1 May 3, 2010 Paul Pisano Team Leader, Road Weather Management Federal Highway Administration Road Weather Hazards OFCM Mini-Workshop: “Moving To Incorporate Social Science Results into Meteorological Operations”

2 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)

3 Scoping & Embracing the Problem 1/4

Fatalities on icy roads, Winter Scoping & Embracing the Problem 2/4

5 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 3/4

Scoping & Embracing the Problem 4/4

7 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 IntelliDrive SM – –

8 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 – 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

9 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 On-line training courses: –Weather and Road Management –User Needs to Mitigate Societal Impacts: Road Weather

10 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)