News Releases

Date: September 6, 2007

Contacts:

Contact:	Company:	Phone:	Email:
Bill Brady	Cargill	952-742-6608	bill_brady@cargill.com
Jackie Renner	RCC	612-859-2626	rennercomm@aol.com

 

New crash data confirms "significant reduction" in accidents at SafeLane™ overlay test site in Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS – A just-released analysis of crash data on the Highway 169 Mitchell Bridge near Hibbing, Minn., shows significant accident reduction even in a mild winter on bridge lanes where SafeLane™ surface overlay is installed. 

SafeLane technology is a patented epoxy and aggregate overlay that acts like a rigid sponge, storing anti-icing chemicals inside, then automatically releasing them as snow and ice conditions develop.  It also provides superior friction, giving drivers better traction year-round.

Dr. John Evans, Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota Duluth, is evaluating SafeLane overlay’s performance at the Hibbing site as part of a research effort at the Northland Advanced Transportation Systems Research Laboratory.  The Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) installed SafeLane overlay on the southbound lanes of the Mitchell Bridge in July 2006.  No crashes were reported on those lanes during the winter of 2006-2007. That compares with eight occurrences on the northbound control lanes during the same time including three crashes attributed to weather, three to unsafe or illegal speed and two from unknown factors.  One crash involved injury. (See chart)

Evans evaluated crash data for the past three years and notes, “while one would be cautious of over-interpreting such small data sets,” the evidence “strongly suggests that this overlay system is strongly contributing to accident reduction.”

“The purpose of this test site is to see how well SafeLane overlay increases skid resistance, how the skid resistance lasts over time, what impact the product will have on accident rates and its performance relative to keeping de-icing chemicals out of the bridge deck,” says Duane Hill, MnDOT assistant district engineer for operations.  “This is certainly encouraging data.”  This summer, MnDOT installed additional SafeLane™ surface overlay sites on bridges in Alexandria, Barnesville and Bemidji. 

SafeLane overlay, licensed and marketed by Minnesota-based Cargill, works in this way:  prior to a winter storm, Mn/DOT plow truck operators “charge” the overlay with their standard anti-icing chemicals.  The overlay stores the chemicals inside, automatically releasing them to help prevent frost or ice from forming on the bridge surface.  It keeps releasing the anti-icing chemicals over multiple events.  

"SafeLane overlay can extend the life of roads and bridges by acting as a sealant to reduce the effects of chloride and water intrusion,” said Bob Persichetti, general manager for SafeLane™ surface overlay. “More importantly, it can reduce crashes and save lives.”

For the past two years, Cargill has commissioned leading ice and snow control expert Dr. Wilfrid Nixon to analyze SafeLane overlay’s winter performance.  In his 2006-2007 report, Nixon, president of Asset Insight Technologies and professor of engineering at the University of Iowa, concluded “there is now two years of consistent evidence that improved performance by SafeLane overlay under winter conditions…does indeed translate into safety improvements for the traveling public.” 

                                   

Nixon’s 2005-2006 performance report found no weather-related crashes at any of the nine SafeLane overlay test sites then in place.  Although cautioning that safety studies need to be conducted over a number of years to yield statistically significant results, the 2006-2007 report again found significant accident reduction rates among the 26 road and bridge test sites reporting data.  Copies of the reports are posted at www.cargillsafelane.com.

 

About Cargill

Cargill is an international provider of food, agricultural and risk management products and services. With 149,000 employees in 63 countries, the company is committed to using its knowledge and experience to collaborate with customers to help them succeed. For more information, visit www.cargill.com.