Review of the Economics of Winter Focused Safety Investments

Past advances in winter maintenance technology have been motivated by a desire to improve operational effectiveness whilst minimizing the impact on the environment. These investments in technology have also resulted in significant improvements to road safety. This paper considers the impact of investments in Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) and Salt Management, including Road Weather Information Systems (RWIS) and Fixed Automated Anti-icing Spray Technology (FAAST). Both technologies have resulted in significant improvements in safety and in the level of service, while reducing the harmful environmental effects of de-icing chemicals. Examples outlined in this paper will include the FAAST site located at the Ontario Highway 416/401 Interchange and the Renfrew Salt Management Plan (SMP) where investments have been made to monitor post deployment performance. The paper will discuss the objectives, methodologies, and conclusions for both the Highway 401/416 and Renfrew County examples as related to the economics of road safety investments.