Summary

This document is the Solid Chemical Application Guidelines for an Effective Anti-icing Program issued by the New Jersey Department of Transportation's 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, in 1996.

The document provides operational guidance for applying solid de-icing chemicals across five distinct weather event scenarios: light snow storms, moderate to heavy snow storms, frost or black ice conditions, freezing rain storms, and sleet storms. For each weather scenario, the guidelines specify application protocols based on pavement temperature ranges, including initial operation recommendations, subsequent operation procedures, and chemical spread rates measured in pounds per lane-mile. Chemical spread rates vary by temperature range and weather intensity, ranging from 150 to 400 lb/lane-mi depending on conditions. The guidelines emphasize proactive chemical application before traffic rush periods, plow operations before chemical applications to remove excess precipitation, and heightened application frequency at lower temperatures and higher precipitation intensities. Notably, chemical applications are not recommended below 15°F; abrasives are specified as the preferred treatment option in that temperature range. The document includes detailed monitoring and adjustment protocols to optimize pavement conditions while managing chemical application efficiency.