Weather Information for Surface Weather Information for Surface Transportation: Research at WTITransportation: Research at WTI

Contact:Contact:

Xianming Shi, Ph.D.Xianming Shi, Ph.D.

Program Manager, Winter Maintenance & EffectsProgram Manager, Winter Maintenance & Effects

Western Transportation InstituteWestern Transportation Institute

Phone: (406) 994-6486Phone: (406) 994-6486

Email: Email: Xianming_s@coe.montana.eduXianming_s@coe.montana.edu

WIST Projects at WTIWIST Projects at WTI1.1. WeatherShare – CaltransWeatherShare – Caltrans2.2. Evaluation of the UDOT Weather Operations/RWIS Program – Evaluation of the UDOT Weather Operations/RWIS Program –

UDOTUDOT3.3. Greater Yellowstone Regional Traveler and Weather Information Greater Yellowstone Regional Traveler and Weather Information

SystemSystem – – MDTMDT4.4. # SAFE Evaluation - UND# SAFE Evaluation - UND5.5. Safe Passage – MDT/UTCSafe Passage – MDT/UTC6.6. Development of a Surface Transportation Weather Decision Support Development of a Surface Transportation Weather Decision Support

Tool and Strategic Plan for Improved Highway Operations in Tool and Strategic Plan for Improved Highway Operations in Montana - UTCMontana - UTC

7.7. Winter Surface Condition Forecasting - UTCWinter Surface Condition Forecasting - UTC8.8. Impacts of Weather on Rural Highway Operations – UTC/ShowcaseImpacts of Weather on Rural Highway Operations – UTC/Showcase9.9. Development of a Roadway Weather Severity Index – Development of a Roadway Weather Severity Index –

UTC/ShowcaseUTC/Showcase10.10. Assess Caltrans RWIS Devices and Related Sensors – CaltransAssess Caltrans RWIS Devices and Related Sensors – Caltrans11.11. Validating the Wet Percent Time for California - CaltransValidating the Wet Percent Time for California - Caltrans

WeatherShare WeatherShare Vision (2003)Vision (2003)

A surface transportation A surface transportation weather applicationweather application

Allow users to view a Allow users to view a compilation of all available compilation of all available road weather data from road weather data from various sources in Northern various sources in Northern CaliforniaCalifornia

Greatly increasing the Greatly increasing the efficiency of situation efficiency of situation assessments for various assessments for various purposespurposes

WeatherShare CharacteristicsWeatherShare Characteristics

• Leveraging resourcesLeveraging resources

• Road weather data sharing and integration Road weather data sharing and integration

• Weather data standardization and quality control Weather data standardization and quality control

• An easy-to-maintain, cost-effective product powered by an An easy-to-maintain, cost-effective product powered by an open-source web platform (open-source web platform (Linux/Apache + Perl + Linux/Apache + Perl + MySQL + PHPMySQL + PHP) )

• Scalable, interactive map displays powered by the Scalable, interactive map displays powered by the SVGSVG technology technology

• Customizable, individualized user interfaces powered by Customizable, individualized user interfaces powered by the the PHPPHP Smarty template system Smarty template system

• Database-driven web pages powered by the Database-driven web pages powered by the MySQLMySQL technologytechnology

ConclusionsConclusions

• WeatherShare has served as a regional showcase and WeatherShare has served as a regional showcase and proof-of-concept for the national priority: proof-of-concept for the national priority: better weather better weather info. for surface transportationinfo. for surface transportation. .

• Due to the involvement of multiple stakeholders and the Due to the involvement of multiple stakeholders and the complexity of institutional and technical issues, it is complexity of institutional and technical issues, it is important to develop partnerships among organizations in important to develop partnerships among organizations in order to promote the successful integration of road and order to promote the successful integration of road and weather data from various sources. weather data from various sources.

• In building a successful ITS system that can meet the In building a successful ITS system that can meet the users’ needs, it is crucial to involve the users and users’ needs, it is crucial to involve the users and stakeholders from its very early stages of design and stakeholders from its very early stages of design and development and throughout its lifecycle. development and throughout its lifecycle.

