Talkin Winter Ops

No matter where you live or where you operate, people have come to expect that they can get where they need to go, whenever they need to go. And while snow and ice may be more common up north, winter weather isn't just a northern problem.

States in the South don't deal with winter storms nearly as often, so building and maintaining a strong snow and ice program takes a little different approach.

About this time last year, Emily Fish, Assistant State Maintenance Engineer for Emergency Operations with the Georgia DOT, mentioned they were launching...

Every agency has gone through it.  Perfect planning for winter, perfect preparation for that first storm, then mother nature sends a curve ball, all the planets line up and all the little things add up to a big thing.  That’s what happened December 1st, 2025 to the Missouri DOT in the St. Louis area. 

Becky Allmeroth, Chief Safety and Operations Officer at the Missouri DOT sets the stage and tells the story and aftermath of this first of the season storm.

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On this episode were going to showcase the work of a couple of innovative maintenance professionals long time friend and listener, Phillip Anderle turned me on to at the last APWA Western Snow and Ice Conference.  These two guys created a winter app for smart phones and tablets that makes gathering storm response data from the crews much easer and checks it for accuracy before it gets input into the Cities asset management system.

District Supervisor Corey Rivera and equipment operator and Inspector Zach Mackey aren’t computer nerds, just a couple guys who plow snow and had...

Born out of a desire to improve winter operations across state lines the Interstate 80 Corridor Coalition has grown into the second longest corridor coalition extending from the Atlantic to the Pacific.  Likewise, the operational focus has also grown beyond winter operations to leverage coordination in the areas of traveler information, freight and economic efficiency, and smarter technology deployment all to benefit the motorists using this facility.  

This episode features one of the movers and shakers making this corridor coalition a reality, Tracy Larkin-Thomason, Director of the Nevada Department of Transportation.  Tracy talked about the beginnings and growth of...

While it's important to have stockpiles full, equipment repaired and ready, and staff training and assignments set, it's important to have your home weather ready as well.  After all, when you're out there battling the weather, there's peace of mind knowing that your own home and family are safe and sound.  On this episode we're Talkin' Winter Ops with Jake Sorber, Research Project Scientist with the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety.  Jake highlights the work of the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) in helping homeowners prepare for winter weather and take proactive steps to reduce ris...

The Pacific Northwest Snowfighters Association will be holding their biannual conference for winter maintenance professionals and practitioners May 2026 in Spokane, Washington.  This best in the west winter operations conference is a perfect time for exchanging ideas with your peers, finding out the latest and greatest in winter maintenance operations research, and interacting with vendors and suppliers.  

On this bonus episode James Morin of the Washington DOT is going to give you the inside scoop on this conference and why it's important for you  to check it out.  More info and links to register for this conference can be f...

From that moment the very first engineering project was completed the age of maintenance began.  While the initial delivery of the public work carries a lot of fanfare nothing is more important than keeping it functional and in service.  Maintenance organizations have been intrusted to manage every aspect of those assets since before Asset Management was a thing.  From mowing and debris pickup to restoring mobility after the blizzard of flood, it's all important.  George Conner, Deputy Director of Maintenance and Operations at the Alabama DOT  and Chair of AASHTOs Maintenance Committee says if you don't think it's important just...

In this episode we’re revisiting an earlier episode of Talkin Winter Ops that you may have missed.  In this episode we visit with Dr. Scott Koefod, inorganic chemist, about just how salt works when used as part of a winter maintenance strategy. 

Sign up for email notifications on future episodes and other communications associated with winter maintenance and winter weather management by clicking on subscribe on the Talkin' Winter Ops website at TalkinWinterOps.com

Thanks for listening in and stay safe out there!

Winter maintenance is more than work plans, budgets, disasters and recovery.  Your family plays a huge role in your public works career and public service often demands family sacrifice during times of crisis.  Lots of times the two worlds of work and family overlap and sometimes collide. Mike Duffy is the Assistant Public Works Director at the City of Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Janis Duffy works for the State of Iowa Foster Care and Adoption Unit.  During Mike's 16 years at the City and 10 years before that with the county they've raised children, survived community disasters, and family crisis.  

Th...

Developing an infrastructure project is series of compromises and tradeoffs and so often maintenance and operations considerations end up on the cutting room floor.  Unfortunately, those decisions have implications that agencies have to live with for a long time.  In the case of the GARS Intersection project in Fairbanks, Alaska everyone knew that snow removal was to be a significant consideration during the development phase.

Sarah Schacher, Transportation Department Manager for the Michael Baker International Alaska office, describes the process that had maintenance as stakeholder and shares some of the discussions and compromises that unfolded during the de...

