There’s nothing like an unexpected winter freeze to turn a clear highway into a treacherous sheet of ice—a nightmare for drivers, a disaster for construction projects. Winter road conditions, from icy patches to snow-covered highways, can grind operations to a halt and put workers at serious risk.
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, 24% of weather-related crashes happen during snow, slush, and icy road conditions.
For construction managers, winter safety isn’t just about bundling up against the cold weather—it’s about proactively navigating icy roads, checking road conditions in real-time, and protecting your team so they can get to the site safely.
This blog dives into winter road safety for construction crews, offering OSHA-backed practical advice to keep your projects—and your people—moving forward, no matter what the winter road conditions may be.
How Icy Roads Derail Construction Projects (And 9 Ways You Can Avoid It)
Every construction crew has a winter horror story: a truck stranded in a snowdrift, a subcontractor sliding off an icy ramp, or workers delayed by closed roads.
Icy roads are more than an inconvenience; they jeopardize your crew’s well-being, disrupt your schedules, and can lead to potential penalties for costly downtime and missed deadlines.
And it’s not just about transportation. Once on-site, icy road conditions can turn access roads and even parking lots into high-risk zones for slips, falls, and equipment mishaps.
Subtle, lesser-known hazards can catch even the most experienced teams off guard. Planning ahead for these dangers can save time, money, and lives.
Winter Road Hazards to Watch For
Black Ice: Often called the “silent killer” of winter roads, black ice is nearly invisible, forming when moisture freezes on cold surfaces—especially at night. A clear-looking stretch of pavement can instantly become a slippery hazard.
Refreezing Meltwater: Daytime snowmelt refreezes into dangerous patches overnight, creating puddles that refreeze as temperatures drop overnight. These patches create icy traps for both vehicles and foot traffic.
Bridges & Overpasses: Bridges and overpasses are common hotspots for accidents as they generally tend to freeze much faster than regular roads owing to their elevation.
Pro Tip: Always assume bridges are icy until proven otherwise.
Shaded Areas: Roads in shaded and woody areas tend to remain icy longer, as they lack exposure to the sun.
Elevation Changes: Even slight increases in elevation can cause sudden temperature drops, creating icy patches in unexpected areas.
9 Ways to Prevent Delays from Icy Roads and Keep Your Construction Project on Track
Here’s what you can do to prevent icy roads from delaying your construction project:
Install Protective Barriers Against Runaway Vehicles
Use concrete or water-filled barricades around construction zones to protect against vehicles sliding on icy roads.
Clearlymark lane changes with bright, reflective signage to redirect traffic away from the site and prevent winter accidents.
Inspect tires regularly and ensure brakes, windshield wipers, defrosters, and lights are in optimal condition before each shift.
Sweep snow and ice from all parts of the vehicle including windows, mirrors, lights, wheel wells and the hood.
Pre-Treat Job Site Access Points
Shovel, plow, or salt access points and high-traffic areas before snow accumulates.
Identify and mark hazards like uneven surfaces or buried equipment to ensure they don’t become hidden under snow.
Assign supervisors to inspect and verify that all access points are clear and safe.
Stagger Crew Start Times
Reduce Congestion: Schedule staggered arrival timesfor crews to minimize the number of vehicles on icy roads simultaneously.
Safer Commutes: Allow workers to travel during daylight hours, when visibility and road conditions are typically better.
Train Workers on Winter Driving and Visibility Protocols
Train drivers on winter driving safety practices, including navigating black ice, maintaining proper speeds and improving vehicle visibility.
Ensure all workers are wearing high-visibility jackets, gloves, and hats to remain visible to vehicles and heavy equipment, especially during snowstorms or low-light conditions.
Brace yourselves—winter is coming, and for construction sites, that means snow-covered scaffolding, icy roads, freezing winds, and downed power lines. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, over 41.5% of weather-related workplace fatalities stem from ice, snow, or other cold conditions, with over 40,000 yearly injuries. The financial impact is chilling—work injuries cost companies a staggering $171 billion in 2019.
Did you know snow days cost the U.S. economy a whopping $700 million each year? From stranded school buses on icy roads to power outages plunging classrooms into darkness, winter weather can wreak havoc on schools. Beyond the inconvenience, being unprepared during winter can quickly spiral into a full-blown logistical, safety and operational nightmare. But here’s the thing: cold weather doesn’t have to win.
Maintain Incident Records: Keep detailed logs of weather-related construction delays, safety measures, and incidents to improve future winter protocols.
