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May 3, 2010

Paul PisanoTeam Leader, Road Weather

ManagementFederal Highway Administration

Road Weather HazardsOFCM Mini-Workshop: “Moving To Incorporate Social Science Results

into Meteorological Operations”

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Conclusions

• Scope & embrace the problem– Include highway crashes with other weather-related

fatalities & injuries– Include economic & environmental impacts

• Develop improved models– High resolution weather forecasts at the surface– Build links to transportation-based observing systems

• Integrate the weather information into other disciplines’ decision support & dissemination systems– Don’t assume that the answer is just a matter of

properly packaging weather information • Expand the dialogue between the decision

maker (e.g., State DOT) and the provider (e.g., WFO)

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Scoping & Embracing the Problem1/4

Fatalities on icy roads, Winter 2009-2010

Scoping & Embracing the Problem2/4

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Scoping & Embracing the Problem

• Mobility: Cost of congestion is $9.45 billion/yr for the 85 major urban areas (weather causes ~25% of non-recurrent delay on freeways)

• Productivity: Weather-related delay adds $3.4 billion to freight costs annually

• Environment: Chemicals affect watersheds, air quality and infrastructure

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Scoping & Embracing the Problem4/4

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Develop Improved Models

• Timely, accurate and relevant road weather information depends upon high resolution weather forecasts at the surface

• Make better use of road weather observations from fixed sensor stations (e.g., Clarus System)

• Explore the role that mobile observing (i.e., weather and road condition data from vehicles) can play – aka IntelliDriveSM – http://www.its.dot.gov/intellidrive/– http://www.intellidriveusa.org

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Decision Support – Examples

• Maintenance Decision Support System (MDSS)• Clarus System & Regional Demonstration

– Seasonal Weight Restriction Decision Support Tool– Non-winter Maintenance & Operations Decision Support

System– Multi-state Control Strategy Tool– Enhanced Road Weather Content for Traveler Advisories

• Integrating Weather Information into Traffic Management Centers– Self-Evaluation and Planning Guide– http://www.itsdocs.fhwa.dot.gov/JPODOCS//REPTS_TE/

14437.htm

• Developing “Weather Message Guidelines”– Objective: Identify ways to disseminate road weather

advisory and control information to travelers in a manner that is understandable, useful and effective

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Expand the dialogue

• Build bridges to raise awareness and educate the key communities (esp. State DOTs & NWS)– “Guidance for NWS Support for State/Local

Departments of Transportation” (June 30, 2009)– Make sure messages are consistent

• http://icyroadsafety.com/nwswarning.shtml

• On-line training courses:– Weather and Road Management

• http://www.meted.ucar.edu/dot/– User Needs to Mitigate Societal Impacts: Road

Weather• http://www.wdtb.noaa.gov/courses/RoadWeather/

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Conclusions – redux

• Scope & embrace the problem– Include highway crashes with other weather-related

fatalities & injuries– Include economic & environmental impacts

• Develop improved models– High resolution weather forecasts at the surface

• Integrate the weather information into other disciplines’ decision support & dissemination systems– Don’t assume that the answer is just a matter of

properly packaging weather information • Expand the dialogue between the decision

maker (e.g., State DOT) and the information provider (e.g., WFO)