Deicing agents for removal of ice and snow from highways and streets are essential to wintertime road maintenance in most areas of the U.S. Due to the ever-increasing use of highway deicing materials, there has been growing concern as to environmental effects resulting from these practices. The state-of-the-art report critically reviews the available information on methods, equipment and materials used for snow and ice removal; chlorides found in rainfall and municipal sewage during the winter; salt runoff from streets and highways; deicing compounds found in surface streams, public water supplies, groundwater, farm ponds and lakes; special additives incorporated into deicing agents; vehicular corrosion and deterioration of highway structures and pavements; and effects on roadside soils, vegetation and trees. Highway deicing can cause injury and damage across a wide environmental spectrum. Recommendations describe future research, development and demonstration efforts necessary to assess and reduce the adverse impact of highway deicing.

Chemical Deicers and the Environment provides a complete discussion of chemical deicer technology and history in the United States and Canada. The book describes engineering applications, maintenance procedures, economic evaluations, in addition to environmental problems and concerns relative to the use of chemical deicing. It also provides a technical appraisal of the latest technology to stimulate further research and discussion directed toward achieving a more integrated approach for the application of new deicers that will protect motor vehicles, highways and infrastructures, and the environment. Chemical Deicers and the Environment will be a useful reference volume for scientists, legislators, transportation engineers, environmentalists, consultants, and concerned individuals interested in learning about the economic and environmental advantages and disadvantages of today's chemical deicers.

Examines the total cost of salt and calcium magnesium acetate (CMA), including the indirect cost of application and indirect costs to the environment, infrastructure, and motor vehicles. This report focuses on defining the true cost of salt, which is the most popular deicer and the standard of comparison for most other deicing products.

The first and only comprehensive guide to best practices in winter road operations Winter maintenance operations are essential to ensure the safety, mobility, and productivity of transportation systems, especially in cold-weather climates, and responsible agencies are continually challenged to provide a high level of service in a fiscally and environmentally responsible manner. Sustainable Winter Road Operations bridges the knowledge gaps, providing the first up-to-date, authoritative, single-source overview and guide to best practices in winter road operations that considers the triple bottom line of sustainability. With contributions from experts in the field from around the world, this book takes a holistic approach to the subject. The authors address the many negative impacts on regional economies and the environment of poorly planned and inadequate winter road operations, and they make a strong case for the myriad benefits of environmentally sustainable concepts and practices. Best practice applications of materials, processes, equipment, and associated technologies and how they can improve the effectiveness and efficiency of winter operations, optimize materials usage, and minimize cost, corrosion, and environmental impacts are all covered in depth. Provides the first up-to-date, authoritative and comprehensive overview of best practices in sustainable winter road operations currently in use around the world Covers materials, processes, equipment, and associated technologies for sustainable winter road operations Brings together contributions by an international all-star team of experts with extensive experience in designing, implementing, and managing sustainable winter road operations Designed to bring professionals involved in transportation and highway maintenance and control up to speed with current best practice Sustainable Winter Road Operations is essential reading for maintenance professionals dealing with snow and ice control operations on highways, motorways and local roads. It is a valuable source of information and guidance for decision makers, researchers, and engineers in transportation engineering involved in transportation and highway maintenance. And it is an ideal textbook for advanced-level courses in transportation engineering.

"TRB's National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Synthesis 449 : Strategies to Mitigate the Impacts of Chloride Roadway Deicers on the Natural Environment documents the range of methods, tools, and techniques used by transportation agencies to minimize the environmental impact of chloride-based roadway deicers"--Publisher's description.

All phases of road developmentâ€"from construction and use by vehicles to maintenanceâ€"affect physical and chemical soil conditions, water flow, and air and water quality, as well as plants and animals. Roads and traffic can alter wildlife habitat, cause vehicle-related mortality, impede animal migration, and disperse nonnative pest species of plants and animals. Integrating environmental considerations into all phases of transportation is an important, evolving process. The increasing awareness of environmental issues has made road development more complex and controversial. Over the past two decades, the Federal Highway Administration and state transportation agencies have increasingly recognized the importance of the effects of transportation on the natural environment. This report provides guidance on ways to reconcile the different goals of road development and environmental conservation. It identifies the ecological effects of roads that can be evaluated in the planning, design, construction, and maintenance of roads and offers several recommendations to help better understand and manage ecological impacts of paved roads.