A hundred and fifty years ago road departments leaned on the farmers next to the road to help maintain it and often times paid them to do so.  As time marched on and road departments became DOTs with dedicated maintenance workers and tools and technology advanced there is still a lot of innovation that takes place in the maintenance garage.  

On this episode we're talking winter ops with Indiana DOT’s Director of Innovation and Process Improvement Todd May.  Trust and innovation are core values at the Indiana DOT and they have a program that encourages their emplo...

The easiest snow flake to remove from the roadway is the one that never lands on it.  Seems obvious but how to make that happen?  On this episode we’re Talkin Winter Ops with Dan Gullickson, Minnesota DOT supervisor of their Blowing Snow Program.  Ever since the 1880’s when the railroads first started building snow fence to protect the track and the work on snow fence design that was part of the Strategic Highway Research Program in the 1990’s, engineers have been working to refine snow fence design, materials, and earthwork configurations to manage drifting snow and keep it off the r...

This briefing features the No Boundaries Pool Fund Study.  The No Boundaries pooled fund project is a community of practice of state DOT maintenance and operations professionals who share innovative maintenance technologies and practices to promote adaptation, implementation and broader use.

Check out the PRESENTATION SLIDE DECK and If you want more information about No Boundaries check out the NO BOUNDARIES WEBSITE 

or email its Chair, Todd May or the program support staff Kirsten Seeber

Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.co...

This briefing features the work of the American Meteorological Societies Committee on Road Weather and Technology.  Focusing on advances weather science and technologies to fashion solutions to advance mobility during winter events the committee has many projects relevant to the highway community.

Check out the PRESENTATION SLIDE DECK and If you want more information about this Committee you can check out the ROAD WEATHER AND TECHNOLOGY WEBSITE

or email the Chair, Dr. Brittany Welsh 

Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Ta...

This briefing features the Professional Snowfighters Association a North American based non-profit professional association dedicated to creating a community of practice, based upon adherence to sound science as it seeks to improve knowledge and practices in the pursuit of safe and sustainable snowfighting by the winter maintenance community.  

For more information about this organization you can check out the PROFESSIONAL SNOWFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION WEBSITE or email its President Dr. Wilf Nixon, PE 

Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Talkinwinterops 

S...

This briefing features the international Winter Service Technical Service Committee of the PIARC.  This Technical Committee focuses on activities facing all winter maintenance organizations across the globe.  

Check out the PRESENTATION SLIDE DECK and If you want more information about this Technical Committee you can check out their website at: PIARC Winter Service TC

or email Chair Peter Nutz 

Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Talkinwinterops 

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American Public Works Associations Winter Maintenance Subcommittee is the focus of this briefing.  The Winter Maintenance Subcommittee’s mission is to promote the development and use of the safest, most cost-effective, efficient, and environmentally sensitive winter maintenance technologies, equipment, materials, and practices; thus providing citizens with excellent quality of life during the snow and ice season.

If you want more information about this organization you can check out the WINTER MAINTENANCE SUBCOMMITTEE WEBSITE 

or email the Chair Matt Morreim

Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube chan...

This episode of the National Briefing features the Maintenance Decision Support System Pool Fund Study.  This organization is advancing winter maintenance decision support through advanced forecasting and understanding of the winter weather system yielding an operational system to aid agencies in winter maintenance treatment strategies.

Check out the PRESENTATION SLIDE DECK and If you want more information about this project you can check out the MDSS WEBSITE 

or email its Chair Dave Huft or project support team Shawn Truelson

Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube ch...

On this episode of the National Briefing features AASHTOs Winter Weather Management Technical Service Program, Formerly SICOP. Winter Weather Management work focuses on the identification, promotion, and collaboration efforts necessary to advance state of the practice winter maintenance and road weather techniques. 

Check out the PRESENTATION SLIDE DECK and If you want more information about this Technical Working Group you can check out the WINTER WEATHER MANAGEMENT WEBSITE 

or email Chair Brad Darr or their subject matter expert Rick Nelson 

Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our You...

On this episode of the National Briefing we feature the Clear Roads Pool Fund Study.  Clear Roads focus is on all things winter maintenance from driver safety to liquid chemicals.   

Check out the PRESENTATION SLIDE DECK and If you want more information about this Technical Working Group you can check out the CLEAR ROADS WEBSITE

or email the current Chair Todd Law or program support Greg Waidley 

Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Talkinwinterops 

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On this episode of the National Briefing we feature the Aurora Pool Fund Study. Aurora's work focus is on road weather, instrumentation, and forecasting among other related activities. 

Check out the PRESENTATION SLIDE DECK  and If you want more information about their work you can check out the AURORA WEBSITE  

or email the current Chair Mike Chapman or Zach Hans project support

Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Talkinwinterops 

Sign up for email notifications on future episodes and othe...

