Examples of Implementation Strategies for Winter Maintenance Leadership
Link to this table

Assessment Items Goals Actions
Does salt leave storage sites in ways not intended? No salty runoff water from salt sheds. Storage sheds 1, 2, 4 are ok. Re-grade floor of storage shed 3 so water that enters the shed stays in shed.
Do customers know that salt harms the environment and that improved practices are being implemented to reduce salt use yet provide great service? Give all customers the opportunity to learn about efforts to reduce salt. Meet or talk to all customers when bidding on work explaining approaches to winter maintenance and environmental protection (private contractors) or run cable TV infomercials about salt reduction reasons and strategies during November (municipal).
Do trucks contribute salt to the truck wash water? Re-use 50% of winter truck wash water for brine making or have less salt on truck prior to entering the wash. Install filter system to remove wash water oils and solids, install tank to capture wash water, integrate filtered wash water in brine making system or Install a truck cleaning station before the truck wash to encourage thorough truck emptying in an area where granular salt can be easily reclaimed.
Which organizations have been most successful in reducing salt and what are the lessons learned? Identify outstanding success in areas of interest (i.e. storage buildings, contracts that don’t bill by the ton, using non-traditional plow drivers to get 24 hour coverage). Look at Clear Roads research, Snow and Ice Management Association (SIMA) research, APWA research, AASHTO research, attend the Freshwater Society’s annual Road Salt Symposium and other winter maintenance conferences to identify the leaders. Talk to them directly.
Are lower salt use pavements being installed (permeable, heated, narrower)? Find some sort of pavement surface that requires 20% less salt on it. Install permeable asphalt in parking lot near "Smith" lake.
Is payment based on amount of salt applied? Have a profitable contract without billing by the ton which encourages overuse of salt. Look at SIMA website for example contracts that do not charge by volume.
Is concern over liability resulting in over applying salt? See if other states have a law to reduce liability for private companies doing winter maintenance. Encourage legislators to look at New Hampshire’s law that limits liability of private contractors in winter maintenance.