ITS - Intelligent Transportation Systems Report

II. RWMP Activity Summary

The RWMP addresses each of the three goals set forth under SAFETEA-LU by a combination of activities under four major objectives:

Develop a national, open observing system that promotes data sharing to support weather observing and forecasting and transportation operations.
Develop resources and training methods to assist state and local partners in deployment of weather management tools.
Advance the state-of-the-practice by developing proactive solutions and disseminating information on adverse weather.
Foster a collaborative, comprehensive, and dedicated surface transportation weather research program.

The RWMP was created more than a decade ago but in the last five years has initiated several programs, projects and activities in response to SAFETEA-LU. While each of these is at a different stage of project implementation, each has resulted in measurable outputs and outcomes for road weather management across the country. These accomplishments are expected to contribute directly to the attainment of the three SAFETEA-LU goals. In addition, the activities of the RWMP can serve as a catalyst to motivate and facilitate goal achievement through a variety of channels. For example, the RWMP sponsors workshops that inspire attendees to move in new directions in order to more proactively incorporate weather into their own programs, and this in turn affects further progress toward achieving the SAFETEA-LU goals. Figure 3 illustrates how performance measurement is directed at the outputs and outcomes of RWMP program elements.

Figure 3. Flow chart illustrating the connections between SAFETEA-LU goals, RWMP objectives and activities, and Performance Measures of Outputs and Outcomes as described in the text.

Figure 3. Role of RWMP Activities in Metrics Framework

Additional details on the outputs and outcomes associated with the RWMP and organized under the Program’s four objectives are presented in Tables 2 to 5. These tables illustrate the depth and breadth of the projects, products, activities and services offered by the RWMP.

Table 2. RWMP Objective #1 – National Open Observing System
Programs	Outputs and Outcomes
WIST Initiative	Raising a wareness of issues relating weather to surface transportation (all forms) and vice versa. Identification of surface transportation weather priorities to improve quality of services as part of each WIST meeting summary. Identification of public (federal/state/local), private, and academic stakeholders.
COMET	Fostered early relationship between NOAA (NWS) and the FHWA (RWMP). Demonstrated method where NWS forecasts could be aided by use of ESS data. Produced a NWS/Academic initiative to collaborate on research related to ESS data utilization including its assimilation with other surface weather data.
Cooperataive Agreement between FHWA and NOAA	Multi-year agreement between FHWA and NOAA on collaborative research on Road Weather Management.
Surface Weather Data Requirements for the National Highway System	Identification of state and local agency ESS stakeholders. Enumerated list of surface weather (primarily road weather) data requirements of stakeholders. Dialog exchange among state/local stakeholders and the FHWA RWMP on uses of surface transportation weather and associated needs.
RWIS Standards – Siting, Calibration and Communication	Defined a structured process and methodology for RWIS siting leading to improved ESS data quality. Provided a checklist to achieving more effective ESS observation site operations. Identified the plurality of ESS data usage (e.g., local operations vs. forecasting services) in resolving appropriate siting criteria.
Clarus System and Initiative	Defines a national and several regional concepts of operation that present a holistic view of ESS data usage in the surface transportation and weather enterprises. Established a prototype central (national) collection system for ESS data from states and local agencies. Established rules and methods of ESS data quality assurance and checking. Promoted the collection and effective use of ESS metadata. Fostered ESS data user stakeholder discussions primarily between state and local public agencies through (regular) national meetings. Conduct demonstrations of ESS data use in enhancing surface transportation weather activities and operations (on-going activity).