In just the past few weeks there have been big changes at TRB that include the Winter Maintenance and the Road Weather Committees.  On this episode of the National Briefing Paul Pisano, former chair of the Road Weather Committee is here to share the changes and what you can do to stay engaged with the new committees.  

If you want to submit your name to be considered for membership in the new Standing Committee on Winter Maintenance and Response to Weather Events follow this link to the interactive organization chart of committees and click on the Transportation In...

On this episode of the National Briefing we feature the Maintenance Operations Technical Working Group of AASHTOs Maintenance Committee. One of the 5 Technical Working Groups of this Committee, Maintenance Operations focuses on activities like winter maintenance, work zones, and safety.  

Check out the PRESENTATION SLIDE DECK  and If you want more information about this Technical Working Group you can check out the MAINTENANCE COMMITTEE WEBSITE  

or email Chair Brad Darr or Vice Chair Jed Falgren  

Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com...

The National Winter Maintenance and Road Weather Briefing is an annual event where organizations working in this space can highlight their activities and advancements in winter maintenance and road weather.  This year 11 organizations will be sharing their accomplishments in this series and how you may benefit for their work.

These presentations are also available on our YouTube channel http://www.youtube.com/@TalkinWinterOps

I hope you get an opportunity to listen in on all these episodes.

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We’ve been on a training theme for the last couple of episodes which, I think, is super relevant considering the average level of experience in the winter maintenance profession right now.  As maintenance managers, where do you go to get relevant, state of the practice, training for you’re winter maintenance operators and supervisors?  

One option is offered through the American Public Works Association.  We just wrapped up a great conversation with Dan Schacher of the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities Northern Region Maintenance & Operations Manager and, more importantly,  coordinator for APWAs Winter maintenance supervis...

When it comes to preparing your folks for leadership roles in highway maintenance the National Highway Institute Maintenance Leadership Academy is the gold standard.  This comprehensive program and the experiences of the instructors provide a wealth of knowledge into all the aspects of highway maintenance a maintenance professional might face through 6 topic modules from administration to responding to severe weather events.  Course coordinator Jeremy Birkey and certified instructor Greg Duncan of Applied Pavement Technology and Jim Weston of the Washington State DOT share their experiences and thoughts about this leadership academy and how folks can benefit for participation.  

F...

When New Hampshire began developing the I-93 widening project there was concern about the amount of salt that might be introduced into the environment due to winter operations and this became to impetus for the creation of the Green SnowPro Program through the Department of Environmental Services.  Marilee Enus, Director of the New Hampshire Local Technical Assistance Program (NH LTAP), at the University of New Hampshire's Technology Transfer Center (UNH T2) and Scott Kinmond, Technology Specialist/Instructor explain the program and certification program.

For more information about the Green SnowPro visit the NH Department of Environmental Services w...

AI and Machine Learning will probably be the next disruptive technology that will spawn a quantum leap in the way we approach the provision of winter service.  On this episode we’re heading to the University at Albany in New York to visit with Nick Bassill,  director of the New York State Weather Risk Communication Center and Carly Sutter, graduate research assistant there at the Atmospheric Sciences Research Center about a project Carly has been working on with the New York State Department of Transportation to identify road conditions from images using machine learning and the results could have impa...

We've been talking about electrification of the maintenance fleet for some time now and the conversation always turns to the challenges facing the rollout of this technology particularly when it comes to winter maintenance.  Diminished load carrying capacity due to the weight of the batteries, battery performance in cold operating environments, range anxiety, and the lack of rapid charging infrastructure re just a few.  Well, Edison Motors Ltd based in Merritt, British Columbia has found the answer to these challenges and are in the process of developing a plugin hybrid electric snowplow for Emcon Services Inc, the largest maintenance co...

Road Weather Information Systems unlocked a whole host of opportunities when it comes to performing winter maintenance.  Paul Bridge is an important player when it comes to RWIS from his early days at the Met UK through stints with RWIS vendors. His understanding of the technology and how it is used to help highway agencies do good winter maintenance is the topic of this episode from the early days of RWIS deployments in the US through AI as a force multiplier.

You can reach out to Paul by email at pbridge@campbellsci.com to continue the discussion o...

APWA’s Western Snow and Ice Conference and Snow Roadeo is one of the premier events in the world of winter maintenance and it happens every year in Loveland, Colorado.  In addition to the indoor activities and huge equipment and vendor display, hundreds of operators put their mastery of equipment operation on display at the National Snow Roadeo.  Pete Adler and Tim Brady join us to discuss this event and particulars of the Snow Roadeo. 

For more information about this event head over to their website at https://www.westernsnowandice.com/ or you can contact Pete Adler at ro...

