Citation

Black T. Am. City Cty. 1998; 113(4): 7 p..

Copyright

(Copyright © 1998, Penton Media)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

In the battle to control snow and ice, street and highway officials are turning to computer software, weather-monitoring equipment, and anti-icing sprays. Road weather information systems (RWIS) and anti-icing frequently go hand-in-hand, because the former helps determine the composition of the latter--the blend, concentrations, and types of chemicals that will be applied to the roadway. Some RWIS are integrated with automated bridge deck anti-icing systems featuring nozzles that spray the roadway with anti-icing chemicals pumped from storage tanks underneath the bridge. Other bridges use electrically heated pavement to melt snow or ice. Incompatibility of RWIS hardware and software from different manufacturers has made for a modern day Tower of Babel, but the Joint Committee on the National Transportation Communications for ITS Protocol is currently trying to hash out a uniform communications protocol for RWIS. Aside from the pervasive anti-icing and high-tech initiatives, numerous pilot programs are under way for new equipment and approaches. Prototype snow plows being tested by the Iowa, Minnesota, and Michigan departments of transportation are loaded with high-tech equipment that monitors consumption of salt and chemicals, while global positioning systems enable dispatchers to easily track the plows. Sidebars highlight the Maryland Snow College and a variable message sign system in the Snoqualmie Pass that reflects frequently changing road and weather conditions.