Weather Information forSurface Transportation

(WIST)

Update on WG/WIST Activities and the 3rd National Surface

Transportation Weather Symposium

Paul PisanoFederal Highway Admin.

Jim O’SullivanNational Weather Service

July 18, 2007

Overview

• Purpose• WIST – A Brief History• Background• Symposium Details• Summary

Purpose

To update CESORN on Working Group WIST (WG/WIST) activities and the upcoming surface transportation weather symposium (July 25-27, 2007) and follow-on WG/WIST efforts

WIST – A Brief History

• Two initial WIST symposia (1999, 2000)

• Weather Information for Surface Transportation – National Needs Assessment Report (December 2002)

• AMS Policy Forum, Weather and Highways (November 2003)

• NRC report, Where the Weather Meets the Road-A Research Agenda for Improving Road Weather Services (January 2004)

• OFCM WIST Working Group (WG/WIST) Charted by ICMSSR (2004)– To develop WIST Research plan– To develop WIST Implementation plan

WIST – A Brief History

• Weather Information for Surface Transportation (WIST) Initiative Document - First Steps to Improve the Nation’s WIST Capabilities and Services (September 2005)

• SAFETEA-LU, Section 5308 (2006)– Clarus initiative– Maintenance Decision Support System (MDSS)

• Weather Information for Surface Transportation - Update on Weather Impacts and WIST Results (August 2006)

• Roadway: Over 6,442,000 vehicle crashes per year on average – More than 24% are weather-related (1.57 million)– Nearly 7,400 people killed and over 690,000 people injured– About 25% of non-recurrent delays on freeways are weather-related– Weather-related delay adds $3.4 billion to freight costs annually

• Railway: 865 weather-related crashes between 1995 and 2005– 8 deaths, 1,242 injuries, and $189 million in property damage costs– Most crashes were associated with extreme temperature variations

• Marine Transportation System: Between 1996 and 2000– Weather-related causes accounted for 11% of marine transportation

mishaps and 3.6% of all recreational boating mishaps• Transit: National weather-related mishap statistics not available

– However, overall safety incidents decreased from 2002 to 2004, resulting in a decrease of 32 fatalities and 278 injuries

• Pipeline: In 2005, 4 weather-related fatalities and 14 injuries– Three fatalities were attributed to incidents caused by temperature

and one to high winds• Airport Ground Operations: National statistics not available

– There are anecdotal examples of weather’s impact– For example, all airport grounds operations cease when lightning is

detected within a certain distance of an airport

Background - Weather Impacts

• Over 4 years ago, first report on improving surface transportation safety and efficiency with improved weather/climate information

– 2002 WIST Report, Weather Information for Surface Transportation (WIST)—National Needs Assessment Report

• Public, private, and academic coordination and collaboration on WIST programs has increased and may be starting to show progress

• Data collection and incident monitoring is limited, however, available, raw data show that progress may be occurring. For example:

– Roadways:

• Weather-related roadway crash injuries declined by 3.5% (21, 023 injuries) in the first 2 years following the release of the WIST Report in 2002

• During the same period, vehicle-miles driven increased by 3.7%

• The 21,023 fewer injuries equate to about $0.5B saved in direct and indirect economic consequences

– Marine Transportation System:

• From 2002 to 2004, weather-related recreational boating accidents decreased from 228, with 66 fatalities, to 178 with 43 fatalities

• Since 2002, weather has dropped out of the Coast Guard’s “Top Ten Contributing Factors” for recreational accidents

Background – WIST Improvements

• Railway:

– Annual average railway weather-related fatalities are much lower than roadways

– Between 2002 and 2005, property damage attributed to weather-related railway accidents decreased by $1,016,378

• 511 and local TV/Radio broadcasts:

– Surveys of users of State “511” road information services show that users use information on weather conditions affecting their route of travel

– Most of these WIST users have altered their route or their travel plans to avoid weather-related hazards or delays

– Local television and radio stations now routinely carry combined traffic and weather updates specific to their broadcast area

• Trucking and automobile manufactures:

– Some roadway freight lines are equipping their trucks to receive NOAA Weather Radio anywhere on the Nation’s highways

– Automobile manufacturers equipping cars with radios that can receive NOAA Weather Radio

Background – WIST Improvements

• WIST Mini-workshops held in June 2006– 18 organizations reported on 49 WIST-related R&D

activities underway (see slide below for details)– Not all inclusive--more work to be discovered

Background – WIST R&D Activities

3

2

3

3

6

Cross-cutting Events

3333312Data 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

5

13

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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

• Focusing our resources on the top priority needs in R&D and application development, in such areas as:

– Lessening weather’s impact in causing congestion

– Meeting travelers’ need for timely, local weather information

– Improving access to WIST before and during travel

– Enhancing surface transportation weather observation collection

– Incorporating WIST into warning and decision support processes

– Increasing user understanding of how to use WIST products

Background – WIST Challenges

• Finding opportunities to partner and leverage other R&D and application development activities to meet WIST needs:

– Urban Meteorology

– Aviation Meteorology

– Tropical cyclone R&D

– MPAR Risk Reduction Program

– University Transportation Centers

– Commercial weather vendors

– Automobile manufactures

– State and local DOTs and road maintenance activities

– Social science

Background – WIST Challenges

Symposium Details - Theme

3rd National Surface Transportation Weather Symposium

Improving commerce and reducing deaths and injuries through innovative, weather-related R&D and applications for the surface transportation system

Symposium Details - Approach

Pipelines MarineRoadways

Transit Rail AirportGround

Cross-Cutting Themes

Stakeholder Response

Information Disseminati

on

Modeling &

Prediction

Data Collection & Analysis

Surface Transportation R&D Needs

Symposium Details - Objectives

3rd National Surface Transportation Weather Symposium

• Overarching Objective: Provide a forum for the surface (sfc) transportation weather and transportation research and user communities to work together to enhance collaboration and partnerships, ultimately helping to improve sfc transportation weather products/services for those who use, operate, and manage sfc transportation infrastructure

• Enhance understanding of social / economic benefits derived from increased use of improved sfc transportation weather and climate info

• Review, validate, and prioritize sfc transportation weather research and development needs

• Define and prioritize the products / services needed to support sfc transportation community

• Provide recommendations for weather and sfc transportation communities on way ahead to meet needs using attendee input / feedback

• Provide information on sfc transportation weather and climate activities to enhance decision-making processes

Symposium Details - Logistics • 3rd National Surface Transportation Weather Symposium

• Location – Sheraton Premiere at Tysons Corner, Vienna, VA

• Agenda – 25-27 July 2007– July 25th

• Keynote Session• Social & Economic Impacts & Benefits• R&D Priorities• Leveraging R&D

– July 26th

• Observations• Modeling & Prediction• Information Dissemination• Pathway to Operations

– July 27th • Closing Session on the Keys to Success – Creating Synergy

Summary

• Data indicates initial WIST efforts may be having positive impact

• Need to further coordinate WIST efforts to overcome challenges and leverage existing resources

• WG/WIST is developing a WIST R&D and Implementation Plan

– Supported by ICMSSR to provide focus and structure to WIST improvement efforts

– 3rd National Surface Transportation Weather Symposium July 25-27, 2007