Recommendations for Winter Traction Materials Management on Roadways Adjacent to Bodies of Water

摘要

This report focuses on the cold region and rural transportation perspective, and discusses the structural Best Management Practices (BMPs) potentially applicable in Montana in greater detail, including the applicability, site criteria, engineering characteristics, safety concerns, maintenance issues, costs, effectiveness in the presence of snow, and sediment removal efficiency. Despite the challenges of winter conditions, structural BMPs such as ponds, wetlands, and vegetated swales and filter strips, can still remove high levels of sediment from runoff if designed, sited, installed, and maintained properly. This report also summarizes the primary non-structural BMPs used to reduce the use and thus minimize the environmental impacts of winter traction materials, including: incorporating environmental staff into construction and maintenance, proper training of maintenance professionals, erosion control, snow fences, snow storage, street sweeping, improved anti-icing and de-icing practices, improved sanding practices, appropriate application rate, and snowplow technologies.