Comparing Approaches to Winter Highway Maintenance Operations Through User Mobility Performance

Abstract

This paper compares the winter maintenance performances of sections of two limited access highways operated by the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) and the New York State Thruway Authority (NYSTA). Performance is assessed by two user mobility indicators: speed reduction during snowstorms and speed recovery duration following the end of snow events. Multivariate linear regressions are estimated to model these mobility indicators. The results show major discrepancies in level of service between the two agencies, particularly in the early stages of snowstorms. Another result is that speed recovery is indistinguishable in the hour following the end of snow events. It also found that NYSTA's higher outlay of resources appears to be effective only during short storms and in the early stages of storms.