Advertise on podcast: Talkin Winter Ops

The AASHTO Committee on Maintenance meets annually to discuss highway maintenance, emerging trends, new technologies, and compare notes.  In 2026 this meeting took place in Westminster, Colorado and we mic'ed up Chair George Conner of the Alabama DOT to capture his thoughts and vision for highway maintenance in general and specifically the direction he and his leadership team are taking the Committee on Maintenance.  If you've never been, here are some insights into the work accomplished there to advance highway maintenance nationally. For folks who aren’t in the highway maintenance business George explains what it's all about and for those of us who live it everyday he reminds us why what we do is so important.  We were also able to capture impressions of a few attendees at the meeting . Sign up for email notifications on future episodes and other communications associated with winter maintenance and winter weather management by clicking on subscribe on the Talkin' Winter Ops website at TalkinWinterOps.com Thanks for listening in and stay safe out there!

Artificial Intelligence tools are seemingly everywhere and folks throughout transportation agencies are trying to get their heads, and hands, around this run away train.  APWA Technical Director for Engineering and Technology and City of Pella, Iowa Public Works Director Dr, Wilf Nixon helps give some context to this world of AI.   Wilf's remarks were originally presented as the keynote address "Using AI in Winter Operations: Hype or Help?" at the 2026 Pacific Northwest Snowfighters Conference and is "rebroadcast" with permission of the Pacific Northwest Snowfighters.  Sign up for email notifications on future episodes and other communications associated with winter maintenance and winter weather management by clicking on subscribe on the Talkin' Winter Ops website at TalkinWinterOps.com Thanks for listening in and stay safe out there!

This National Briefing segment is presented by Dr. Brittany Welsh of the National Center For Atmospheric Research and Chair of the AMS Road Weather and Technology Committee.  Check out their work products and get more information about the AMS Road Weather and Technology Committee at their website https://www.ametsoc.org/cwwce/committees/road-weather-and-technology/   You can also reach out to Brittany Welsh at [email protected]   Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Talkinwinterops or listen on the Talkin Winter Ops podcast at https://transportation.org/winter-weather-management/sicop-talks-winter-ops/ or wherever you get your podcast content. Sign up for email notifications on future episodes and other communications associated with winter maintenance and winter weather management by clicking on subscribe on the Talkin' Winter Ops website at TalkinWinterOps.com Thanks for listening in and stay safe out there!

This National Briefing segment is presented by Anna Arvidsson Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute and features the Transportation Research Board (TRB) Standing Technical Committee on Winter Maintenance and Response to Weather Events (AKJ17)   If you want to submit your name to become a Friend of the Committee create your TRB account and follow the navigation to AKJ17 at https://www.mytrb.org/    You can also reach out to Anna Arvidsson at [email protected]  Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Talkinwinterops or listen on the Talkin Winter Ops podcast at https://transportation.org/winter-weather-management/sicop-talks-winter-ops/ or wherever you get your podcast content. Sign up for email notifications on future episodes and other communications associated with winter maintenance and winter weather management by clicking on subscribe on the Talkin' Winter Ops website at TalkinWinterOps.com Thanks for listening in and stay safe out there!

This National Briefing segment is presented by Peter Nutz, City of Vienna Austria and features the World Road Association’s Winter Service Technical Committee.  Check out their work products and get more information about PIARC’s Winter Service Technical Committee at their website https://www.piarc.org/en/PIARC-knowledge-base-Roads-and-Road-Transportation/Road-Safety-Sustainability/Winter-Service   You can also reach out to Peter Nutz at  [email protected]   Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Talkinwinterops or listen on the Talkin Winter Ops podcast at https://transportation.org/winter-weather-management/sicop-talks-winter-ops/ or wherever you get your podcast content. Sign up for email notifications on future episodes and other communications associated with winter maintenance and winter weather management by clicking on subscribe on the Talkin' Winter Ops website at TalkinWinterOps.com Thanks for listening in and stay safe out there!

