MAINTENANCE RESEARCH - A UNIQUE APPROACH TO INNOVATION IN WINTER MAINTENANCE

The Minnesota state trunk highway system of about 19,200 km (out of a total state system of 232,000 km) can be impacted by widely differing winter climatic conditions as one progresses from north to south and west to east. Conditions vary from freezing rain in the south, dry snow in the north, and drifting snow in the west. Increasing traffic and declining resources have led to a need for innovative winter maintenance strategies, techniques, equipment and materials to provide a safe and efficient state highway system for the people of Minnesota. The Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) has demonstrated its commitment to innovation and edge technology by establishing an annual $750,000 maintenance operation research program within its operations account. Approximately 50 percent of these funds are spent winter maintenance research. Most of this winter maintenance research is applied on the road research and includes: testing of deicing and anti-icing equipment, methods, materials; improved utilization of labor and equipment resources; testing of plow types and cutting edges; and testing of snow fences.