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Title: BENEFIT-COST COMPARISON OF SALT-ONLY VERSUS SALT-ABRASIVE MIXTURES USED IN WINTER HIGHWAY MAINTENANCE IN THE UNITED STATES
Accession Number: 00745796
Record Type: Component
Availability: Find a library where document is available Abstract: A study at Marquette University examined accident rates and benefit-cost estimates of winter maintenance operations by state agencies that use primarily salt-abrasive mixtures as deicers. The study methodology was patterned after a prior study at Marquette with state agencies that used primarily salt alone as a deicer. The recent study included 788.8 km of two-lane highway and 92.8 km of freeway in five maintenance districts in four states. The study was conducted during the winters of 1992-1993 and 1993-1994. Field data, which were collected by the state departments of transportation, included event and weather information and the amount of salt and abrasives used for more than 781 events. Traffic volumes were adjusted for seasonal, daily, hourly, and snow-reduction variations. Before and after accident rates were calculated, and benefit-cost estimations were made for both two-lane highways and freeways. Accident rate reductions were calculated and benefits were measured. Standard benefit analysis was performed for increased fuel savings and reduced travel time. Accident reductions for two-lane highways on which salt-abrasive mixtures were used were less than those of the prior study of salt-only use. Accident reductions for freeways were much less and took much longer to occur when salt-abrasive mixtures were used, compared with the reductions with salt only. Benefit-cost calculations showed that the application of salt-abrasive mixtures did not recover winter maintenance costs on two-lane highways during the 12-hr analysis period. This finding is affected by the low number of accidents. Benefit-cost calculations showed that freeway operations recovered costs in 6 hr, substantially longer than with salt only. Comparisons are made between the results of accident and benefit-cost data between the two studies (salt-only and salt-abrasive mixtures).
Supplemental Notes: Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
Monograph Title: Monograph Accession #: 00745777
Language: English
Corporate Authors: Transportation Research Board 500 Fifth Street, NW Authors: Kuemmel, D ABari, QPagination: p. 141-151
Publication Date: 1997
Conference:
Snow Removal and Ice Control Technology
Location:
Reno, Nevada ISBN: 0309062160
Media Type: Digital/other
Features: Figures
(9)
; References
(19)
TRT Terms: Uncontrolled Terms: Geographic Terms: Subject Areas: Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; I62: Winter Maintenance
Files: TRIS, TRB
Created Date: Feb 25 1998 12:00AM
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