National Statistics
• 70% of the Nations
roads are in snow
regions
• 118,000 people are
injured in snowy
condition accidents
• 1,300 deaths occur
each year under snowy
conditions
Innovation, Technology,
and Snow and Ice Control
Plowing Ahead
APWA North American Snow Conference
April 23, 2007
Diana Clonch, Snow and Ice Coordinator
John Thorpe, TransportationDeveloping
Manager
Management Skills,
Whetten & Cameron, 2005
Jim Miller, MPV Operator
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Impacts of Snow and Ice
Associated Costs
• State and locals spend
$2.3 billion annually
on snow and ice
control
• Over $5 million
annually on
infrastructure repairs
due to damage from
snow and ice control
•
Maintenance Budgets
•
Essential Services
–
–
•
Lost productivity, late
shipments, additional fuel and
lost sales
Environmental and
Infrastructure
–
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Increased accidents, fatalities,
property damage and insurance,
lost wages
Economic
–
•
Police, medical, fire and rescue,
Individuals
–
•
$2.3 billion annually
Over $5 million annually in
repairs
Developing Management Skills,
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ODOT Statistics
• 43,000 Lane-miles
• Roads carry the 5 th largest
volume of traffic in the US
• $1.3 trillion in freight
crosses Ohio annually
• 33,664 Snow and Ice
related accidents annually
– 9,063 Injuries
– 53 deaths
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1
Ohio Associated Costs
Annually:
• Spend $36 million on snow
and ice control
• Use over 400,000 tons of
salt
• 6,000,000 gallons of brine
• 500,000 gallons of other
chemicals
• 2,500 employees involved
in snow and ice control
• 1,500 trucks
• 200 garage facilities
06/07 Season
• Spent $55 million on snow
and ice control
• Use over 640,000 tons of
salt
• 7,100,000 gallons of brine
• 1,100,000 gallons of other
chemicals
• Logged over 684,000
man-hours of work
Developing Management Skills,
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Developing Management Skills,
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Statewide Salt Usage
1,000,000
tons
800,000
600,000
400,000
200,000
0
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Annual Usage
Ave Price $42.16 Ton
05 = $40.21
06/07 = $27 million
Linear (Annual Usage)
Annual Rate of Increase = 33,745 tons Statewide
Developing Management Skills,
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???????????????
How can you make it work?
• Dwindling
resources?
• Increased
expectations?
• How does one
encourage
innovation?
Developing Management Skills,
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Developing Management Skills,
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Harnessing Innovation
• Empowerment – “to enable…. to help others
develop a sense of self-confidence”
Letting others:
– Make decisions
– Set goals
– Accomplish results
– Receive rewards
Developing Management Skills,
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Skills,&Whetten
& Cameron,
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Cameron,
2005 2005
2
Empowerment
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Articulating a clear vision
Fostering personal mastery
Modeling
Providing support
Creating emotional arousal
Providing necessary information
Providing necessary resources
Connecting to outcomes
Creating confidence
SMART Goals
• Specific – Identifiable and observable
• Measurable – Outcomes can be measured
• Aligned – Congruent with overall vision
• Reachable – Realistic and doable
• Time-bound – Completion timeframe
………………Specific behavioral goals that
help guide individuals as they work on their
tasks.
Developing Management Skills,
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& Cameron,
2005
Developing Management
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& Cameron, 2005
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Developing Management Skills,
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Innovation and Technology
Forecasting and RWIS
• Forecasting and RWIS
Current contracts for Ohio
Specific Services
• Material Applications
and Anti-Icing
• Equipment
Advancements
169 Sites - #1 in the USA
Integrated wireless system
• Training and
Development
New maintenance contract
Developing Management Skills,
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Developing Management Skills,
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What RWIS Provides:
ODOT’s RWIS Story
• Begin in 1992 with FHWA and 18 sites
• By 1997 began exploring expansion
• Currently includes more than 169 sites in 88
counties and on every major highway
– Most sites are wireless
– Powered by solar and/or wind
– Provides data in 3 to 5 minute intervals
•Air Temperatures
•Dew Point Temperatures
•Relative Humidity
•Precipitation Type
•Wind Direction & Speed
•Pavement Temperatures
•Pavement Conditions
•Traffic Speeds & Volume
– 2 nd year of a statewide Maintenance Service Contract
Developing Management Skills,
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The RWIS Advantage:
Developing Management Skills,
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& Cameron,
ON THE HIGHWAY,
NOT
AT2005THE AIRPORT!
