Document Summary

This document comprises the Solid Chemical Application Guidelines for the New Jersey Department of Transportation's Winter Maintenance Program. The guidelines are based on the Manual of Practice for an Effective Anti-Icing Program prepared by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), US Army Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory, Corps of Engineers in 1996. The document serves as operational guidance for the state agency responsible for winter road maintenance across New Jersey.

The guidelines provide detailed operational protocols for applying solid chemical de-icers across five distinct weather scenarios: light snow storms with moderate to heavy snow periods, moderate or heavy snow storms, frost or black ice conditions, freezing rain storms, and sleet storms. For each weather event, the document specifies application rates measured in pounds per lane mile (lb/lane-mi), maintenance actions, and chemical spread rates tailored to pavement temperature ranges from above 32°F to below 15°F. The guidelines distinguish between initial operations and subsequent operations, with chemical application rates varying from 150 to 400 lb/lane-mi depending on temperature conditions and weather intensity. Operational recommendations include pre-wetted solid chemical applications, timing relative to traffic patterns, monitoring protocols, and conditions under which chemical applications should be increased, decreased, or replaced with abrasive materials. The guidelines emphasize proactive chemical application ahead of traffic rush periods and precise timing to prevent ice development and bonding to pavement surfaces.