UMaine Researchers Studying State’s Winter Snow and Ice Removal Policies
Contact: Jonathan Rubin, (207) 581-1528; Per Garder, (207) 581-2177 Aimee Dolloff, (207) 581-3571
ORONO, Maine — Slippery travel conditions, snow drifts, and potholes are part of living in Maine in the winter, and keeping the state’s roads as passable as possible during winter is costly.
“Maine spends $23 million on winter road maintenance and snow and ice removal,” says Professor Jonathan Rubin of the University of Maine’s Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center and School of Economics.
In an effort to determine the effectiveness of winter road maintenance throughout the state, the Maine Department of Transportation has requested that the Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center complete a comprehensive and independent review of the state’s current winter road maintenance measures, including the use of road salt, the environmental impact, and driver safety.
Researchers at UMaine’s Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Environmental and Watershed Research and other university departments also will assist in the study since the chemicals used to control ice and snow can pose some environmental, groundwater quality and corrosion concerns.
As part of the project, Rubin and colleagues have created an advisory committee consisting of stakeholders in the trucking industry, car manufacturers and others to provide their thoughts and observations on the issue.
“In the spring, public outreach meetings will be held to determine how the public thinks the state ought to be handling road maintenance issues,” Rubin says. “Part of our job is to educate the public on who’s responsible. Some of the actions of the DOT are really beyond their control and up to municipalities.”
UMaine Civil and Environmental Engineering Professor Per Garder also will contribute to the study by providing an analysis of road safety, comparing new types of winter maintenance and snow and ice removal to what was done years ago.
He currently is conducting research focusing on elderly drivers and winter driving safety thanks to a $63,000 federal grant from the New England University Transportation Center.
Garder states that previous research shows that average drivers ages 25 to 65 have better eyesight and therefore can see obstacles and potential slick spots in the road long before older drivers. He also will look at where these accidents occur, comparing the number of higher-speed interstate crashes with those on rural roads where speed limits are lower and the weather conditions at the time of the accidents.
Garder explains that in the 1930s, roads simply were closed until the snow went away. Then crews began plowing and as the technology improved, the roads became clearer and driving speeds increased. Then salt was mixed with sand to increase tire traction.
“Then more and more salt was used until a few years ago when they started using anti-icing chemicals to coat the roads before storms,” Garder said. “It prevents snow and ice from sticking to the road. We have clear dry roads immediately as opposed to letting it stick to the road and plowing.”
In addition to providing the Maine Department of Transportation with information regarding the effectiveness of its current snow and ice removal procedures, the University of Maine will benefit from newly formed relationship with state transportation officials, and the project also contributes to UMaine’s mission of public service.
The final report is expected to be presented to the Legislature by January 2010.