Most people don't think about snow removal until a storm hits. When it does, agencies struggle to meet expected levels of service, which often leads to the public's criticism of winter operations. Winter weather road operations have always had to contend with other functions and services for funding. Of- ten winter maintenance-related items seem to be one of their first to be reduced in times of budgetary cutbacks, especially when warmer weather has prevailed. The foundation of an effective Winter Operations Plan is the establishment of Levels of Service, which are typically based on a jurisdiction's clas- sification of roads and streets. This prioritizes every highway, road and street primarily by traffic volumes, patterns and criti- cality. Of course, the heavily traveled arterials will rank high- er than a much lower traffic volume residential street or alley. Streets that provide access to major commercial and industrial areas, transportation hubs such as train stations and airports, hospitals and fire stations, and schools may be ranked highly because of their criticality. How are levels of service (LOS) involved in snow and ice control? Levels of Service are defined to help determine what resourc- es will need to be allocated to meet the agency's winter main- tenance goals. For instance, nearly all agencies will attempt to obtain bare pavement in every throughway and turn lane of major highway or arterial street within hours of a "typical" snowfall. For collector streets and minor arterials, the time pe- riod to obtain the same standard may be longer. Residential

Articles in this issue

Links on this page

Archives of this issue

view archives of Better Roads - April 2014