Investigating Mobility and Safety Impacts of Winter Maintenance Operations Using Connected Vehicle Data

Winter weather can lead to dangerous driving conditions that cause reduced speeds and accidents, so rapid anti-icing and snow removal operations are necessary. This paper investigates the impact of winter road maintenance operations on traffic flow and individual vehicle maneuver. A comprehensive analysis framework is developed to incorporate connected vehicle data collected from snowplows and passenger vehicles, as well as road weather information, in assessing the impact of winter maintenance operations. By assigning vehicle trajectories to road segments and examining driving behavior at individual vehicle levels, we can better understand the impacts of snowplowing activities on traffic flow and vehicle maneuvering. The results indicate that winter road maintenance operations help restore reduced travel speeds due to snowy or icy conditions. Furthermore, while slow-moving snowplow trucks affect passenger vehicle longitudinal and lateral movements, statistical analysis reveals no significant association between snowplow activities and increased events of hard acceleration and traction control. The results of this study enable a better understanding of the potential impacts of winter maintenance operations not only on traffic flow, but also on vehicles adjacent to maintenance trucks.