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Idaho's award-winning winter performance measures attract UK attention

Idaho's use of winter performance measures has attracted more international attention with a request for additional information coming from the United Kingdom.

Joanne Edwards, principal consultant for URS Infrastructure & Environment UK Limited, recently contacted District 5's Ed Bala to find out more about how Idaho developed its winter performance measures and specifically its storm severity index.

Edwards is investigating winter service performance metrics for the Highways Agency in England.

Bala's response to Edwards prompted a proposal to share best practices and an invitation to participate in a peer review of Idaho's winter service plan in exchange for Idaho reviewing England's Highway Agency's severe weather plan.

Idaho's Winter Performance Measures/winter storm indexing is a revolutionary process that eliminates much of the subjective decisions involved in highway treatments, such as salt, brine and chemical de-icers and anti-icers. They also give ITD a common benchmark for evaluating the effectiveness of those measures after storms subside.

The winter performance measure system that began in District 5 has become a state standard for winter-storm responses. It received the 2013 National Roadway Safety Award and an AASHTO award.

Published 1-10-14