The Clear Roads pooled fund project began in 2004 with four members and a focus on real world testing of winter maintenance materials, methods and equipment. During its five years of funding and overseeing research projects, the pooled fund grew to include fourteen member states funding two or three research projects annually. As the group grew, however, there was much interest in expanding the project scope to include more technology transfer and direct support for staff in the field. The group proposes to close the original pooled fund project---TPF-5-092) and request funding and support for a new Clear Roads project with this solicitation. See the Clear Roads Web site at www.clearroads.org for both the history and latest information on this project. This new Clear Roads pooled fund project will maintain its focus on advancing winter highway operations nationally but will include a more pronounced emphasis on state agency needs, technology transfer and implementation. State departments of transportation are aggressively pursuing new technologies, practices, tools and programs to improve winter highway operations and safety while maintaining fiscal responsibility. This pooled fund is needed to evaluate these new tools and practices in both lab and field settings, to develop industry standards and performance measures, to provide technology transfer and cost benefit analysis and to support winter highway safety. This project responds to research and technology transfer needs not currently met by other pooled fund projects. Existing partners make every effort to coordinate with other agencies to avoid duplication of efforts and to encourage implementation of results.

Objectives of this ongoing pooled fund project will include: -Conduct structured field testing and evaluation across a range of winter conditions and different highway maintenance organizational structures to assess the practical effectiveness, ease of use, optimum application rates, barriers to use, durability, safety, environmental impact and cost-effectiveness of innovative materials, equipment and methods for improved winter highway maintenance. -Establish industry standards and develop performance measures for evaluating and utilizing new materials and technologies. -Support technology transfer by developing practical field guides and training curriculum to promote the results of research projects. -Conduct cost-benefit analysis to ensure that new technologies, materials or methods contribute to operational efficiency. -Support the exchange of information and ideas via peer exchanges and collaborative research efforts that provide opportunities for winter maintenance specialists to share experiences related to winter maintenance. -Promote public education and outreach related to winter maintenance and winter driving safety. -Conduct state of the practice surveys to share best practices on current operational issues (for example salt shortages, level of service requirements or other hot button issues).

Research reports, technical briefs, synthesis reports, field guides, specifications, PowerPoint presentations, video documentation, training materials, public safety messages and software programs.

The recommended participation level is $25,000 per year for two years. State and local winter maintenance organizations will be able to make informed operational and purchasing decisions based on objective evaluations of promising materials and equipment. By pooling resources, agencies will be able to conduct more extensive studies across a greater range of conditions than could be done by a single agency with only its own funds. By collaborating and sharing information, agencies will benefit from each other¿s experiences and avoid the duplication of research efforts. The outcomes of these projects will help agencies get the maximum financial benefit out of their investments in materials, equipment and technologies.