3
Forecast Maps
Contract Weather Services
• Air Temps
• Dew Point
• Providing atmospheric and pavement
condition analysis and forecasting services
• Incorporating National Weather Service
(NWS) data
• Bidder-developed products
• ODOT’s Road & Weather Information
System (RWIS)
• Humidity
• Winds
• Total Precip
• Snow
• Combined
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Developing Management Skills,
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Site Specific Forecasts
Automated Short Term
Radar History and
Projection Model
Three Ways to View
Forecaster’’s Data:
Forecaster
• 1. Textual Hourly Forecast
• 2. Graphical Hourly
Forecast.
• 3. METCAST – A Combined
Forecast
Developing Management Skills,
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Developing Management Skills,
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METCAST
RWIS DATA
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4
Material
Applications and Anti-Icing
•Material Application Guidelines (MAG)
•Pre-Treatment Plan
•Solids, liquids, blending
2002 Policy
2 nd in the USA in use
Developing Management Skills,
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Developing Management Skills,
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OHIO DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
SNOW & ICE
Blending Details
PRE-TREATMENT PLAN DRAFT
November 19, 2003
I.
PURPOSE
Pre-treat Priority Routes and any identified trouble spots with liquid material for black ice,
unexpected winter events, frost control, and forecasted winter events when conditions warrant.
II.
• Materials – From past practices of Ill DOT
PRE-TREATMENT LIQUIDS
Salt Brine, Magic-O, Caliber, or equivalent
III.
APPLICATION
Pre-treat Priority Routes a minimum of twice a week when conditions warrant. On higher volume
roads where material may be tracked away by traffic, pre-treat as close to the onset of an event as
possible.
IV.
WHEN CONDITIONS WARRANT
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
V.
Roadways are dry.
Rain is not forecasted for the next 24 hours.
Forecasted low temperature to fall within the range
of 20 to 35 degrees Fahrenheit.
Sufficient time exists for pavement to dry before pavement temperature falls below 20 degrees
Fahrenheit.
Blowing snow is not anticipated.
Visual observation indicates sufficient material residue does not exist.
IMPLEMENTATION
Regular winter maintenance operations.
VI.
– 85% Salt Brine
– 15% Agriculture Product
• Process
– Manual blended through blending station for
each load
– No on-site storage of Blended Product
Pre-treatment
Range
SPECIAL CONDITIONS
A.
B.
Refer to the Material Application Guidelines.
“Black Ice” - Pavement temperature is equal to or predicted to be less than the due point
temperature and is equal to or below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. When available, utilize RWIS data
for pavement temperature, dew point temperature, etc..
Developing Management Skills,
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Storage, Blending, and Application
Developing Management Skills,
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Developing Management Skills,
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Brine Maker Built By Employees
Brine Maker Produces about
5,000 Gal per Hr
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5
Direct Application of Blended
Product
Direct Application of Blended
Product
• 85% Salt Brine with
15% Geomelt
• Applied following a
storm on April 14th at
a rate of 90 Gal/LM
• Surface Temps at 10 F
to 12 F
45 Minutes to Achieve Bare Pavement
Developing Management Skills,
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Developing Management Skills,
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Equipment Advancements
Applications for Snow and Ice
Control
• Road Grip Tester (RGT)
• Provides a method to quantify results
– A measure of the quality of work performance
– An indicator of the consistency and uniformity of
service
• Assist with operational decision making
– Early detection of icy spots – treatment
implementation
– Effectiveness/evaluation of treatment selections –
treatment adjustments
• Advisory information for motorist
– Early warnings of icy conditions
– Alerts for specific routes/geographical areas
– Pilot in 2001 with a pro-type
– Planning approximately 32
units for winter
• Gaining national and
international attention
– Michigan, Utah, Washington,
Wyoming, Virginia, NY,
Ontario, Sweden and Japan
• Partnering with University of
North Dakota for cold region
testing
Developing Management Skills,
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Developing Management Skills,
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The Display
How RGT Works
• RGT wheel is at a
slight angle to the
others.
• Wheel “scrubs” or is
pushed sideways
based on road grip
conditions.
• This side force is
converted to an
electrical signal by
the hub.
Developing Management Skills,
Whetten & Cameron, 2005
RGT wheel is at
1.75 °Angle
• Lights give the driver
an indication of road
surface conditions.
More lights = more
slippery conditions.
• Display is a voltmeter
that reads the voltage
from the hub,
calibrated for road
conditions.
• Numerical display (for
unit calibration) is
converted to a friction
Developing Management Skills,
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range
6
RGT Ranges
• Green - Dry or wet pavements
• Yellow- Partly snow covered
• Red - Snow covered or ice
Developing Management Skills,
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Display of an Event
Operator and User Feedback
• “An added tool…..very helpful to get the
feel for what the pavement was like”
• “We found using these trucks for patroling
before a storm extremely beneficial..”
