Problem
The public’s increasing demands for higher levels of service and ice-free conditions are requiring agencies to apply greater amounts of chloride-based materials, which increases material, equipment and labor costs. State and local units of government are continually assessing the need to balance LOS goals with winter maintenance costs and the negative impacts winter maintenance materials can have on the environment.
Objective
The goal of this project was to help state DOTs and local transportation agencies better understand the performance, cost and environmental impacts of alternative deicing materials; understand the application methods currently used in the field; and compare the performance and impacts of alternative winter maintenance materials with chloride-based materials.
Results
This project produced case studies and recommendations on the use of alternative methods of deicing. These results lay the groundwork for future research to identify and conduct the testing and analysis needed to develop research-based best practices for the use of alternative deicing materials that achieve comparable snow melt and can be used in place of or to supplement chloride-based materials.
This project was featured in an article in the September 2021 issue of Roads & Bridges magazine.
The Final Webinar took place on May 4, 2020.