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As part of this research project, a literature review, a survey of practice, field data collection, and an analysis of application rates was conducted. The literature review covered application rates, performance measures, chemical products, environmental impacts, corrosion, impacts on concrete and asphalt, agro-based products, and benefit-cost analyses. A survey of practice was conducted to gather agencies’ winter maintenance practices involving materials, predominant winter conditions, liquid application rates, experience, performance measures, and interest in serving as a study site. Agencies from different geographical regions of the United States were selected for field data collection to provide a wide range of winter conditions, road types, and resources. Data collected consisted of route information and field data in terms of weather, roadway conditions, materials, application rates, and performance measures. Seventeen agencies representing nine states submitted data from 31 routes resulting in field data for 167 storms. Ranges of application rates were identified according to pavement temperature, temperature trend, road surface condition, and materials used. Guidance was developed exclusively from field data and practitioner feedback. Guidance was developed for liquid applications, blends, and “Shake and Bake” for light snow conditions (<1 in/hr., <4” in 24 hrs.). Shake and Bake is a combination of liquid and solid applications. Application rate ranges are provided in tables by material, pavement temperature, temperature trend, and supporting information regarding field data (agencies and number of storms observed).

Road salt is a critical material for effective winter maintenance operations in North America. This study has developed a short, accessible handbook presenting best practices for road salt in three areas: the bidding process, the storage of road salt, and the application of road salt. This final report presents the process by which the best practices were collected and included in the handbook. The handbook is a separate, stand-alone document. To obtain a good sense of the current practice in the procurement processes for road salt, the contractors conducted phone interviews with a variety of personnel involved in winter maintenance. As part of this process, five best practices were identified: having adequate storage; creating emergency stockpiles; tightly specified quantities; longer contract lengths; and pre-season fills. In the area of salt storage the four best practices that were identified and described were: adequate storage and storage facilities; facility layout; shared facilities; and optimizing facilities operations. In the area of road salt application, there are a great number of possible best practices, and in total eleven were identified. The eleven best practices in salt application were: pre-wetting and treated salt; anti-icing; variable application rates; equipment calibration; measurement; accountability; liquid usage; salt usage under extreme cold conditions; use of forecasts; setting levels of service; and training. In all the areas of the “road salt life cycle” (procurement, storage, and application) best practices have been identified and are fully described in the body of the report. Further, the best practices have each been summarized into a handbook, with each best practice comprising two pages (i.e. one sheet of paper) in the handbook, so that if the end user of the handbook wishes, the individual best practice information can be presented separately from all other best practices, thus making them more accessible, and more useful.

This manual is the final deliverable for Clear Roads project CR14-10, "Development of a Handbook of Best Management Practices for Road Salt in Winter Maintenance Operations," published in November 2015,