Promoting the Adoption of Snow Fences through Landowner Engagement Status: ActiveProject Start Date: 03/19/2020Subscribe for Updates Summary: Snow and ice issues cost MnDOT nearly $100 million annually, in addition to the associated public safety and environmental costs. MnDOT and the UMN collaborated to estimate the costs and benefits of snow control measures as well as the constraints that landowners face to adopt snow fences to control snow ice problems. Benefits outweigh costs, often by a wide margin, but landowners are constrained by the lack of knowledge, and the real and perceived inconvenience of installing, maintaining and farming around a snow fence. Landowners feel that the payments provided by MnDOT to install and maintain a snow fence are an important incentive, and they want more information about installing and maintaining a snow fence from a trusted source, a peer, or a testimonial. This project aims to promote greater adoption of the strategies to address blowing and drifting snow problems. This will be accomplished through greater landowner and public engagement. This project will: 1) Carry out and prepare a minimum of 30 case studies of landowners who have implemented snow control measures. 2) Enter the case studies into a computer and smartphone based program that can be accessed by MnDOT and landowners. 3) Revise and improve a MnDOT snow fence inventory to assist MnDOT identify and report on snow fences. 4) Develop curriculum and training materials for MnDOT personnel Final Deliverables: Related Materials: Related Research: Expanding the Adoption on Private Lands: Blowing and Drifting Snow Control Treatments and the Cost Effectiveness of Permanent versus Non-Permanent Treatment Options Expanding Landowner Adoption of Snow Control Measures through a Better Understanding of Landowner Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Expanding the Adoption of Blowing and Drifting Snow Control Treatments on Private Lands Expanding landowner adoption of snow control measures to improve public safety and achieve cost savings through a better understanding of landowner knowledge, attitudes and practices
