States are ready to keep roads clear this winter with new technology

WASHINGTON – As state transportation officials prepare for this season's onslaught of winter blizzards and ice storms, many of them will be using technology in new ways to help clear the roads and make them safer for drivers.

From Pennsylvania to Nevada, states will be battling the elements by using such tools as road sensors, tracking gear on snowplows and onboard cameras that upload photos of current conditions.

"Technology has changed winter services across the board," said Rich Roman, maintenance and operations director for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. "Look inside a plow truck — it almost looks like the cockpit of an airplane, with knobs and controls and radio communication."

Rick Nelson, who coordinates the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials' winter maintenance program, said states are increasingly devoting time and money to research and technology to ensure people can get where they need to go, despite the weather.

"So many people think there isn't anything you can do about the winter — it snows and you just accept it," Nelson said. "But as a country, we are so dependent on our mobility. There's a lot of pressure on states to maintain mobility 24/7, 365 days a year, regardless of what the weather throws their way."

State transportation departments are usually responsible for maintaining highways, state roads and bridges. In many states, that means paying millions of dollars for trucks, salt and staff time.

An association survey of 23 states found they spent about $1.13 billion between October 2014 and April 2015 treating and plowing roads. For many that represented a large portion of their year-round maintenance budget. Maryland, for example, spent nearly a third of its budget. New Hampshire spent 55 percent.

Nelson said states are more proactive than they used to be, when they would say, "It started snowing, I plowed and put my salt on the road."

Some states use tracking gear on plow trucks to feed headquarters instantaneous data on each vehicle's location. A few also use the gear to track weather, road conditions and the amount of salt being used. This alerts transportation supervisors to changing conditions and helps them get a better handle on the use of materials, trucks and overtime.

In states susceptible to cold weather, transportation officials say clearing snow and removing ice quickly and efficiently is one of their biggest challenges.

Roman, of Pennsylvania's Transportation Department, said the 728 or so trucks that cover the state's interstates and expressways will be mounted with sophisticated tracking gear this winter, as part of a $1 million pilot project.

In Minnesota, about two-thirds of the state's 850 plow trucks are equipped to compile data on atmospheric conditions, up-to-the-minute weather information, and air and road surface temperatures.