The 2024 National Briefing on Winter Maintenance and Road Weather gives organizations working in this space an opportunity to showcase their efforts to advance the state of the practice through collaboration, research, technical support, and implementation.  This episode features the Professional Snowfighters Association.
 
This series is produced in collaboration with the AASHTO Maintenance Committee, the Maintenance Operations Technical Working Group, and the Winter Weather Management Technical Service Program.
 
For more information you can reach out to:
Wilf Nixon at wilf@psassoc.org
Kathrine Nixon at kathrine@psassoc.org

Watch the vid...

The 2024 National Briefing on Winter Maintenance and Road Weather gives organizations working in this space an opportunity to showcase their efforts to advance the state of the practice through collaboration, research, technical support, and implementation.  This episode features the American Meteorological Societies ITS and Surface Transportation Committee.
 
This series is produced in collaboration with the AASHTO Maintenance Committee, the Maintenance Operations Technical Working Group, and the Winter Weather Management Technical Service Program.
 
For more information you can reach out to:
Amanda Anderson at aander@ucar.edu

Watch the video and pre...

The 2024 National Briefing on Winter Maintenance and Road Weather gives organizations working in this space an opportunity to showcase their efforts to advance the state of the practice through collaboration, research, technical support, and implementation.  This episode features the APWA Snow & Ice Committee.
 
This series is produced in collaboration with the AASHTO Maintenance Committee, the Maintenance Operations Technical Working Group, and the Winter Weather Management Technical Service Program.
 
For more information you can reach out to:
Matt Morreim at mmorreim@ci.shorewood.mn.us

Watch the video and presentation along wit...

The 2024 National Briefing on Winter Maintenance and Road Weather gives organizations working in this space an opportunity to showcase their efforts to advance the state of the practice through collaboration, research, technical support, and implementation.  This episode features the FHWA Road Weather Management Program.
 
This series is produced in collaboration with the AASHTO Maintenance Committee, the Maintenance Operations Technical Working Group, and the Winter Weather Management Technical Service Program.
 
For more information you can reach out to:
Jeremy McGuffey at jeremy.mcguffey@dot.gov

Watch the video and presentation along wit...

The 2024 National Briefing on Winter Maintenance and Road Weather gives organizations working in this space an opportunity to showcase their efforts to advance the state of the practice through collaboration, research, technical support, and implementation.  This episode features the World Road Associations Winter Service Technical Committee.
 
This series is produced in collaboration with the AASHTO Maintenance Committee, the Maintenance Operations Technical Working Group, and the Winter Weather Management Technical Service Program.
 
For more information you can reach out to :
Peter Nutz at peter.nutz@wien.gv.at

Watch the video and...

The 2024 National Briefing on Winter Maintenance and Road Weather gives organizations working in this space an opportunity to showcase their efforts to advance the state of the practice through collaboration, research, technical support, and implementation.  This episode features the Transportation Research Board Road Weather Committee.
 
This series is produced in collaboration with the AASHTO Maintenance Committee, the Maintenance Operations Technical Working Group, and the Winter Weather Management Technical Service Program.
 
For more information you can reach out to:
Paul Pisano at paul@allealle.com

Watch the video and presentation along wit...

The 2024 National Briefing on Winter Maintenance and Road Weather gives organizations working in this space an opportunity to showcase their efforts to advance the state of the practice through collaboration, research, technical support, and implementation.  This episode features the Transportation Research Board Winter Maintenance Committee .
 
This series is produced in collaboration with the AASHTO Maintenance Committee, the Maintenance Operations Technical Working Group, and the Winter Weather Management Technical Service Program.
 
For more information you can reach out to:
Anna Arvidsson at anna.arvidsson@vti.se

Watch the video and presentation along with all...

The 2024 National Briefing on Winter Maintenance and Road Weather gives organizations working in this space an opportunity to showcase their efforts to advance the state of the practice through collaboration, research, technical support, and implementation.  This episode features the No Boundaries Pooled Fund Study.
 
This series is produced in collaboration with the AASHTO Maintenance Committee, the Maintenance Operations Technical Working Group, and the Winter Weather Management Technical Service Program.

For more information you can reach out to:
Jim Fox at james.fox@state.co.us
Kirsten Seeber with CTC and Associates at  kirsten.see...

The 2024 National Briefing on Winter Maintenance and Road Weather gives organizations working in this space an opportunity to showcase their efforts to advance the state of the practice through collaboration, research, technical support, and implementation.  This episode features the Maintenance Decision Support System (MDSS) Pooled Fund Study.

This series is produced in collaboration with the AASHTO Maintenance Committee, the Maintenance Operations Technical Working Group, and the Winter Weather Management Technical Service Program.

For more information you can reach out to:
Dave Huft at Dave.Huft@state.sd.us
Shawn Truelson with DTN at s...