Learn how Wx Horizon enhances winter maintenance practices with accurate sensor data.
140-mile road network.
17 snow routes.
Cranberry Township in Butler County, Pennsylvania, took on a challenge to reboot its winter road maintenance practices. Now, they’re sharing their experience deploying Wx Horizon with two GroundCast sensors. Read on.
Challenge: Striving for maximum maintenance efficiency
Before, when it was precipitating, and temperatures were near freezing, Winter Maintenance Crews were sent out. And each time they do this, it is a significant cost in labor and materials to the Township.
Being conscious of the environmental harm salt can do to the local environment, they were keen to minimize salt usage by targeting it to when and where it is needed.
“Previously, I would have driven into work, and I would have seen that it was sleeting off my windshield. And if all I had was forecast air temperature, I would have panicked and sent my crew out to go salt their routes and that would have cost us a lot of money. This morning, our state DOT had their crews out and we did not, because we knew the temperature of the pavement was 40 degrees and forecasted to go up. So, it's saving us time, material, and equipment wear and tear, and there are also environmental benefits.
Bob Howland, Manager of Streets & Fleet, Cranberry Township
Solution: Road weather forecasts based on local data
Cranberry’s existing solution provided camera images along with a paid forecast service. However, they were interested in pavement sensors, and they decided to give Wx Horizon a try.
Relevant, timely data helps Cranberry save costs and deliver a more efficient service and improved quality of life for their crews
Wx Horizon is a road weather subscription service for winter maintenance professionals. It uses in-pavement sensors to generate enhanced road weather forecasts. Wx Horizon was an attractive alternative since it provides additional data using in-ground pavement sensors. This data, which includes temperatures at various levels, the state of the road – dry or wet, and the amount of salt on the road, can be used to enhance forecasts on the local roads.
By using Wx Horizon, Cranberry has taken its winter maintenance up another notch and increased its efficiency. This past winter, they avoided 10 callouts using Wx Horizon, saving them over $100K. The number doesn't factor in limiting salt and/or labor in other scenarios.
“We could see where we had a storm, and as the rain started you saw the residual salt levels go down — that was the residual salt on the road being washed away. So I could see how we would know when our crews need to go back out again, invaluable information to us and really it does pay for itself. Not only the environmental benefits but also the costs.
Kelly Maurer, Director of Public Works - Cranberry Township, PA
We are confident that Wx Horizon will pay for itself by saving you just one call out. Book a call with our experts to learn more.