• “We utilized the information to help all of
the other operators ”
• “I was able to two-way a driver to hit a
required route”
Developing Management Skills,
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Grove City 3/21/06 08:15 AM –
08:45 AM
First Day of Spring
March 21, 2006
Grove City Outpost – Plow Units
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Grove City 3/21/06 08:30 AM –
09:00 AM
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Developing Management Skills,
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Grove City 3/21/06 08:45 AM –
09:15 AM
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7
Grove City 3/21/06 09:00 AM –
09:30 AM
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Grove City 3/21/06 09:30 AM –
10:00 AM
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Grove City 3/21/06 10:00 AM –
10:30 AM
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Grove City 3/21/06 09:15 AM –
09:45 AM
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Grove City 3/21/06 09:45 AM –
10:15 AM
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Grove City 3/21/06 10:15 AM –
10:45 AM
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Grove City 3/21/06 10:30 AM –
11:00 AM
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Equipment Advancements
Multi P urpose - 1
MP-1
Developing Management Skills,
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• D4 Multi-Purpose
Vehicle (MPV)
– Designed and built
by District
personnel
– Dry and liquid
applications
– Proven cost
savings
Developing Management Skills,
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True Innovation
Initiated by the Stark County M & R
Manager, Jim Murray
– he asked –
How can we perform all snow and ice
functions with the same truck at the
same time??
Developing Management Skills,
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Employees of the Ohio Department of Transportation in
District 4 take the lead by making the first all-in-one snow
and ice removal vehicle. Their Multi Purpose Prototype I.
or “ MP -1” as it is otherwise known, does everything from
plowing snow to treating the roadway with brine to
keeping the snow from
even covering it
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THE MP-1 TEAM
Viewing Innovation
Ronald Milliron, Jim Miller, Bob Clapsaddle, and John Thorpe
Developing Management Skills,
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Developing Management Skills,
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Training and Development
The MPV in Action
Developing Management Skills,
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Developing Management Skills,
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Training and Development
Training Basics
• Annual RWIS and
Weather Workshop
• RWIS/AI CBT
• Liquid Chemical
Workshop
• HT Snow & Ice Course
Developing Management Skills,
Whetten & Cameron, 2005
• Understanding meteorology and energy balance
related to weather forecasting reliability
• Communications with weather forecasters
• RWIS and effective uses
• Snow and ice chemicals including brine making,
optimal applications, and dilution by weather and
traffic
• Pavement temperatures and seasonal effects
• Planning and organization – the written snow and
ice removal plan
• Technology, instrumentation, and equipment
advancement
Developing Management Skills,
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The Number 1 Hindrance for
Implementation of New
Technology is Inadequate
Training
Developing Management Skills,
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Training, The Key to Technology Implementation, Smithson, 2003
Plowing Ahead - Advisories
Plowing Ahead – What’s
Recommended?
1. Innovative training to better understand
modern road weather forecasts and
technological advancement
2. Development and implementation of nextgeneration snow and ice control equipment
Developing Management Skills,
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Plowing Ahead - Equipment
• Global Position Systems (GPS)
• Fundamentals of Road
Weather Management
– The use of satellites to pin point location and
time stamps
• 3 Major Components
– 24 Satellites that orbit earth
– Ground Control Stations
– Receiver
– Advisory strategies
such as message signs,
freeway management
systems, web based
information and
variable speed limits
• Automated Vehicle Locating (AVL)
– A computer based vehicle tracking system
relaying GPS created locations and vehicle
activities to a control center
Developing Management Skills,
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Developing Management Skills,
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How GPS Works
Benefits and Advantages
Satellite
Work Station
Server
In Truck Receiver and Modem
Map and
Reports
Developing Management Skills,
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• Total resource management
• Identifies vehicle location providing for real time
management
• Generates graphical display of resources and
allows for up -to the minute planning based on
conditions
• Promotes enhanced assistance response and
communications
• Allows for timely dissemination of information
• Automation of reporting processes
• Provides complete
work histories and playback
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Connecting to Outcomes
Developing Management Skills,
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Developing Management Skills,
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Harnessing Innovation
• Empowerment – “to enable…. to help others
develop a sense of self-confidence”
Choose a job you love and
you will never have to work
a day in your life.
Unknown Author
Developing Management Skills,
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Developing Management Skills,
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Skills,&Whetten
& Cameron,
Whetten
Cameron,
2005 2005
Questions???????
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