Table 3. RWMP Objective #2 – Resources and Training Methods
Programs	Outputs and Outcomes
NHI Course on Road Weather Management	Training resource to promote heightened awareness of the benefits of road weather management strategies. Identification of strengths and weakness of present weather/road weather data observing and weather forecasting capabilities. Characterization of difficulties in proper use of weather/road weather data and information. Educational activities for sharing experiences in road weather utilization. Reference guide that provides a compendium of road weather concepts, meteorological processes and weather information resources.
Snow Expo	Display booth promoting activities, products, and training available from the FHWA RWMP. RWMP presentations on efforts and accomplishments.
Road Weather Resources Database	Software resource for access and awareness of surface transportation weather literature. Database of 600+ surface transportation weather published references.
MDSS Road Show	Consolidation of market ready MDSS capabilities in the public and private sector. Heightened awareness and understanding of MDSS technologies. Fostering of current and potential MDSS stakeholder dialog.
Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)	Developed and marketed a training course on Fundamentals of Road Weather Management that had over 40 participants.
ITS America	Promoted the formation of ‘Weather Alley’ at ITS America and participated booth display promoting activities and accomplishments. Presentation of conference papers citing accomplishment and activities of the RWMP. Active participant on the ITSA Surface Transportation Weather Special Interest Group.
AMS	Participation and past leadership of the AMS Standing Committee on ITS and Surface Transportation Weather. Co-sponsor with AMS on Symposia on Surface Transportation Weather during the Integrated Information and Processing Systems in Meteorology Conference (IIPS). Presentations on RWMP activities and accomplishments during IIPS conferences.
TRB	Participation with the TRB Task Force on Surface Transportation Weather. Conference presentations on RWMP activities and accomplishments.

Table 4. RWMP Objective #3 – Advancing the State of Practice
Programs	Outputs and Outcomes
Best Practices for RWM	Collection of documented successful state and city uses of road weather management strategies. Summary of best practices collated by management strategy types i.e. advisory, control, and treatment. Keywords describing important/relevant aspects found within the Best Practices. References to practitioners of best practices and their contact information.
MDSS	Foster the growth of state and local agency interest in MDSS concepts and technologies. Annual national stakeholder meetings to disseminate latest advances in MDSS and to promote winter maintenance community dialog on MDSS needs and practices. Developed a functional prototype of MDSS server and client applications. Developed a procurement specification guideline document for acquisition of MDSS services. Conducted coordinated research and development utilizing various federal research laboratory resources and personnel. Identified knowledge limitations requiring additional research. In collaboration with the Weather Channel the RWMP produced a video on MDSS that was distributed on DVD and repeatedly aired on the Weather Channel.
Weather Responsive Traffic Management Strategies	Identified through exploratory research with the Missouri DOT the management strategies most likely to support traffic management. Conducted an evaluation of weather information integration into TMCs and developed a self-evaluation and integration planning guide for TMCs. Developing, evaluating and helping deploy advisory, control and treatment strategies. Currently working on development of statistical models and adjustment factors to account for weather impacts on speed, capacity and level of service. Incorporating weather impacts into traffic modeling tools and traffic estimation and prediction systems.
VII	Conducted federal research to promote road weather methods using VII data. Developed algorithms to extract road weather characteristics from VII data. Advocated for road weather participation within VII. Prepared scientific papers describing the benefits to road weather applications using VII.

Table 5. RWMP Objective #4 – Collaborative Research Agenda
Programs	Outputs and Outcomes
AMS Policy Forum	Fostered collaboration between the surface transportation (FHWA) and weather (AMS) communities. Produced proceedings documenting issues and benefits associated with the interaction between the weather and surface transportation professional communities. Produced a list of priority issues needing attention.
TRB Surface Weather Task Force	Created a forum for articulating issues of interest between weather and surface transportation professionals. Formation of a TRB Standing Committee on Surface Transportation Weather (AH010).
Cooperative Research Programs	Research performed on various topics, i.e., RWIS Testing Guidelines, etc. Provided guidance on road weather research topics of interest. Provided limited support to, helped guide, and cooperated with several national and regional research programs: Aurora RWIS Pooled Fund Program Clear Roads Program Snow and Ice Cooperative Program (SICOP) PIARC/World Road Congress AASHTO Subcommittee on Maintenance (SCOM)
Collaboration with NOAA, NCAR, OFCM	Memorandum of Understanding between the AMS and ITS America. Utilization of federal laboratories to conduct research and development. Memorandum of Understanding between NOAA and FHWA for the development of surface transportation weather support e.g., MADIS / Clarus.

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