Track OSHA Compliance: Document proactive measures, such as vehicle inspections and hazard marking, to demonstrate adherence to safety standards and OSHA winter safety requirements.
Stock Emergency Supplies for Delays
Equip vehicles with emergency kits, including traction aids like sand or kitty litter, chains, and extra windshield washer fluid. These can help crews deal with unexpected icy conditions while minimizing downtime.
Why Your Construction Crew Deserves More Than Generic Forecasts for Winter Safety
Managing construction projects in winter weather demands precision, timeliness, and accuracy—qualities that free weather apps simply don’t provide.
Here’s why relying on free weather apps can leave your construction projects exposed to unnecessary risks, and how hyperlocal weather data can bridge the gap.
Why Free Apps Don’t Cut It for Construction Safety
Lack of On-Site Specificity: General weather apps provide regional forecasts that are too broad to be actionable.
A 40% chance of snow for your city won’t tell you if the access road to your site is frozen or if black ice has formed on a nearby overpass.
Construction projects demand hyperlocal data that pinpoints hazards where your team is working—not 20 miles away.
Delayed Updates for Rapidly Changing Conditions: When winter weather turns dangerous, free apps can’t keep up and often lag behind real-time events.
Sudden snowstorms or freezing rain can create hazardous conditions before updates are even pushed out.
This lag leaves your crew vulnerable to accidents, delays, and missed deadlines.
No Microclimate Awareness: Winter weather can vary dramatically even within a single job site.
One area might be clear while another is icy, but generic forecasts don’t account for these microclimates.
This lack of granularity leaves you reacting to problems instead of proactively preventing them.
Missed Warnings for Critical Hazards: Free apps often miss vital road condition details like ice patches, snow accumulation, or flooding.
Free apps can’t tell you if ice has formed on a major delivery route or if a crucial access road is waterlogged.
Without this data, you’re left guessing—and risking both safety and project timelines.
Blind Spots for Drivers: Accurate road condition data is critical for safe transportation.
Your team is left navigating blind, increasing the risk of delays and accidents.
Winter safety starts before you even step foot on the job site—because no project moves forward when your team can’t get there safely.
Broad, generalized forecasts might tell you it’s going to snow, but they won’t show you where icy patches are forming on access roads or which delivery routes are at risk of flooding.
Don’t settle for generic forecasts when Perry Weather can deliver the precision you need to navigate winter challenges.
How Perry Weather Keeps Your Construction Projects On Track
Perry Weather’s Winter Road Conditions radar map is designed to give construction managers actionable insights to keep their projects safe and on schedule. Here’s how Perry Weather’s features help you take control of winter road conditions:
Introducing Perry Weather’s Winter Road Conditions Map
Real-Time Updates Tailored to Job Sites:
See road conditions like flood zones, icy areas, and heavy snow coverage, and better plan your routes in advance.
Know exactly where potential hazards are forming, and where there are road closures, so you can make proactive decisions before they disrupt operations.
Interactive, Intuitive Radar Map:
A color-coded, easy-to-read interface highlights severity levels, making it simple to identify and avoid hazardous routes.
The visual clarity helps crews quickly adapt plans without unnecessary delays.
Customizable Alerts:
Get notifications for key thresholds, like temperature drops below freezing or hazardous conditions developing along key routes.
Set SMS, email, or push notifications for specific hazards, such as when roads become impassable.
Document Weather-Related Events:
Automatically log incidents and delays, caused by winter road conditions, directly within the Perry Weather platform.
Access historical data and your logged incidents to identify trends, improve future planning, and support potential insurance claims or compliance reporting.
Proactive Safety Measures:
By knowing exactly when and where icy conditions are forming, you can treat roads, stagger crew start times, and adjust delivery schedules before delays or accidents occur.
Mobile Accessibility:
Track all your locations and access the road conditions and alerts on-the-go right from your smartphone.
Stay connected to your team and make proactive adjustments whether you’re on-site or in the office.
Stay Ahead of Winter’s Challenges with Perry Weather
Construction doesn’t stop when the temperature drops. With Perry Weather’s real-time road conditions radar and extensive weather monitoring features, you can navigate winter with precision, and ensure your projects stay on schedule—no matter how harsh the winter gets.
Minimize Delays: Keep projects on schedule by proactively addressing weather hazards.
Protect Your Team: Ensure crews travel and work safely, no matter the conditions.
Optimize Operations: Use hyperlocal weather data to make smarter, faster decisions that save time and money.