Evaluation of Utah’s Weather Evaluation of Utah’s Weather Operations/RWIS ProgramOperations/RWIS Program

Overview of Utah’s ProgramOverview of Utah’s Program

• State-of-the-art TOC State-of-the-art TOC deployed in preparation for deployed in preparation for the 2002 Winter Olympicsthe 2002 Winter Olympics

• Staffed MeteorologistsStaffed Meteorologists• Real-time inputsReal-time inputs• Both urban and ruralBoth urban and rural• Salt Lake City found that Salt Lake City found that

they saved $16.70 for every they saved $16.70 for every $1.00 spent on ATMS$1.00 spent on ATMS

Utah’s Weather Program and Utah’s Weather Program and Winter MaintenanceWinter Maintenance

• Constantly evolvingConstantly evolving• More accurate forecastsMore accurate forecasts

– Localized knowledge

• Benefits for winter Benefits for winter

maintenance crewsmaintenance crews::– More prepared

– More efficient

– Proactive response

– Increase LOS

TOC Operations

Meteorologists Maintenance Operations

State-of-the-Practice:State-of-the-Practice:Snow and Ice List Serve SurveySnow and Ice List Serve Survey

• Focus:Focus:• Weather forecasts aiding winter maintenance in North America

• Use of localized, area specific forecasts (benefits and experience)

• Contacts included:Contacts included:• Maintenance Managers, Directors, Superintendents, Engineers,

Area Supervisors and Technologists

• Total of 31 contacts from 19 states and 4 provincesTotal of 31 contacts from 19 states and 4 provinces• 68% U.S. State DOT

• 13% U.S. City Agency

• 9% Canadian Provincial or Regional Agency

• 10% Canadian City Agency

States and Provinces ContactedStates and Provinces Contacted

Research FindingsResearch Findings

• All participants use forecasting for winter All participants use forecasting for winter maintenance operationsmaintenance operations– Including localized, area-specific forecasts– Some respondents felt RWIS services counted as localized,

area-specific forecasts

• Most common service providers:Most common service providers:– Northwest Weathernet (27%)– Meridian (20%)– Meteorologix (13%)– World Weatherwatch (10%)– Accuweather (10%)

Research FindingsResearch Findings

• Most agencies (52%) have been receiving customized Most agencies (52%) have been receiving customized forecasts for less than 5 yearsforecasts for less than 5 years

SummarySummary

• Benefits of localized, area specific weather Benefits of localized, area specific weather forecasts implemented in TMCs:forecasts implemented in TMCs:– More accurate forecasts (microclimate knowledge)– Advanced warning of storm conditions

• Better response time, planning, and scheduling of staff

– Knowledge of pavement temperatures– Knowledge of precipitation type and amount expected– Better use of chemical product (deciding when to use)– Timely forecast and access to forecaster– Cost effective

Lewistown Cold Regions Rural Lewistown Cold Regions Rural Transportation Test-bedTransportation Test-bed

Questions?Questions?

Goals of the Clarus Goals of the Clarus InitiativeInitiative

WeatherShare WeatherShare FeaturesFeatures

Supporting Supporting DocumentsDocuments

• Road Wx data Road Wx data standardization, standardization, sharing & integration sharing & integration (national)(national)

• Road Wx data QCRoad Wx data QC

• Systems Engineering Systems Engineering

• Multiple stakeholder Multiple stakeholder coordinationcoordination

• Prototype for Prototype for requirements analysisrequirements analysis

• Road Wx data Road Wx data sharing & integration sharing & integration (regional)(regional)

• Wx data QCWx data QC

• Systems Engineering Systems Engineering

• Multiple stakeholder Multiple stakeholder coordinationcoordination

• Prototype for Prototype for requirements analysisrequirements analysis

• Open-sourceOpen-source

• Project PlanProject Plan

• Concept of Concept of OperationsOperations

• User RequirementsUser Requirements

• Configuration Configuration Management PlanManagement Plan

• Facilities Study Facilities Study ReportReport

• Survey for EvaluationSurvey for Evaluation

Temperatures from Stations Reporting Temperatures from Stations Reporting within the Past Hourwithin the Past Hour

Wind Readings from Stations Reporting Wind Readings from Stations Reporting within the Past Hourwithin the Past Hour

Data Can be Viewed in ContextData Can be Viewed in Context

Alerts/ThresholdsAlerts/Thresholds Defined by Authorized Defined by Authorized UsersUsers

Other System Other System FeaturesFeatures

1.1. Automatically pushAutomatically push road weather road weather information to the user every 5 information to the user every 5 minutesminutes

2.2. Use a Use a map displaymap display that permits that permits the user to zoom into, zoom out the user to zoom into, zoom out of, or pan into the area of interestof, or pan into the area of interest

3.3. Allow the user to turn on/off Allow the user to turn on/off various various data layersdata layers on the on the interactive map display interactive map display

Other System Features (Cont’d)Other System Features (Cont’d)

4.4. Apply Apply quality controlquality control procedures for all the real-procedures for all the real-time reporting stations time reporting stations

5.5. Allow the user to track Allow the user to track historical datahistorical data for a period for a period of up to one year from of up to one year from presentpresent

6.6. BackupBackup the road weather the road weather data on a daily basis and data on a daily basis and implement a backup implement a backup mechanism for the server as mechanism for the server as wellwell