• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
Logo

Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse

Library of Resources to Improve Roadway Work Zone Safety for All Roadway Users

  • About
  • Join Listserv
  • Contact
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Work Zone Data
    • At a Glance
    • National & State Traffic Data
    • Work Zone Traffic Crash Trends and Statistics
    • Worker Fatalities and Injuries at Road Construction Sites
  • Topics of Interest
    • Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety
    • Smart Work Zones
    • Transportation Management Plans
    • Accommodating Pedestrians
    • Worker Safety and Welfare
    • Project Coordination in Work Zones
  • Training
    • Flagger
    • Online Courses
    • Toolboxes
    • FHWA Safety Grant Products
    • Certification and
      Accreditation
  • Work Zone Devices
  • Laws, Standards & Policies
    • COVID-19 Guidance
  • Public Awareness
  • Events
  • About
  • Listserv
  • Contact
  • Search
Publication

Anti-icing and Pre-wetting: Improved Methods for Winter Highway Maintenance in North America

Author/Presenter: O'Keefe, Katie; Shi, Xianming
Abstract:

In recent years, anti-icing and pre-wetting practices have been gradually accepted and adopted by the North American highway agencies. One of the greatest challenges of implementing these practices has been the misunderstanding of the benefits and outcomes of their use. Members of the general public and organized groups such as trucking associations have been critical of these strategies, which may be a result of insufficient information, limited understanding and speculation. Therefore, research is needed to synthesize the information on these strategies in an objective manner. Through a project with the Pacific Northwest Snowfighters association, the Western Transportation Institute synthesized information obtained from a literature review and agency surveys on the advantages and disadvantages of anti-icing and pre-wetting for winter highway maintenance. Concerns discussed include: driver safety, human health, environmental stewardship, corrosion, costs, etc. The research indicates that compared with traditional methods for snow and ice control, anti-icing and pre-wetting lead to decreased applications of chemical products, reduced use of abrasives, decreased maintenance costs, improved roadway friction, and lower accident rates. Anti-icing has been recognized as a pro-active approach to winter driver safety. Pre-wetting has shown to increase the performance of solid chemicals or abrasives and their longevity on the roadway surface, thereby reducing the amount of materials required. The information in this paper will benefit maintenance agencies and transportation officials who seek to fully understand the benefits derived from improved winter maintenance technologies, identify areas for improvement within their own jurisdiction, and learn about related experiences from other agencies.

Source: TRB 85th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers CD-ROM
Publisher: Transportation Research Board
Publication Date: 2006
Full Text URL: Link to URL
Publication Types: Books, Reports, Papers, and Research Articles
Topics: Maintenance Practices

Copyright © 2023 American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA). The National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse is a project of the ARTBA Transportation Development Foundation. It is operated in cooperation with the U.S. Federal Highway Administration and Texas A&M Transportation Institute. | Copyright Statement · Privacy Policy · Disclaimer
American Road and Transportation Builders Association Transportation Development Foundation, American Road and Transportation Builders Association U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration Texas A&M Transportation Institute