More than $ 1.5 B is spent annually on snow-control programs in the United States. With an increase in severe winter storms, many municipalities are encountering difficulty in clearing their roads of ice and snow within their budgetary limits. Currently, roads are classified based on traffic counts, with busier (arterial) roads being treated before less busy (secondary) roads. This approach is problematic because most people live on secondary roads and must travel over these untreated roads before they can reach treated roads. In addition, inefficient distribution of de-icing material can have knock-on environmental impacts with increased material run-off into surrounding areas. To address these concerns, we developed a model for categorizing road vulnerability based on snowmelt rate and slope. We calculated the snowmelt rates in 1-m by 1-m squares of all roads in Knox County, Tennessee, using an empirical equation developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. This equation takes in freely available weather data and incident solar radiation, which we calculated based on LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) data. Using the model results, we propose a more efficient plan: apply de-icers to the steepest roads with the slowest snowmelt, rather than to the busiest roads. Under this approach, we argue that given existing budgetary constraints, more vulnerable roads can be treated with de-icing material and provide for easier mobility for motorists traveling on secondary roads. Our approach provides a more cost-effective, environmentally-conscious, and mobility enhancing application strategy.
