Managing Snow and Ice Control Operations

Learn about winter storm operations and how to effectively use plowing, deicing chemicals and abrasives to manage snow and ice, while improving safety, maintaining level of service, reducing environmental impact and reducing costs.

• Public works officials
• Engineers
• Superintendents
• Foremen
• Facility managers
• Grounds managers
• Contractors and others with responsibilities for winter maintenance

Winter Storms

• Understanding winter storms
• How to interpret forecasts

Using Winter Weather Technology

• Contract forecast services
• Pavement temperature sensors
• Road Weather Information Services (RWIS)
• Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL)
• Maintenance Decision Support System (MDSS)

Snow and Ice Chemicals

• Types of snow and ice conditions on pavement
• How to select materials and application methods to match conditions
• How to use chemicals as a bond breaker
• Salt properties and performance
• Properties and performance of alternative chemicals
• Abrasives
• Salt/abrasive blends

Winter Maintenance Liability

• Liability concerns in winter operations
• How to minimize potential for liability
• Case examples

Winter Maintenance Management

• Snow plans and operational guidelines
• Training
• Crew scheduling
• Public relations
• How to plan and manage routes
• How to prioritizing operations
• Winter maintenance policies

Winter Maintenance Environmental Impacts

• Environmental impacts of salt
• Salt impacts data and trends
• Changes in operations to address salt impacts
• Winter maintenance equipment calibration

Street and Highway Winter Maintenance Operations

• Equipment
• Application rates
• Anti-icing

Mechanical Removal of Snow

• Plows, brooms, and blowers
• Cutting edges
• Plowing procedures

Blending Salt Brine and Other Chemicals for Prewetting and Anti-Icing

• Blends and blend performance
• Blending equipment
• Field experience with blends

Winter Maintenance for Facilities Buildings and Grounds

• Planning and policies for effective winter grounds maintenance
• Mobilizing personnel and equipment
• Sidewalks, steps, and ramps
• Parking lots and parking structures
• new equipment and techniques

Winter Maintenance from a Contractor’s Perspective

• Coordination of winter operations
• Equipment selection/productivity
• Use of liquids for anti-icing and de-icing
• Innovative approaches to winter maintenance
• Effective winter services contract

We reserve the right to alter course schedule and substitute speakers when necessary.

"Excellent training!  There are not many seminars like this around. It is a must for all snow and ice supervisors and managers."

"It was great. I will send my supervisors and staff to the next course."

"I will be able to pull stuff from every presentation to implement into our snow removal operations."

"Excellent ideas to take home and start ASAP."

"We needed to make changes, and this course gave me the tools I need!"

"A lot of insight into programs others operate that we can use to change and improve our operations"

"I learned a great deal. It was well worth the cost."

Michael Adams

Mike Adams founded Weather Management Solutions, continuing the contract he had with Wisconsin DOT as Road Weather Information System Program Manager for Matrix Management Group. He is a past Program Chair for Aurora, an international consortium dedicated to RWIS research, as well as a member of the American Meteorological Society. He also held various positions as a United States Air Force weather officer supporting both flying and ground operations from 1983-1995. Mike has a BS and MS in meteorology from Penn State and his publications include Innovative Uses Of RWIS Technologies In Wisconsin’s Winter Maintenance Operations, Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting, 1998; and Aurora Program Research Activities, American Meteorological Society Annual Meeting, 2003.

Roger Bowman

Benjamin Jordan

Program Director at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Department of Engineering Professional Development, Ben develops continuing education courses for civil engineers and public works professionals. He is also director of the Wisconsin Transportation Information Center, providing training and technical assistance to county highway departments, town road departments and city and village public works departments in Wisconsin. Mr. Jordan has over 35 years of experience in civil engineering and public works. He earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign and is a Licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Illinois.

Paul Brown

Paul Brown

Tj Countryman

Don Nelson

President, Glacier Snow Management Company

Matteo Reginato

Scott Rowader