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NTTA Wins National Award for Snow and Ice Control Motorists in north Texas can rest assured that when an icy weather event occurs, the North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) will be ready to respond in an efficient and effective way to make sure all NTTA roadways remain safe.
The NTTA has been named an Excellence in Snow and Ice Control award winner by the American Public Works Association (APWA) for its superior response to icy road conditions. Agency efforts will be highlighted nationally in mid-April at the APWA North American Snow Conference.
“We are proud to receive this honor because it speaks highly of the well-trained, dedicated, hard-working professionals in our Maintenance Department and Command Center,” said J.C. Wood Jr., Director of Maintenance for the NTTA.
The response plan is supplemented by the cutting-edge technology the NTTA uses to monitor roadway conditions and swiftly respond to icy conditions.
The NTTA installed its Road Weather Information Systems in 2005 and 2006 to measure pavement temperature and surface conditions on its roads, bridges and elevated ramps. Command center staff monitors the temperature of the roadway. In the event of adverse roadway conditions, they can dispatch maintenance crews to respond to potential hazardous situations. The goal is to keep the NTTA roadways safe and traffic moving smoothly.
The Command Center, working with the maintenance team, also notifies motorists and suggests alternate routes, if necessary.
“Because icy situations are few and far between in Texas, we have very little time to practice. We have to get it right the first time,” said Wood. “Using personal experience and national best practices, we have developed an emergency response plan to implement in these cases.”
The American Public Works Association has over 29,000 members and is an international educational and professional association of public agencies, private sector companies and individuals dedicated to providing high-quality public works goods and services.
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