Assessing and Improving Efficiency of Snowplowing Operations via Data and Analytics

This project presents a comprehensive study on enhancing snowplowing routes in 12 regions in northern Utah. The research employs both exact and approximate methods to identify snowplowing routes that lead to reductions in total travel time, turnaround time, and deadhead miles by an average of 4.87%, 15.38%, and 13.85%, respectively, across all the regions. These improvements can significantly enhance the efficiency of snow removal operations and contribute to the overall social welfare. The study's models also examine the tradeoffs between various operational policies, such as echelon vs. non-echelon routing and fleet extension. These insightful analyses empower local management teams to determine the most suitable strategies for their respective regions. Apart from optimization modeling, a pivotal aspect of this work involves data visualization. The team utilizes data visualization techniques to effectively demonstrate the efficacy of the new snowplowing routes, comparing them to current practices, and presenting the findings to the Utah Department of Transportation. This visualization aids in conveying the significance and impact of the proposed improvements, further supporting decision-making processes.

• Record URL:
  https://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/details.php?id=1132
• Record URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/68791
• Summary URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/68913
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This document was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation, University Transportation Centers Program.
• Corporate Authors:

  University of Utah, Salt Lake City

  Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering
  Salt Lake City, UT  United States  84112

  Mountain-Plains Consortium

  North Dakota State University
  Fargo, ND  United States  58108

  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

  University Transportation Centers Program
  Department of Transportation
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Liu, Cathy
  • Marković, Nikola
• Publication Date: 2022-11

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Appendices; Figures; Maps; Tables;
• Pagination: 60p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Data analysis; Performance measurement; Routes and routing; Snow removal; Snowplows; Travel time; Visualization
• Geographic Terms: Utah
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Planning and Forecasting;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01892557
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: MPC-22-487
• Contract Numbers: MPC-637
• Files: UTC, NTL, TRIS, ATRI, USDOT
• Created Date: Sep 11 2023 11:39AM