Summary

This document is a technical guidelines manual issued by the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) for the Winter Maintenance Program. The guidelines were adapted from the Manual of Practice for an Effective Anti-Icing Program prepared by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the US Army Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory, Corps of Engineers (1996). The document serves as a comprehensive reference for state and local transportation agencies managing winter road maintenance operations.

The document provides operational protocols for solid chemical application during various winter weather events, including light snow storms, moderate or heavy snow storms, frost or black ice conditions, freezing rain, and sleet storms. For each weather scenario, the guidelines specify temperature ranges, pavement surface conditions, maintenance actions, and chemical spread rates measured in pounds per lane-mile. Chemical application rates vary by temperature and weather conditions, ranging from 150 to 400 pounds per lane-mile depending on severity and conditions. The guidelines emphasize preventive chemical applications to manage ice and snow accumulation, recommend pre-wetting solid chemicals, establish protocols for both initial and subsequent operations, and include specific instructions for traffic management and timing relative to precipitation events. The document prioritizes proactive treatment before traffic rush periods and provides detailed commentary on monitoring requirements, application frequency adjustments, and conditions under which chemical applications are not recommended.