Snow and Ice Removal Route Optimization in Kentucky

This research describes a geographic information system-based methodology developed for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) to improve the efficiency of Kentucky’s snow and ice removal program. The state’s program uses a system of snowplow routes that must factor in the location and attributes of trucks, facilities, materials, and roadways. Although functionally effective, the program had never been evaluated for efficiency. Researchers at the Kentucky Transportation Center used ArcGIS to assess the performance of KYTC’s current snowplow routing procedures and identify strategies for optimizing them. The research established optimized routings for four counties located in two of the state’s highway districts. Esri’s Network Analyst and the vehicle routing problem toolset were used for this process. Early models were county-based, meaning that trucks were assigned to routes within counties based on truck type and route priority. These early models achieved some optimization but it was limited and routes were overly complex. In subsequent models, researchers devised more optimal results by modeling routes at the multi-county or district level. These successful models eliminate nine snowplow trucks across four counties, resulting in savings of US$225,000 per year. In addition to cost savings, optimizing the routing system can improve efficiency, increase safety, and reduce the amount of time needed to treat roadways. This report documents the challenges, successes, and lessons learned from this research. Specific examples are provided to demonstrate the advantages of route optimization. Subsequent research will expand upon the four successful counties and attempt to optimize snow and ice removal throughout the state.