Specifications include, but are not limited to: Blowing and drifting of snow is a major concern for safety, transportation efficiency, and road maintenance in regions subject to intense snowfall and winds during the winter season. Snow blowing (or drifting) across and accumulating on the roadway leads to reduced driver visibility and induces ice formation on roads posing serious safety concerns and leading to an increased number of incidents. The impacts of snowfall and snowdrifts on highway traffic are mitigated with a variety of methods and activities implemented before, during, and after snowstorms. One mitigation strategy is the deployment of snow fences. Snow fences can be temporarily or permanently installed along the roadway. They are deployed in areas prone to snow drifting as either structural barriers (constructed using lightweight construction materials) or as living fences (composed of a combination of planted shrubs, trees, and tall grasses) that act as a windbreak to effectively trap the snow before it blows onto the road which reduces winter maintenance costs and crashes. Another mitigation strategy is grading improvements. Grading improvements can provide additional snow storage in a cut section and allow snow to blow clear of the roadway in a fill section.
