Clear Roads - Utilization of AVL/GPS Technology: Case Studies

Status:  Complete
Report Date:  06/03/2018

Summary:

Winter road maintenance accounts for roughly 20 percent of state DOT maintenance budgets. State and local agencies spend over $2.3 billion on winter operations annually. As such, effective winter maintenance operations incorporating smart uses of methods, techniques, technologies, equipment and materials becomes essential. Among various winter maintenance technologies, automated vehicle location (AVL) and global positioning systems (GPS) have been widely used by transportation agencies to monitor vehicle locations and equipment operational status for winter road maintenance operations. This report summarizes the information gathered during the study conducted for the Clear Roads project entitled Utilization of AVL/GPS Technology: Case Studies. The research team surveyed multiple state DOTs on the current state of AVL/GPS system usage for the purpose of gathering information on the planning, processes, steps, and results observed by agencies with their respective systems. Six state DOTs (Utah, Washington State, Michigan, Wisconsin, Nebraska, and Colorado) were selected to conduct detailed case studies. The case studies were performed through in-person interviews with multiple levels of DOT staff involved in AVL/GPS system planning, procurement, implementation, management and operations. This final report summarizes the key results, findings and lessons learned from the case studies. It also identifies best practices and provides a series of recommendations for winter maintenance agencies to consider in the procurement, deployment and integration of an AVL/GPS system for winter maintenance operations.

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