1 NTOC Talking Operations – Road Weather Management – September 30, 2008 MDSS Update Ray Murphy, ITS Specialist FHWA/Resource Center, Chicago, IL

2 NTOC Talking Operations – Road Weather Management – September 30, 2008 The MDSS Project The objective is to bring the weather and transportation communities together to define and develop a system that translates current and predicted road & weather information into recommended maintenance actions The goal is to improve the productivity and cost efficiency of transportation agencies which translates into improved mobility and safety on the nation’s roads

3 NTOC Talking Operations – Road Weather Management – September 30, 2008 MDSS: Overview

4 NTOC Talking Operations – Road Weather Management – September 30, 2008 Stakeholder Participation

5 NTOC Talking Operations – Road Weather Management – September 30, 2008 MDSS: Building New Markets Market Participants Meridian Env Tech DTN/Meteorlogix Boschung WSI Corporation

6 NTOC Talking Operations – Road Weather Management – September 30, 2008 MDSS: What’s New for 2008/09? Switched road temperature forecast model to METRo (Model of the Environment and Temperature of Roads) Integrated support for fixed & mobile camera imagery New alerting system for near term road weather hazards Provide an archive playback for forecasts & treatment recommendations

7 NTOC Talking Operations – Road Weather Management – September 30, 2008 MDSS: What’s New for 2008/09? Incorporating AVL animation & playback support Improved Graphical User Interface Web-based access to updated software Federal Prototype Release 5.1 available fall of 2008 (software & documentation) –Open System/Open Source available to any interested party

8 NTOC Talking Operations – Road Weather Management – September 30, 2008 Publication #: FHWA-JPO EDL Number: 14439

9 NTOC Talking Operations – Road Weather Management – September 30, 2008 Maintenance Decision Support System featuring Since 1999, the Federal Highway Administration’s Road Weather Management Program and State transportation departments have invested in the development of Maintenance Decision Support Systems (MDSS). Through partnerships with national laboratories and a stakeholder community of public, private sector, and academic participants, the MDSS has evolved from a concept to a functioning application.  Route-specific weather and road condition forecasts  Optimized treatment recommendations for treatment type, application rate, and timing  More efficient use of salt and other deicing materials  Reduced environmental impact from deicing chemicals  Better use of manpower and equipment  Near real-time road condition reporting  Training for new and seasoned maintenance personnel Benefits of an MDSS include:

10 NTOC Talking Operations – Road Weather Management – September 30, 2008 MDSS… A Smart Investment in Winter Maintenance Benefit Areas:  Safety  Mobility  Productivity  Efficiency  Energy & Environment  Customer Satisfaction