Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research (OFCM) Presentation for the ITS America 2006 Annual Meeting May 9,

Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research (OFCM)

Presentation for theITS America 2006 Annual Meeting

May 9, 2006

Working Group for Weather Information for Surface Transportation

Improving the Safety and Efficiency of the Surface Transportation System

Samuel P. WilliamsonFederal Coordinator for Meteorology

OverviewOverview

• OFCM Background

• Importance of Surface Transportation Weather

• Surface Transportation Weather R&D Requirements

• Summary

• To ensure the effective use of Federal meteorological resources by leading the systematic coordination of

operational weather requirements, services, and supporting research, among the Federal agencies

• High-level focus on:

Needs and Requirements

Issues and Problems

Studies, Reports, Plans, and Handbooks

Crosscut Reviews, Assessments, and Analyses

• To ensure the effective use of Federal meteorological resources by leading the systematic coordination of

operational weather requirements, services, and supporting research, among the Federal agencies

• High-level focus on:

Needs and Requirements

Issues and Problems

Studies, Reports, Plans, and Handbooks

Crosscut Reviews, Assessments, and Analyses

OFCM BackgroundOFCM Background

OFCM Mission

OFCM BackgroundOFCM Background

Federal Committee for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research (FCMSSR)

Interdepartmental Committee for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research (ICMSSR)

Federal Coordinator for Meteorology

Standing Committees

Program Councils

National Space Weather Program

National Aviation Weather Program

Environmental Services, Operations, and Research Needs

Operational Processing Centers

Environmental Information Systems and Communications

Integrated Observing Systems

Climate Analysis, Monitoring and

Services

Cooperative Research

Working Group for Urban

Meteorology

Federal Meteorological Coordinating Infrastructure

• Roadway sector: Weather-related safety and cost data estimates

- Over 7,300 fatalities per year

- Over 713,000 injured

- $42 billion in economic costs

- Over 544 million hours in delays

• Marine transportation sector: 7 percent of recreational boating accidents are weather-related

• Railway sector: 309 weather-related accidents, over $46 million in damages, 3 deaths, 75 injuries, plus periodic delays and delays due to extreme temperature events (2001)

• Pipeline sector: Impact of Hurricane Katrina was 90 percent of oil platforms in Gulf were shut down and 20 rigs reported missing

Safety and Efficiency

Importance of Surface Transportation Weather

NOAA's Public Safety Challenge:(fatalities per year)

84 53 58 18 237 27 44 521

7000

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Fatalities Per Year

24 53 58 18 237 27 44 521

7000

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• Roadway sector:

– Speed reductions can range from 10 to 25 percent on wet pavement; from 30 to 40 percent with snowy or slushy pavement

– Estimated that 23 percent of non-recurrent delay on highways across nation due to snow, ice, and fog

– State / local agencies spend more than:

$2.3 billion / yr on snow & ice control control operations

$5 billion to repair snow & ice infrastructure damage

– Trucking companies and other CVOs lose an estimated 32.6 billion vehicle hours a year due to weather-related congestion

– Estimated cost of weather-related delay to trucking companies ranges from $2.2 billion to $3.5 billion annually


Safety and Efficiency

Importance of Surface Transportation

WeatherWIST: Improve Surface Transportation Safety & Efficiency?

• National ITS Program Plan, 10-year Vision Weather common threat to performance of all transportation modes

Significant benefits from operators using tailored weather products

• Examples: Installation of fog detection and warning system

• Interstate 75 in Tennessee (1994)

• Improved safety; fog-related accidents reduced to zero (0)

Finnish road weather service system improves roadway monitoring

• Result: shorten de-icing activities by 23 minutes on average

• Cost savings: $900K/yr in accident costs, $60K/yr in time cost , and $20K/yr for vehicle cost in the test district

511 usage shows increasing use and great potential

Source: December 2002 WIST Report


Need for an Integrated Approach to Surface Transportation R&D

• Integrated, end-to-end components:

– Observations

– Modeling, forecasts, warnings, advisories, and verification

– Weather information dissemination

– Decision support systems

– Education, outreach, and awareness

– Data management

– Performance measures and improved weather-related crash reporting

Surface Transportation Weather R&D Rqmts

Components

Relative Weather Impacts on WIST Working Group Goalsfor Roadways

Fatalities Injuries Delay Costs

Liquid Precipitation

1 1 2 2

Frozen Precipitation

2 2 1 1

High Winds -- -- 4 3

Fog 3 3 3 4


Priorities

Cross-cutting Events

Data Management

Performance Measures and Weather-Related Crash Reporting

Education, Outreach, and Awareness

Decision Support Systems

Weather Information Dissemination

Modeling, Forecasts, Warnings, Advisories, and Verification

Observations

Airport Ground Operations – all ground movement of vehicles, work crews, and passengers

Marine Transportation System – coastal and inland waterways, ports and harbors, and the intermodal terminals serving them

Rural and Urban Transit – bus and van service on streets and roadways, rail lines for metropolitan subway and surface “light rail” systems

Pipeline Systems – Above and below ground pipelines for commodities such as crude oil, refined petroleum products, and natural gas, plus storage, transfer, and pumping facilities for pipelines

Long-Haul Railway – rail lines providing intercity freight and passenger service, with their yard stations, and depots

Roadway -state and local highways, roads, streets, and intermodal freight yards


Inclusive Design

1. What is the name of the research project being conducted / sponsored?

2. Who is conducting the research?

3. What surface transportation weather-related problem are you trying to solve and what surface transportation safety, mobility or efficiency benefits do you see resulting from your efforts?


Ongoing R&D Activities

Surface Transportation Weather-related Research and Development Activity Report

4. What report or action prompted or helped shape this effort to be started (e.g., report recommendation, DOT project)?

5. When are the results of the research expected to be available for others to use?

6. What is your vision (3-10+ years) of how weather information will be used to optimize surface transportation operations and safety, and what specific hurdles must be overcome to reach such a vision?


Ongoing R&D Activities (continued)

Surface Transportation Weather-related Research and Development Activity Report

June 6 June 7 June 8

Academic Community and Research Institutes

Private Companies and Industry Associations

Government Agencies

State ITS-related and Other Transportation Testbeds

Broadcasters, Media, and Other Disseminators of Information

Emergency Response, Homeland Security, National Defense, and Medical Response

• All workshops originating from OFCM offices in Silver Spring, MD

• All workshops supported by webcast and teleconference capabilities

• Seeking surface transportation stakeholder input on R&D priorities and ongoing R&D activities


Workshops

June 13 June 14

Transportation Vehicle and Equipment Manufacturers

Environmental and Climate

Weather Equipment and Network Manufacturers

• All workshops originating from OFCM offices in Silver Spring, MD

• All workshops supported by webcast and teleconference capabilities

• Seeking surface transportation stakeholder input on R&D priorities and ongoing R&D activities


Workshops (continued)

SUMMARYSUMMARY

• Real and growing need for improved surface weather data, forecasts, integration, dissemination, and education

Safe, efficient movement of goods and people

• We need an integrated, end-to-end approach to ongoing and planned R&D activities

• Through WG/WIST:

Working to develop that approach

Seek everyone’s input and support

OFCM Web Site

WIST Report is available on OFCM Web Site

Click on “Publications” and navigate to the desired location

http://www.ofcm.gov/

Documents

Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research (OFCM) Presentation for the ITS America 2006 Annual Meeting May 9,