Operations Task Force Plow Hit Experiences This webinar is being - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Operations Task Force Plow Hit Experiences

This webinar is being recorded.

November 20, 2019 2:30-3:30 PM (Central)

Agenda

• 1. State Presentations

– Montana – Presenter: Doug McBroom – North Dakota – Presenter: Brandon Beise

• 2. Other North/West Passage States Plow Hit

Experiences

MONTANA’S EXPERIENCE WITH PLOW HIT

NWP OPS WEBINAR 11/20 DOUG MCBROOM

TOPICS

Statistics Outreach Prevention

STATISTICS 2016-2017

• Plowed 3.6 million miles of road, winter costs

$25.1 million

• 30 plows Hits
• Actively realized we had issues
• Need to track costs specifically for this

STATISTICS 2017- 2018

• Plowed 4.8 million miles of road at a cost
• f $29 million
• 31 plows hit
• Tracked costs specifically for Winter Hits
• $71,010
• Decided to ask clear road states for Help
• Recommended a Research Project for

Clear Roads

STATISTICS 2018- 2019

• Plowed 3.9 million miles of

road at a cost of 28 million

• 24 Hits
• Tracked costs specifically for

Winter Hits

• $44,100
• Used radio Adds and

Facebook campaign for PSA

OUTREACH

• Web Presences
• Radio Campaigns

PREVENTION Light packages Defensive driving Clear Roads project- 18-01 Defensive Driving for Snowplow Operations

LIGHT PACKAGE

VIDEO

CLEAR ROADS STUDY 18-01 DEFENSIVE DRIVING FOR SNOWPLOW OPERATIONS

• Project Objectives
• Examine key causes of collisions involving snowplows and other vehicles
• Identify defensive driving strategies that snowplow operates can use to reduce the likelihood
• f being struck by other drivers
• Develop 2 training modules for snowplow operators

CLEAR ROADS STUDY 18-01 DEFENSIVE DRIVING FOR SNOWPLOW OPERATIONS

Completed a Literature review Completed an initial survey of states to determine the type of hits Now finding root cause from:

California Colorado Idaho Ohio Montana

CLEAR ROADS STUDY 18-01 DEFENSIVE DRIVING FOR SNOWPLOW OPERATIONS

• Five most common type of crashes include
• Hitting fixed objects
• Run-off-road crashes
• Backing crashes
• Crashes where another vehicle rear-ended the snowplow
• Wing plow strikes

CLEAR ROADS STUDY 18-01 DEFENSIVE DRIVING FOR SNOWPLOW OPERATIONS

They are now interviewing states for Root Cause They will develop strategies to avoid those causes They will develop a training video for states use.

THANK YOU

QUESTIONS?

North West Passage 2019 NDDOT Plow Hit Mitigation Efforts

Brandon Beise NDDOT, Maintenance Operations 701-328-4359 bbeise@nd.gov

North Dakota Winters

Williston 45” Avg Snowfall 0 F Avg January Low Grand Forks 47” Avg Snowfall

• 3 F Avg January

Low Bismarck 51” Avg Snowfall 2 F Avg January Low Fargo 50” Avg Snowfall 0 F Avg Low Temp

Cold, dry snow is worst condition for snow fog

North Dakota DOT

• Maintain 17,000+ lane miles
• Interstate, US Highways, State

Highways

• No local roads
• 61 Sections in 8 Districts
• 350 Operators
• Plowing hours: 5AM to 7PM
• Limited overnight service in three

metro areas (Bismarck, Minot, Fargo)

• $23M average snow and ice costs

per year

• 350 Operators
• 350 Tandem Axle Snowplows
• Most all plows have front

plows, wings, and underbody scrapers

• 150 – 400 gal brine tanks
• 32 Towplows (16 bi-di)
• Per Year:
• 55,000 Tons of Salt
• 2,000,000 Gallons of Salt Brine

North Dakota DOT

Plow Hits - Uncontrollable

• Others / Public / Coworkers: Make their own choices
• Laws: Legislature makes them, and law enforcement

agencies enforce them

• Budgets: Set and planned by others
• Weather: Every storm event is different

We do have the ability to influence some of these items! NDDOT needs to take them into account and develop

• ur own process of risk control.

Plow Hits - Controllable

• How we do our work: Best practices & procedures,

training

• When we do our work: Scheduling, when possible
• Should we be on the road? Yes, public expects it.
• Equipment chosen: Scheduling, equipment resources
• Relationships with outside organizations: Law

enforcement, media

• Other : ?

NDDOT Plow Hit Mitigations Efforts

• Operational Activities
• Equipment Modifications
• Public Outreach
• Technology

Operational Activities

• When possible plow with the

wind

• Reduces snow fog in other

lanes

Operational Activities

• When possible work in tandem
• Second truck following in driving
• r wide shoulder
• Spotter to watch traffic queue or

warn of passing vehicles

• Higher traffic and metro areas

Operational Activities

• Underbody Scraper
• Video
• Snow fog while

alternating underbody scraper and front plow to clear shoulder

• Not appropriate for

all situations

• Using existing tools

differently to help

• urselves

Equipment Modifications

Equipment Modifications

Equipment Modifications

• Experimented with different lighting colors
• State law limits use of flashing reds, blues, and greens
• Snowplows used colored steady burn lights

Elevated Blue Low Green Elevated Green

Equipment Modifications

Amber Flashing White Flashing Red Stead y Burn

Standard Truck Lighting

Equipment Modifications

• Applied elevated lighting to other equipment

Towplow Towplow Motor Grader

Equipment Modifications

• Testing this

season

• LED light sticks
• Ends of wings

and towplows

Public Outreach

• Safety Division regularly posts

generic safety messages

• Coordinate to include plow

hit messages

• Before upcoming storms
• Large impact areas
• Districts can request plow

messages during storms

• Storm specific

Public Outreach

• News releases
• Especially early season
• Warn of meeting/passing

vehicles creating snow fog

• Warn of passing snowplows

Public Outreach

• Media interviews and ride-

alongs with operators

• Media interviews with NDDOT

administration

• NDDOT YouTube videos
• Social Media posts with

pictures of plow crashes

• Don’t Crowd the Plow

brochures on NDDOT webpage

Technology - HAAS Alert

• https://www.haasalert.com/
• Connect to plow lights
• WAZE notifications
• Audible and visual
• Capabilities to connect to ND 511 App

HAAS Alert

HAAS Alert

HAAS Alert

HAAS Alert

• Safetycloud.haasalert.com
• Reporting
• Status
• FleetFusion API

Final Thoughts

• Using more lights does not assure light can penetrate

the cloud

• Managing the cloud, may provide better results
• Elevate lighting systems above the snow fog
• Don’t get covered by caked snow
• Public outreach is helpful
• No standard procedure
• Every event and situation is different
• Help yourselves
• Appropriate tools, timing, speeds

Brandon Beise, P.E. NDDOT Maintenance Operations bbeise@nd.gov Office: 701-328-4359

Other NWP States Plow Hit Experiences

• South Dakota
• Minnesota
• Wyoming
• Idaho
• Washington

Are the number of plow hits increasing or decreasing? How are you addressing plow hits? Costs for repairs? Any additional information?

Plow Hit Experiences: MnDOT

Plow Hit Experiences: MnDOT

Plow Hit Experiences: MnDOT

Plow Hit Experiences: MnDOT

Plow Hit Experiences: MnDOT

Plow Hit Experiences: MnDOT

Plow Hit Experiences: MnDOT

Plow Hit Experiences: MnDOT

Wrap Up

Thank You