Winter Operations FAQ | Mainroad Alberta Contracting LP

Mainroad is delivering highway maintenance from four primary highway maintenance yards:

• Red Deer
• Ponoka
• Innisfail
• Winfield

In addition, Mainroad maintains three material reload sites located in Wetaskiwin, Alix and Rimbey.

Our fleet and crews are fully engaged in winter maintenance operations. We have more than 100 employees, plus mechanical support staff. Before, during and after storms, we deploy crew members who work 12-hour shifts, 7 days a week until highways are restored to good winter driving conditions as outlined by Transportation and Economic Corridors.

Great question and a frequent one ~ Mainroad crews work 12-hour shifts to provide 24-hour coverage during winter events. However, our trucks do need to return to the highway maintenance yards periodically during winter events to refuel and reload and to perform staff shift changes before continuing with winter maintenance activities. Mainroad continues winter maintenance activities during and after a winter event until good winter driving conditions are restored.

Forewarned is forearmed, so we follow the forecast closely to stay on top of rapidly changing weather. We also provide information to 511 Alberta about highway conditions. The public should pay attention to 511 Alberta and local radio stations for up-to-date weather and road conditions to help them plan their day. Mainroad is constantly monitoring weather and highway conditions. To determine how best to protect drivers, we oversee weather in two ways:

1. Monitoring: Prior to, and during a storm event, our operators are on the road observing current conditions and making the calls as to what maintenance is required. One tool used by Mainroad is mobile information sensors that are directly installed on patrol vehicles to measure road conditions, and weather data such as temperatures, humidity, and dew points. This helps our crews manage the road surfaces.

Mainroad also receives data from weather monitoring systems owned by the Ministry of Transportation and Economic Corridors.

2. Forecasting: Mainroad uses data derived from Road Weather Information System (RWIS) stations that are owned by the Ministry of Transportation and Economic Corridors and situated throughout our maintenance areas for weather forecasting. Four roadside stations measure site-specific highway data such as pavement surface temperature and condition, precipitation, snow depth, air temperature, humidity, and wind.

Ministry of Transportation and Economic Corridors with a third-party consultant to analyse the data collected at the stations and prepare weather forecast information. Mainroad also contracts with a leading road weather forecaster to provide detailed area-specific weather forecasts twice a day during winter.

Environment Canada contributes to our weather watch with its regional forecasts. Combined with additional weather information from other sources, these tools help us predict road conditions.

Firsthand experience is also a big part of knowing our roads which is why Mainroad patrols the highways seven days a week during the winter.

We attack winter aggressively starting with monitoring forecasts and proactively patrolling the Central Alberta Contract Maintenance Area. Ahead of a forecasted weather event and to prevent the formation of ice, Mainroad has the ability to deploy resources to pre-treat roads and highways with winter materials and/or anti-icing chemicals. Pre-treatment is only effective for certain types of weather events and is used as required and in accordance with our government contract.

The proactive use of an anti-icing liquid is a proven way to combat ice from forming on the highway surface. This technique is used throughout most highway maintenance jurisdictions in North America, as well as some municipalities in Alberta.

During severe weather events, we will have as many as 100 employees working in shifts through a 24-hour period – and we’ll do that daily until all provincial highways in our Central Alberta Contract Maintenance Areas meet our contractual requirements.

To keep the public informed, Mainroad shares regular road and weather updates with a list of various stakeholders, the Ministry of Transportation and Economic Corridors, 511 Alberta, and media. This helps everyone understand the current conditions, expected weather and Mainroad’s response. These updates are also posted on our X (formerly known as Twitter) account, @MainroadAlberta.

When a weather event occurs, (snow, freezing rain, flooding, etc.) Mainroad crews are working around the clock plowing, sanding and/or salting as conditions warrant and patrolling the service area.

When winter hits, we need to keep roads as clear as possible. We understand that it can be frustrating when all roads aren’t cleared immediately during and following any weather events, and we ask for your patience as we work around the clock to restore the roads as quickly as possible. If a storm is particularly fierce, our crews are mandated to focus on priority roads before turning to roads that have less traffic volume.

