Specifications include, but are not limited to: MnDOT requests responses for a Clear Roads project that will help transportation agencies with winter maintenance programs quickly and easily calculate the time it takes a snowplow to complete a cycle under various conditions. Cycle times can vary significantly depending on a variety of factors, including road type, lane miles, weather, road conditions, traffic volume and more. By developing a methodology for this calculation and an online tool to visualize the data, agencies will have the ability to track snowplows in real time and make operational adjustments as needed to maximize efficiency. Additionally, agencies will have greater insight for post-storm analyses, performance evaluations, route optimization strategies and resource allocation efforts while leveraging data they likely already collect during the course of their routine winter maintenance activities. This project has been developed by Clear Roads. Clear Roads is an ongoing pooled fund research project aimed at rigorous testing of winter maintenance materials, equipment and methods for use by highway maintenance crews. Clear Roads will fund and oversee the contract for this project in coordination with MnDOT. For more information, visit www.clearroads.org.
