No matter where you live or where you operate, people have come to expect that they can get where they need to go, whenever they need to go. And while snow and ice may be more common up north, winter weather isn't just a northern problem.

States in the South don't deal with winter storms nearly as often, so building and maintaining a strong snow and ice program takes a little different approach.

About this time last year, Emily Fish, Assistant State Maintenance Engineer for Emergency Operations with the Georgia DOT, mentioned they were launching snow school to help get maintenance crews ready for winter weather.

It's time to check in with Emily and welcome Mitch Garmon, Maintenance Liaison in Emergency Operations, to the conversation to hear how things are going, what they've learned over the past year, and how Georgia DOT continues to build its winter operations capabilities.

Sign up for email notifications on future episodes and other communications associated with winter maintenance and winter weather management by clicking on subscribe on the Talkin' Winter Ops website at TalkinWinterOps.com

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Every agency has gone through it.  Perfect planning for winter, perfect preparation for that first storm, then mother nature sends a curve ball, all the planets line up and all the little things add up to a big thing.  That’s what happened December 1st, 2025 to the Missouri DOT in the St. Louis area. 

Becky Allmeroth, Chief Safety and Operations Officer at the Missouri DOT sets the stage and tells the story and aftermath of this first of the season storm.

Sign up for email notifications on future episodes and other communications associated with winter maintenance and winter weather management by clicking on subscribe on the Talkin' Winter Ops website at TalkinWinterOps.com

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On this episode were going to showcase the work of a couple of innovative maintenance professionals long time friend and listener, Phillip Anderle turned me on to at the last APWA Western Snow and Ice Conference.  These two guys created a winter app for smart phones and tablets that makes gathering storm response data from the crews much easer and checks it for accuracy before it gets input into the Cities asset management system.

District Supervisor Corey Rivera and equipment operator and Inspector Zach Mackey aren’t computer nerds, just a couple guys who plow snow and had an idea to make their paperwork process faster, easier, and better for themselves and others in the paperwork chain.  With access to some common computer software, and a little computer savvy they’ve put together an amazing tool to make life a little simpler and a whole lot easer.  

You can reach out to Corey at [email protected] to learn more about their creation.  In the mean time listen in as Corey and Zach are Talkin' Winter Ops.

Sign up for email notifications on future episodes and other communications associated with winter maintenance and winter weather management by clicking on subscribe on the Talkin' Winter Ops website at TalkinWinterOps.com

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Born out of a desire to improve winter operations across state lines the Interstate 80 Corridor Coalition has grown into the second longest corridor coalition extending from the Atlantic to the Pacific.  Likewise, the operational focus has also grown beyond winter operations to leverage coordination in the areas of traveler information, freight and economic efficiency, and smarter technology deployment all to benefit the motorists using this facility.  

This episode features one of the movers and shakers making this corridor coalition a reality, Tracy Larkin-Thomason, Director of the Nevada Department of Transportation.  Tracy talked about the beginnings and growth of the coalition as well as its importance to other interstate corridors across the nation.  

Sign up for email notifications on future episodes and other communications associated with winter maintenance and winter weather management by clicking on subscribe on the Talkin' Winter Ops website at TalkinWinterOps.com

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While it's important to have stockpiles full, equipment repaired and ready, and staff training and assignments set, it's important to have your home weather ready as well.  After all, when you're out there battling the weather, there's peace of mind knowing that your own home and family are safe and sound.  On this episode we're Talkin' Winter Ops with Jake Sorber, Research Project Scientist with the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety.  Jake highlights the work of the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) in helping homeowners prepare for winter weather and take proactive steps to reduce risks and avoid costly repairs.

For additional ways to protect your home from harsh winter conditions, you can find a full checklist at ibhs.org/winter-ready/ to help you get started.

Sign up for email notifications on future episodes and other communications associated with winter maintenance and winter weather management by clicking on subscribe on the Talkin' Winter Ops website at TalkinWinterOps.com

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The Pacific Northwest Snowfighters Association will be holding their biannual conference for winter maintenance professionals and practitioners May 2026 in Spokane, Washington.  This best in the west winter operations conference is a perfect time for exchanging ideas with your peers, finding out the latest and greatest in winter maintenance operations research, and interacting with vendors and suppliers.  

On this bonus episode James Morin of the Washington DOT is going to give you the inside scoop on this conference and why it's important for you  to check it out.  More info and links to register for this conference can be found on the PNS website https://pnsassociation.org/

Sign up for email notifications on future episodes and other communications associated with winter maintenance and winter weather management by clicking on subscribe on the Talkin' Winter Ops website at TalkinWinterOps.com

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From that moment the very first engineering project was completed the age of maintenance began.  While the initial delivery of the public work carries a lot of fanfare nothing is more important than keeping it functional and in service.  Maintenance organizations have been intrusted to manage every aspect of those assets since before Asset Management was a thing.  From mowing and debris pickup to restoring mobility after the blizzard of flood, it's all important.  George Conner, Deputy Director of Maintenance and Operations at the Alabama DOT  and Chair of AASHTOs Maintenance Committee says if you don't think it's important just stop doing it and see how important it is to the users.  

George has a huge passion for maintenance and on this episode he shares his insights and perspective on maintenance and the folks that keep the highway network clean, repaired and functional 24/7/365.

Sign up for email notifications on future episodes and other communications associated with winter maintenance and winter weather management by clicking on subscribe on the Talkin' Winter Ops website at TalkinWinterOps.com

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In this episode we’re revisiting an earlier episode of Talkin Winter Ops that you may have missed.  In this episode we visit with Dr. Scott Koefod, inorganic chemist, about just how salt works when used as part of a winter maintenance strategy. 

Sign up for email notifications on future episodes and other communications associated with winter maintenance and winter weather management by clicking on subscribe on the Talkin' Winter Ops website at TalkinWinterOps.com

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Winter maintenance is more than work plans, budgets, disasters and recovery.  Your family plays a huge role in your public works career and public service often demands family sacrifice during times of crisis.  Lots of times the two worlds of work and family overlap and sometimes collide. Mike Duffy is the Assistant Public Works Director at the City of Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Janis Duffy works for the State of Iowa Foster Care and Adoption Unit.  During Mike's 16 years at the City and 10 years before that with the county they've raised children, survived community disasters, and family crisis.  

They share their story, challenges, triumphs, and insights on this episode.  

You might want to check out Engineer Your Success with Dr. James Bryant.  James has been part of the winter maintenance community through his past role at Transportation Research Board.  

If you're facing challenges with work - life balance please reach out to resources available in your community or through employee assistance programs available through your organization for help. You're not alone.

Sign up for email notifications on future episodes and other communications associated with winter maintenance and winter weather management by clicking on subscribe on the Talkin' Winter Ops website at TalkinWinterOps.com

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Developing an infrastructure project is series of compromises and tradeoffs and so often maintenance and operations considerations end up on the cutting room floor.  Unfortunately, those decisions have implications that agencies have to live with for a long time.  In the case of the GARS Intersection project in Fairbanks, Alaska everyone knew that snow removal was to be a significant consideration during the development phase.

Sarah Schacher, Transportation Department Manager for the Michael Baker International Alaska office, describes the process that had maintenance as stakeholder and shares some of the discussions and compromises that unfolded during the design phase that made this an outstanding project.

Learn more about this unique intersection design at: https://dot.alaska.gov/nreg/garsreconstruction/ and email Sarah to discuss their process at [email protected]

Sign up for email notifications on future episodes and other communications associated with winter maintenance and winter weather management by clicking on subscribe on the Talkin' Winter Ops website at TalkinWinterOps.com

Thanks for listening in and stay safe out there!