The AASHTO Committee on Maintenance meets annually to discuss highway maintenance, emerging trends, new technologies, and compare notes.  In 2026 this meeting took place in Westminster, Colorado and we mic'ed up Chair George Conner of the Alabama DOT to capture his thoughts and vision for highway maintenance in general and specifically the direction he and his leadership team are taking the Committee on Maintenance.  If you've never been, here are some insights into the work accomplished there to advance highway maintenance nationally.

For folks who aren’t in the highway maintenance business George explains what it's all about and for those of us who live it everyday he reminds us why what we do is so important.  We were also able to capture impressions of a few attendees at the meeting .

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 [https://TalkinWinterOps.com]

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Episode 159: Maintenance people are special

Artificial Intelligence tools are seemingly everywhere and folks throughout transportation agencies are trying to get their heads, and hands, around this run away train.  APWA Technical Director for Engineering and Technology and City of Pella, Iowa Public Works Director Dr, Wilf Nixon helps give some context to this world of AI.  

Wilf's remarks were originally presented as the keynote address "Using AI in Winter Operations: Hype or Help?" at the 2026 Pacific Northwest Snowfighters Conference and is "rebroadcast" with permission of the Pacific Northwest Snowfighters. 

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 [https://TalkinWinterOps.com]

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Episode 158: AI in Winter Operations: Hype or Help?

This National Briefing segment is presented by Dr. Brittany Welsh of the National Center For Atmospheric Research and Chair of the AMS Road Weather and Technology Committee. 

Check out their work products and get more information about the AMS Road Weather and Technology Committee at their website https://www.ametsoc.org/cwwce/committees/road-weather-and-technology/  

You can also reach out to Brittany Welsh at bmwelch@ucar.edu  

Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Talkinwinterops or listen on the Talkin Winter Ops podcast at https://transportation.org/winter-weather-management/sicop-talks-winter-ops/ or wherever you get your podcast content.

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 [https://TalkinWinterOps.com]

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Episode 157: AMS Road Weather and Technology - 2026 National Briefing

This National Briefing segment is presented by Anna Arvidsson Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute and features the Transportation Research Board (TRB) Standing Technical Committee on Winter Maintenance and Response to Weather Events (AKJ17)  

If you want to submit your name to become a Friend of the Committee create your TRB account and follow the navigation to AKJ17 at https://www.mytrb.org/   

You can also reach out to Anna Arvidsson at anna.arvidsson@vti.se 

Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Talkinwinterops or listen on the Talkin Winter Ops podcast at https://transportation.org/winter-weather-management/sicop-talks-winter-ops/ or wherever you get your podcast content.

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 [https://TalkinWinterOps.com]

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Episode 156: TRB WINTER MAINTENANCE - 2026 National Briefing

This National Briefing segment is presented by Peter Nutz, City of Vienna Austria and features the World Road Association’s Winter Service Technical Committee. 

Check out their work products and get more information about PIARC’s Winter Service Technical Committee at their website https://www.piarc.org/en/PIARC-knowledge-base-Roads-and-Road-Transportation/Road-Safety-Sustainability/Winter-Service  

You can also reach out to Peter Nutz at  peter.nutz@wien.gv.at  

Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Talkinwinterops or listen on the Talkin Winter Ops podcast at https://transportation.org/winter-weather-management/sicop-talks-winter-ops/ or wherever you get your podcast content.



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 [https://TalkinWinterOps.com]

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Episode 155: WINTER SERVICE TC - 2026 National Briefing

This National Briefing segment is presented by Jed Falgren Minnesota DOT and features the Maintenance Operations Technical Working Group of AASHTOs Maintenance Committee. One of the 5 Technical Working Groups of this Committee, Maintenance Operations focuses on activities like winter maintenance, work zones, and safety.  