Adhering to the Ministry of Transportation and Economic Corridors’ priority approach allows Mainroad to make the best use of resources to keep roads as safe and reliable as possible. If you’re wondering why it’s taking a while to get a plow along your road, you can call us at our 24- hour hotline is 1-877-875-3263.

During periods of high wind conditions, snow can drift in an instant and a road can be covered again in snow within minutes of a snowplow passing and clearing it. A cold winter wind can also impact icy road conditions.

To restore traction during winter operations, crews are applying sand and/or a sand-salt blend. However, during periods of high wind conditions, applied material can be blown off the road.
Depending on the road and weather conditions, applying winter salt can create a greater hazard as the road surface can then become wet and allow snow to stick. As such, Mainroad treats each winter storm differently, depending on a number of factors, including wind conditions, road temperature and snow fall rates.

During winter operations, road crews are working tirelessly through all types of weather conditions to patrol for road hazards and to apply winter materials as conditions warrant.

During extreme weather conditions that include whiteout conditions, it is advisable that drivers avoid travel until road conditions improve. Before heading out, check 511 Alberta for the up-to-date conditions in your local area.

Mainroad takes freezing rain very seriously because it can turn roads icy very fast.

We:

1. Watch the weather

We closely monitor weather forecasts and road sensors. If freezing rain is expected, we prepare crews and trucks before the storm starts.

2. Apply anti-icing (before the freezing rain)

If there’s time and it’s not going to rain first, we apply liquid anti-icing chemicals to the road:

• Usually salt brine (salt dissolved in water)
• Sometimes calcium depending on temps

This is sprayed on the pavement ahead of the storm to stop ice from bonding to the road. (Please note, we can only do this if the conditions are right: no liquid rain first and appropriate humidity.)

3. Perform de-icing (during or after freezing rain)

Once freezing rain starts and ice forms, crews switch to de-icing:

• Salt / sand mix of 50% is used to melt the ice. Salt is used for melting, and sand is used for traction while melting is happening.
• Treated salt / sand mix, which is salt mixed with chemicals that work at colder temperatures. It gives the salt an activator and helps material stick to the highways. Our trucks are equipped with saddle tanks that hold the liquid.
• Liquid chemicals are sprayed to break the ice bond. We call this de-icing and use this to get the ice / compact to break up. It is then plowed off a few hours later, once it has broken down the ice to slush.

Freezing rain is harder to treat than snow because it creates a smooth ice layer quickly.

4. Plow (limited help)

Plows don’t work well on freezing rain since there’s little or no snow— just ice. Plowing is only useful if snow later falls on top of the ice. We plow the slush off after the materials work and melt the ice.

5. Focus on priority roads

Mainroad treats:

• Priority highways first, as they have the highest volume of traffic. We then work our way out to the lower priority highways.
• Bridges, overpasses, hills, curves, and intersections are also treated as priority, as they pose a higher risk to the travelling public.

6. Maintain ongoing treatment

Crews may need to reapply material / chemicals multiple times because:

• Rain can wash chemicals away
• Traffic spreads or removes treatment
• Temperatures may keep dropping

Why freezing rain is so dangerous:

Freezing rain creates black ice, which is hard to see and extremely slippery. Even with treatment, roads can stay dangerous until temperatures rise.

When temperatures drop below freezing, water on highways, especially on bridges and overpasses, turns into a dangerous layer of ice, often known as black ice. This creates extremely hazardous driving conditions, and drivers are urged to exercise extreme caution or avoid travel altogether. 

Why Refreezing Occurs
The “freeze-melt-refreeze” cycle is common in winter when daytime temperatures rise above freezing, melting snow into water, which then freezes again as temperatures fall overnight.