This National Briefing segment is presented by Jed Falgren Minnesota DOT and features the Maintenance Operations Technical Working Group of AASHTOs Maintenance Committee. One of the 5 Technical Working Groups of this Committee, Maintenance Operations focuses on activities like winter maintenance, work zones, and safety.   If you want more information about this Technical Working Group you can check out the Maintenance Committee website at: https://transportation.org/maintenance/ or email its Chair Jed Falgren at [email protected]  Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Talkinwinterops or listen on the Talkin Winter Ops podcast at https://transportation.org/winter-weather-management/sicop-talks-winter-ops/ or wherever you get your podcast content. Sign up for email notifications on future episodes and other communications associated with winter maintenance and winter weather management by clicking on subscribe on the Talkin' Winter Ops website at TalkinWinterOps.com Thanks for listening in and stay safe out there!

This National Briefing segment is presented by Dave Huft South Dakota DOT and Ben Hersey DTN and features the Maintenance Decision Support System Pool Fund Study.  This organization is advancing winter maintenance decision support through advanced forecasting and understanding of the winter weather system yielding an operational system to aid agencies in winter maintenance treatment strategies. Check out their work and get more information about MDSS at their website at https://mdss.dtn.com/  or by emailing Dave Huft at [email protected] or Ben Hersey at [email protected] Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Talkinwinterops or listen on the Talkin Winter Ops podcast at https://transportation.org/winter-weather-management/sicop-talks-winter-ops/ or wherever you get your podcast content. Sign up for email notifications on future episodes and other communications associated with winter maintenance and winter weather management by clicking on subscribe on the Talkin' Winter Ops website at TalkinWinterOps.com Thanks for listening in and stay safe out there!

This National Briefing segment is presented by Danny Varilek South Dakota DOT and features the Clear Roads Pool Fund Study. Clear Roads’ work focus is on all things winter maintenance and includes management of the Qualified Product List (QPL) for roadway deicers.  Check out their work and get more information about Clear Roads at their website https://www.clearroads.org/  or by emailing Danny Varilek at [email protected] or Greg Waidley at [email protected] Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Talkinwinterops or listen on the Talkin Winter Ops podcast at https://transportation.org/winter-weather-management/sicop-talks-winter-ops/ or wherever you get your podcast content. Sign up for email notifications on future episodes and other communications associated with winter maintenance and winter weather management by clicking on subscribe on the Talkin' Winter Ops website at TalkinWinterOps.com Thanks for listening in and stay safe out there!

This National Briefing segment is presented by James Roath Michigan DOT and features the Aurora Pool Fund Study. Aurora's work focus is on road weather, instrumentation, and forecasting among other related activities.  Check out their work and get more information about Aurora at their website https://www.aurora-program.org/  or by emailing James Roath at [email protected] or Zach Hans at [email protected] Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Talkinwinterops or listen on the Talkin Winter Ops podcast at https://transportation.org/winter-weather-management/sicop-talks-winter-ops/ or wherever you get your podcast content. Sign up for email notifications on future episodes and other communications associated with winter maintenance and winter weather management by clicking on subscribe on the Talkin' Winter Ops website at TalkinWinterOps.com Thanks for listening in and stay safe out there!

This National Briefing segment is presented by Matt Morreim City of Shorewood, Minnesota and features the American Public Works Association (APWA) Winter Maintenance Subcommittee. The Winter Maintenance Subcommittee’s mission is to promote the development and use of the safest, most cost-effective, efficient, and environmentally sensitive winter maintenance technologies, equipment, materials, and practices; thus providing citizens with excellent quality of life during the snow and ice season. Check out their work and get more information about APWA’s  Winter Maintenance Subcommittee at their website https://www.apwa.org/group/winter-maintenance-subcommittee/  or by emailing Matt Morreim at [email protected] Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Talkinwinterops or listen on the Talkin Winter Ops podcast at https://transportation.org/winter-weather-management/sicop-talks-winter-ops/ or wherever you get your podcast content. Sign up for email notifications on future episodes and other communications associated with winter maintenance and winter weather management by clicking on subscribe on the Talkin' Winter Ops website at TalkinWinterOps.com Thanks for listening in and stay safe out there!

