Field Test in Trois-Rivières - Optimization of Snow-Clearing Operations
Type of initiative
FCM Green Municipal Fund - Plans, Studies, Pilots
Sector
Transportation
Project value$360,000
Project Type
Pilot Project
Sub Sector
Roads
Grant amount$99,000
Program type
GMF
Municipality
Ville de Trois-Rivières, QC
Status
Fully Disbursed
Population
139,163
Project timeline
2010 - 2013
Project number
10409
Description
The City of Trois-Rivières will undertake field tests over three winter seasons with the aim of optimizing snow-removal operations associated with one of its three snow dumps and of reducing greenhouse gas emissions resulting from snow-clearing.
Establishment of a real-time decision-making computer system will allow the City to optimize dispatching of snowblowers and trucks transporting snow thereby balancing waiting lines behind snowblowers and reducing shortages of trucks for these same snowblowers. A billing system based on cubic meters of snow transported rather than by the hour will induce greater efficiency. It is anticipated that these two factors will result in fewer trucks being used for each operation, less waiting times running at low speed and/or fewer hours worked by contractors, thereby reducing energy consumption and GHG emissions. The susbsequent drop in GHG emissions could be as high as 14%, the equivalent of 27.05 tons of CO2 per year or 0.21% of total corporate emissions throughout the City of Trois-Rivières. When optimization is fully implemented in all districts and in the three snow dumps, GHG reductions would be 135.25 tons of CO2 per year or 1.06% of corporate emissions in the City and continuing in each subsequent year.
This is of course in addition to the improvement in the quality of life for residents who will see a reduction in the noise and pollution associated with snow-clearing operations. As no Quebec municipality has yet tried to computerize snow-removal operations and as no standard has been established regarding the efficiency of such operations, the Trois-Rivières experience could be useful for other municipalities. The project could also help optimize summertime bulk hauling in the future.
(Project description from original funding application)
Applicant
Ville de Trois-Rivières, QC