• Bridges and overpasses freeze first: These structures have cold air circulating both above and below them, causing them to lose heat more quickly and freeze sooner than regular road surfaces, which retain some heat from the ground.
• Invisible black ice: The resulting ice is a thin, transparent glaze that is difficult to see, blending in with the dark pavement, hence the name “black ice.”
• Air vs. pavement temperatures: Official air temperature readings (usually taken at 5 feet above the ground) can be several degrees warmer than the actual road surface temperature. Icing can occur even if the air temperature is a few degrees above freezing.
• Ineffective salt: Road salt becomes less effective in very cold temperatures (typically below -10°C). At these temperatures, melted water is more likely to refreeze quickly into a slick glaze.

Driving Safety Precautions

If you must drive during refreeze conditions, follow these safety guidelines:

• Slow down: Reduce your speed significantly and drive with extreme caution.
• Avoid sudden movements: Do not brake suddenly, make sharp turns, or accelerate rapidly, as this can cause you to lose control.
• Increase following distance: Allow plenty of space between your vehicle and the one in front of you.
• Be aware of shaded areas: Patches of road that are shaded by trees, hills, or buildings may remain icy even when other areas have thawed out.
• Delay travel if possible: Consider delaying your commute until temperatures rise and the sun has had a chance to melt the ice, or road crews have treated the surfaces.
• Monitor conditions: Check real-time traffic and weather information for your route before heading out.

Mainroad plows are working around the clock during winter operations, and all plows are assigned plow routes within the Contract Maintenance Area. Should you see a snowplow truck with its blade up, there may be a number of reasons why this is occurring:

1. The operator is heading to an assigned plow route to begin the shift;
2. The operator is returning to the yard to reload winter materials or has reached the end of the shift;
3. During windy conditions, the operator may be patrolling the highway looking for areas of drifting snow. As such, the front plow would be raised until the next section of snow has been found, at which point the plow would be lowered to clear the highway. Materials will only be applied when road and weather conditions warrant;
4. Plow blades are made of steel with carbide inserts–as the carbide wears out, the operator is required to check them frequently and may need to return to the yard to change out the blades.

Many of Mainroad’s plow trucks are fitted with truck-mounted wing plows, which are situated on thepassenger side of the truck. Depending on the unit, they are either 9 or 10 feet long and operate at about a 35-degree angle from the truck. This provides 6 to 7 feet of additional plow width, permitting one truck to do the work efficiently where before the work was done by two trucks. These plows sweep rather than cut and are intended for snow clearing.
Mainroad crews also operate a fleet of trucks that are mounted with dual-wing plows, enabling a left-hand wing to perform snow removal.–These trucks are typically utilized on the fast lane of a multi-lane highway.

Drivers should exercise caution when approaching any snowplows, and never attempt to pass on the right. You may not see the wing due to snow removal in progress, and even with the brightest warning lights, the truck operator may not see you.

Snowplowing is performed at speeds of 40-60 km/h–often less than that–so please be patient whenfollowing a snowplow. The operator will move over to let you pass when it is safe to do so.

Mainroad has a vigorous quality management program in place to track our performance against contract requirements.

Mainroad uses digital data collection to track and report on maintenance activities such as pothole fixes, garbage bin maintenance, and snow and ice control. Mainroad equipment also has AutomaticVehicle Location System (AVLS), which allows us to track and record our trucks in real-time and to quickly re-deploy the nearest available units when the need arises. The public can view the location of snowplows and winter maintenance vehicles on Alberta 511.

Mainroad has dedicated quality management staff who audit our performance regularly to assess compliance with our government contract. Should areas of concern be detected, measures are put in place to deal with shortcomings, and processes are quickly modified to prevent recurrence. Mainroad’s quality assurance programs are compliant with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards.

Transportation and Economic Corridors also inspects and audits Mainroad’s performance regularly to ensure that we are in compliance with contract requirements.

We use 3 types of materials:

• winter abrasive (sand / salt blend)
• anti-ice liquids
• granulated road salt

The use of a specific material is determined by the weather forecast, road temperatures, actual weather conditions, and in accordance with the standards set by Transportation and Economic Corridors.