If you want more information about this Technical Working Group you can check out the Maintenance Committee website at: https://transportation.org/maintenance/

or email its Chair Jed Falgren at jed.falgren@state.mn.us 

Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Talkinwinterops or listen on the Talkin Winter Ops podcast at https://transportation.org/winter-weather-management/sicop-talks-winter-ops/ or wherever you get your podcast content.

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 [https://TalkinWinterOps.com]

Thanks for listening in and stay safe out there!

Episode 154: MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS TWG - 2026 National Briefing

This National Briefing segment is presented by Dave Huft South Dakota DOT and Ben Hersey DTN and features the Maintenance Decision Support System Pool Fund Study.  This organization is advancing winter maintenance decision support through advanced forecasting and understanding of the winter weather system yielding an operational system to aid agencies in winter maintenance treatment strategies.

Check out their work and get more information about MDSS at their website at https://mdss.dtn.com/  or by emailing Dave Huft at dave.Huft@state.sd.us or Ben Hersey at ben.hershey@dtn.com

Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Talkinwinterops or listen on the Talkin Winter Ops podcast at https://transportation.org/winter-weather-management/sicop-talks-winter-ops/ or wherever you get your podcast content.

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 [https://TalkinWinterOps.com]

Thanks for listening in and stay safe out there!

Episode 153: MAINTENANCE DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM - 2026 National Briefing

This National Briefing segment is presented by Danny Varilek South Dakota DOT and features the Clear Roads Pool Fund Study. Clear Roads’ work focus is on all things winter maintenance and includes management of the Qualified Product List (QPL) for roadway deicers. 

Check out their work and get more information about Clear Roads at their website https://www.clearroads.org/  or by emailing Danny Varilek at daniel.Varilek@state.sd.us or Greg Waidley at greg.waidley@ctcandassociates.com



Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Talkinwinterops or listen on the Talkin Winter Ops podcast at https://transportation.org/winter-weather-management/sicop-talks-winter-ops/ or wherever you get your podcast content.

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 [https://TalkinWinterOps.com]

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Episode 152: CLEAR ROADS - 2026 National Briefing

This National Briefing segment is presented by James Roath Michigan DOT and features the Aurora Pool Fund Study. Aurora's work focus is on road weather, instrumentation, and forecasting among other related activities. 

Check out their work and get more information about Aurora at their website https://www.aurora-program.org/  or by emailing James Roath at RoathJ1@michigan.gov or Zach Hans at zhans@iastate.edu

Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Talkinwinterops or listen on the Talkin Winter Ops podcast at https://transportation.org/winter-weather-management/sicop-talks-winter-ops/ or wherever you get your podcast content.

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 [https://TalkinWinterOps.com]

Thanks for listening in and stay safe out there!

 Episode 151: AURORA - 2026 National Briefing

This National Briefing segment is presented by Matt Morreim City of Shorewood, Minnesota and features the American Public Works Association (APWA) Winter Maintenance Subcommittee. The Winter Maintenance Subcommittee’s mission is to promote the development and use of the safest, most cost-effective, efficient, and environmentally sensitive winter maintenance technologies, equipment, materials, and practices; thus providing citizens with excellent quality of life during the snow and ice season.

Check out their work and get more information about APWA’s  Winter Maintenance Subcommittee at their website https://www.apwa.org/group/winter-maintenance-subcommittee/  or by emailing Matt Morreim at mmorreim@ci.shorewood.mn.us

Watch the video and presentation along with all the other briefings on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Talkinwinterops or listen on the Talkin Winter Ops podcast at https://transportation.org/winter-weather-management/sicop-talks-winter-ops/ or wherever you get your podcast content.



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 [https://TalkinWinterOps.com]

Thanks for listening in and stay safe out there!

Episode 150: APWA - 2026 National Briefing

With 40 years of transportation and highway operations expertise we focus on severe weather response and transportation resilience

Rick Nelson (@snowmiser) · Zencastr

Rick Nelson (@snowmiser)

Listen in on conversations with experts in the field of road weather and winter road maintenance as they explain how their work helps make roads safer and passable during winter storm events.

SICOP Talks Winter Ops