Winter Maintenance - A Deicing Products User Guide

Summary:

Chloride based deicers are commonly used for winter maintenance. However, chloride has impacted our surface and groundwater in Minnesota. Salt also affects plants and other wildlife. Traditional chloride-based deicers are corrosive and damage infrastructure. Research is available on chloride deicers and alternatives, but cost-benefit and guidance on use of alternatives is not readily available or compiled in an easy to-use format. Winter maintenance leaders do not have time to read all the literature. In this project, a review of identified existing research on alternative deicers will be conducted and summarized for use by local agencies to help them choose the best product for their winter maintenance operations. The research will include alternative deicers, cost-effectiveness of the materials, equipment, and storage needs. The availability of alternative deicers and supply chain issues will also be examined in available literature and interviews with suppliers. Through meetings with a technical advisory panel and literature review, gaps in the research will be identified to inform the need for additional research helpful to local agencies to develop best practices for their winter operations.

Final Deliverables:

• Winter Maintenance – Report on the Deicing Products User Guide (Report #2025RIC09)
• Choosing the Right Deicer for Your Operations: Deicing Products User Guide Fact Sheet (Fact Sheet #2025RIC09F)
• Deicing Projects User Guide (Guidebook #2025RIC09G)

Related Materials:

Related Research:

Project Personnel:

Principal Investigator:  Connie Fortin

Co-Principal Investigator:  Carolyn Dindorf, Douglas Klimbal

Technical Liaison:  Ryan Thilges

Project Coordinator:  David Glyer

Panel Members: 
Brian Boder - Traffic Engineer
Chad Schuman - Olmsted County Public Works
Daniel Fischer - City of Mankato
Darin Ellingson - City of Minnetonka
Erin Laberee - Dakota County
Jed Falgren - Maintenance
Jeremy Jensen - City of Monticello
Joe MacPherson - Anoka County
John Paulson - Apex Engineering Group
Josh Peterson - City of Coon Rapids
Kimberly Engle - Cryotech Deicing Technology
Mark Hansen - City of Coon Rapids
Nate Clemmer - SynaTek Solutions
Paul Keranen - 
Perry Collins - District 1
Robert Hass - Bridges
Scott Koefod - Cargill
Stephen Druschel - Minnesota State University Mankato
Steve Johansen - Douglas County
Tara Carson - Environmental Stewardship
Xianming Shi - Washington State Transportation Center