Road Weather Management Program
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Best Practices for Road Weather Management Version 2.0

Title:

Washington State Department of Transportation's 2002?2003 Salt Pilot Project

Abstract:

During the winter of 2002?2003, the Washington State DOT conducted a field evaluation that compared several aspects of using sodium chloride for highway snow and ice control and corrosion-inhibited snow and ice control chemicals. Sections of highway were designated in which salt products (salt brine and rock salt) were the sole chemicals used. Similar sections of highway were designated in which corrosion-inhibited chemicals (corrosion-inhibited liquid calcium chloride, corrosion-inhibited liquid magnesium chloride, and corrosion-inhibited rock salt) were the sole chemicals used. The cost of materials, equipment, and labor for sections in which salt was used was significantly less than like costs for those sections in which corrosion-inhibited chemicals were used. The results, in terms of average roadway condition during inclement winter weather, were similar between highway sections where salt was used and highway sections where corrosion-inhibited chemicals were used. In some scenarios, the use of corrosion-inhibited chemicals resulted in some reductions in corrosion, and in other scenarios, their use resulted in more corrosion compared with the use of salt. In the environmental evaluation, chloride levels found in roadside soils, surface water, and underlying groundwater were found to be generally low and well below any applicable regulatory standards or guidelines. No pattern was evident from this evaluation of increased contribution of chlorides to the roadside environment dependent on whether salt was used or corrosion-inhibited chemicals were used.

Source(s):

6th International Symposium on Snow Removal and Ice Control Technology, Transportation Research Circular, No. E-C063

http://trb.org/publications/circulars/ec063.pdf

Date: 2004

Author:

Baroga

Keywords:


Anti-icing/deicing chemicals
Costs
Pavement deterioration
Environment

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