Citation

Gattuso N, DeCries R, Zhang X, Van Meeteren M. APWA Reporter 2005; 72(10): 32-35.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2005, American Public Works Association)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This article discusses the new geographic information system (GIS)-equipped snowplow application technology being used by the McHenry County, Illinois Division of Transportation (MCDOT). This technology manifests itself primarily as a website that manages the MCDOT snowplow fleet, as well as allowing highway crews to analyze salt distribution. To implement such a control center and to ensure its efficacy, MCDOT uses wireless technologies, GPS, lasers and data collection technologies, and a distributed systems architecture. The MCDOT fleet was outfitted to procure passive data from the various chemical distributions performed, which is then transferred to the central control system through a wireless Ethernet bridge. The passive data is then integrated into an easy-to-understand map distribution. This map is stored in the county’s distributed systems architecture under three components. The first is the Snow Plow Uploader, which takes the data collected by plows and organizes it by route groups, truck, date, and time. The second component, the Intranet Administration Application, allows specified personnel in the county access to the entire set of data, and the third component, the Internet Public Viewing System, is a map that will allow the public to see general snowplow distributions for their own use when deciding on route choice.