Optimization Models for Snowplow Routes and Depot Locations: A Real-World Implementation

This study developed a series of strategies to reassess the service level winter road maintenance (WRM) operations on network in Perth County, Ontario, Canada. These include rearranging plow routes by sharing material storage yards and optimizing their numbers locations while considering operational legislative constraints such as total circuit time, operating speeds, number available trucks. A methodological framework was then formulated solved tackling four practical, yet challenging, tasks sequential manner. The first task identify existing construct detailed GIS database that later used for benchmarking current WRM operations. second involved optimization routes, third focused depot amalgamating different municipalities within County. final conduct clean slate see benefits combining depots route sharing. models were implemented transform networks an optimized, integrated, unified with improved land use utilization yards. captured impact order arranged routing priority efficiently using tabu search algorithm. findings also revealed that, depots, county could retire three eight trucks still meeting requirements, thereby suggesting potential substantial monetary savings.