During a typical winter we will use approximately:

• 15,000 Tonnes of Salt (1,700 truckloads)
• 42,000 Tonnes of Sand (5,000 truckloads)
• 2 Million Litres of Brine (300 truckloads)

Anti-icing Liquids: The proactive use of an anti-icing liquid is a proven way to combat ice from forming on the highway surface. This technique is used throughout most highway maintenance jurisdictions in North America, as well as in some municipalities in Alberta.

WHAT IS LIQUID BRINE? Our liquid anti-icing brine is a combo of water & crystal salt. Only during extreme cold do we use a small amount of calcium chloride as an additive to our liquid brine. Anti-icing liquids are used as a preventative material prior to snowfall. Using liquid brine solutions prior to snow or frost is proven to be more effective than salt because it begins to work immediately upon application to prevent the formation of ice. Click here to learn more about Mainroad’s liquid anti-icing brine program

Sodium chloride / sand mix: Most effective above –6°C. The pros are that it’s very effective in mild winter conditions, and sand helps with traction. The cons are that it stops working well in colder temperatures and can be washed away by rain. A sodium chloride / sand mix is the most common choice for highways during light freezing rain or near-freezing temps. 

Crews often use mixes of materials because conditions like freezing rain can wash chemicals away. Contractors often:

• Spray liquid anti-icer first if possible
• Follow with treated salt / sand mix (using our prewet tanks on our sand trucks). This combo helps ice melt faster and keeps it from sticking.

Weather can change rapidly in Central Alberta during winter, which is why Mainroad is constantly monitoring weather and highway conditions.

During a storm event, Mainroad crews will be working to clear the highway surfaces as quickly as possible. Snow removal activities are prioritized based on highway classification. Mainroad applies appropriate winter materials based on prevailing weather and road conditions. Salt is spread to meltsnow and ice and prevent it from sticking to the highway. However, salt loses its effectiveness attemperatures below -15 degrees Celsius. Sand is spread to provide traction on slippery highway surfaces, especially when it is too cold for salt to be effective. When weather conditions permit, we will commence anti-icing operations to facilitate removal of any compact snow off service area highways and roads.

We work to restore good winter driving conditions as quickly as possible after the weather event is over, prioritizing our winter maintenance and clean-up activities based on highway classification. However, challenging weather and cold temperatures may delay restoration of good winter driving conditions despite the best efforts of highway maintenance crews. During every storm event, Mainroad provides 511 Alberta with regular updates on highway conditions.

We appreciate public feedback! If you come across ahighway situation in Central Alberta that requiresmaintenance, changing road conditions, or debris, please call toll free 1-877-875-3263. Please be as descriptive as possible.

Mainroad’s Call Centre is available 24 hours a
day, 7 days a week. The Call Centre Operators will record all public feedback and forward the information to our crews on shift to respond, as well as dispatch additional personnel, and update 511 Alberta as needed.

You can also email Mainroad: albertacma@mainroad.ca

Social Media: We regularly post road and weather updates on our social media accounts. Please note: Mainroad’s Twitter account is not monitored 24/7, so it is best to contact our 24-hour hotline at1-877-875-3263.

We welcome you to follow us on social media–Mainroad Alberta Contracting currently maintains a X (formerly known as Twitter) account: @MainroadAlberta

Mainroad Alberta is currently a part of the trial for the use of blue lights for highway maintenancevehicles in the province of Alberta. The purpose of the blue lights is to improve highway safety by increasing visibility of road maintenance vehicles working on Alberta highways. We have installedblue lights on a variety of different units, including pickup trucks and plow trucks. Please rememberto provide extra space around maintenance vehicles and workers, exercise caution when approaching any snowplows, and never attempt to pass snowplows on the right. Blue flashing lights will only be turned on when road maintenance vehicles are being used for highway construction, inspection, maintenance and safety investigations conducted on behalf of Alberta’s Ministry of Transportation and Economic Corridors.

While performing snow plowing activities, plows travel at a lower rate of speed than regular posted speed limits. In ideal conditions, the plow will drive anywhere from 50 to 70 km/hr. If we are experiencing windy conditions, the plow will travel at a significantly lower speed to adjust for the snow blowing behind them. When safe to do so, the plow will pull over to allow the travelling public to pass by.

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