This National Briefing segment is presented by Jed Falgren Minnesota DOT and features AASHTO’s Winter Weather Management Technical Service Program. The Winter Weather Management’s work focus is on on the identification, promotion, and collaboration efforts necessary to implement and advance state of the practice winter maintenance and road weather techniques.  Check out their work and get more information about the AASHTO Winter Weather Management TSP at their website https://transportation.org/winter-weather-management/ or by emailing Jed Falgren at [email protected] or Rick Nelson at [email protected]  Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Talkinwinterops or listen on the Talkin Winter Ops podcast at https://transportation.org/winter-weather-management/sicop-talks-winter-ops/ or wherever you get your podcast content. Sign up for email notifications on future episodes and other communications associated with winter maintenance and winter weather management by clicking on subscribe on the Talkin' Winter Ops website at TalkinWinterOps.com Thanks for listening in and stay safe out there!

Welcome to the 2026 National Winter Maintenance and Road Weather Briefing series! Each year, this special event brings together organizations from across the winter maintenance, road weather, and highway operations community to share their latest initiatives, innovations, and accomplishments. This year, eight organizations are participating, offering insights into their work and the practical benefits these advancements can bring to transportation agencies, industry professionals, and anyone involved in keeping our roads safe during winter. Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Talkinwinterops or listen on the Talkin Winter Ops podcast at https://transportation.org/winter-weather-management/sicop-talks-winter-ops/ or wherever you get your podcast content. Sign up for email notifications on future episodes and other communications associated with winter maintenance and winter weather management by clicking on subscribe on the Talkin' Winter Ops website at TalkinWinterOps.com Thanks for listening in and stay safe out there!

No matter where you live or where you operate, people have come to expect that they can get where they need to go, whenever they need to go. And while snow and ice may be more common up north, winter weather isn't just a northern problem. States in the South don't deal with winter storms nearly as often, so building and maintaining a strong snow and ice program takes a little different approach. About this time last year, Emily Fish, Assistant State Maintenance Engineer for Emergency Operations with the Georgia DOT, mentioned they were launching snow school to help get maintenance crews ready for winter weather. It's time to check in with Emily and welcome Mitch Garmon, Maintenance Liaison in Emergency Operations, to the conversation to hear how things are going, what they've learned over the past year, and how Georgia DOT continues to build its winter operations capabilities. Sign up for email notifications on future episodes and other communications associated with winter maintenance and winter weather management by clicking on subscribe on the Talkin' Winter Ops website at TalkinWinterOps.com Thanks for listening in and stay safe out there!

Every agency has gone through it.  Perfect planning for winter, perfect preparation for that first storm, then mother nature sends a curve ball, all the planets line up and all the little things add up to a big thing.  That’s what happened December 1st, 2025 to the Missouri DOT in the St. Louis area.  Becky Allmeroth, Chief Safety and Operations Officer at the Missouri DOT sets the stage and tells the story and aftermath of this first of the season storm. Sign up for email notifications on future episodes and other communications associated with winter maintenance and winter weather management by clicking on subscribe on the Talkin' Winter Ops website at TalkinWinterOps.com Thanks for listening in and stay safe out there!

On this episode were going to showcase the work of a couple of innovative maintenance professionals long time friend and listener, Phillip Anderle turned me on to at the last APWA Western Snow and Ice Conference.  These two guys created a winter app for smart phones and tablets that makes gathering storm response data from the crews much easer and checks it for accuracy before it gets input into the Cities asset management system. District Supervisor Corey Rivera and equipment operator and Inspector Zach Mackey aren’t computer nerds, just a couple guys who plow snow and had an idea to make their paperwork process faster, easier, and better for themselves and others in the paperwork chain.  With access to some common computer software, and a little computer savvy they’ve put together an amazing tool to make life a little simpler and a whole lot easer.   You can reach out to Corey at [email protected] to learn more about their creation.  In the mean time listen in as Corey and Zach are Talkin' Winter Ops. Sign up for email notifications on future episodes and other communications associated with winter maintenance and winter weather management by clicking on subscribe on the Talkin' Winter Ops website at TalkinWinterOps.com Thanks for listening in and stay safe out there!