BACKGROUND: Monitoring the performance in snow and ice control operations has become an increasingly important task for highway agencies and contractors because of the limited resources available to highway agencies and the increased outsourcing of these activities. Different performance measures have been used both in the United States and abroad but with varying degrees of success. There are no widely accepted measures applicable to different roadway classifications and storm characteristics. Research is needed to evaluate potential measures of performance and identify or develop appropriate measures of performance for all roadway classifications and storm characteristics. This information will help highway agencies and their contractors monitor the level of performance and make appropriate adjustments to improve performance or reduce cost, thereby effectively managing resources for snow and ice control operations and achieving the best possible value for the public dollar.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this research was to recommend methods and measures for assessing agency and contractor performance in snow and ice control operations. The research shall cover all road classifications.

Status: The project is complete.  The final report has been received; copies have been distributed to Program sponsors (state departments of Transportation).  A condensed version of the report will be published as an NCHRP Research Results Digest; the agency report will be posted on the web.

Product Availability: NCHRP Research Results Digest 335: Performance Measures for Snow and Ice Control Operations is a condensed version of the report. Additional information on the project, including information on the current practices regarding methods and measures to assess contract performance was published online as NCHRP Web-Only Document 136.