MDOT holds Snow Show, highlighting new safety features as winter approaches

BALTIMORE -- Winter is coming - and the Maryland State Highway Administration is ready.

The Maryland Department of Transportation showcased its winter game plan at its statewide operations center Thursday in Hanover.

It includes improvements to how they monitor changing road conditions and keep the public informed.

With a $76 million snow season budget, the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration is equipped with the latest technology to help drivers stay safe during winter weather.

MDOT-SHA administrator Tim Smith says this includes more than 100 mobile advanced road weather information sensors on maintenance vehicles.

"This system allows us to detect the thickness of water as well as snow and ice, and real-time feedback back to our state operations center," Smith said. "It also measures surface temperature as well as road conditions, freeze point and salt concentration on the surface."

Smith also pointed out upgrades to the storm app, which allows people to track MDOT winter operations vehicles. Now, people can track changing road conditions that could impact travel.

"The public now has access to real-time weather as well as pavement data both through our fixed sensors but also through those mobile ones that I mentioned earlier," he said. 

Along with state-of-the-art technology, the SHA is prepared with an equipment fleet and personnel force of up to 2700. But they still need help from the public to ensure smooth operations this winter.

"Allow yourself more time, be cautious," Nikos Routzunis, who works in maintenance at the agency. "If you can't see us as the driver in our mirrors, we probably can't see you so be cautious about that. If you see a plow train please remain behind the plow train and do not try to squeeze up in between. Allow us time to do our job to give you a safe path to travel."

The officials also discussed continued efforts to reduce the use of salt on the roads by anti-icing highways before snowstorms and pre-treating salt with brine.