Weather Information for Surface Transportation WIST Update on WGWIST Activities and the 3rd National

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Weather Information forSurface Transportation
(WIST)Update on WG/WIST Activities and the 3rd
National Surface Transportation Weather Symposium
July 18, 2007

• Paul Pisano
• Federal Highway Admin.

Jim OSullivan National Weather Service
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Overview

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

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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

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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

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WIST A Brief History

• Weather Information for Surface Transportation
  (WIST) Initiative Document - First Steps to
  Improve the Nations 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)

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Background - Weather Impacts

• 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 weathers impact
• For example, all airport grounds operations cease
  when lightning is detected within a certain
  distance of an airport

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Background WIST Improvements

• 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
  Guards Top Ten Contributing Factors for
  recreational accidents

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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 Nations highways
• Automobile manufacturers equipping cars with
  radios that can receive NOAA Weather Radio

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Background WIST RD Activities

• WIST Mini-workshops held in June 2006
• 18 organizations reported on 49 WIST-related RD
  activities underway (see slide below for details)
• Not all inclusive--more work to be discovered

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Background WIST Challenges

• Focusing our resources on the top priority needs
  in RD and application development, in such areas
  as
• Lessening weathers 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

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Background WIST Challenges

• Finding opportunities to partner and leverage
  other RD and application development activities
  to meet WIST needs
• Urban Meteorology
• Aviation Meteorology
• Tropical cyclone RD
• MPAR Risk Reduction Program
• University Transportation Centers
• Commercial weather vendors
• Automobile manufactures
• State and local DOTs and road maintenance
  activities
• Social science

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Symposium Details - Theme
3rd National Surface Transportation Weather
Symposium Improving commerce and reducing
deaths and injuries through innovative,
weather-related RD and applications for the
surface transportation system
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Symposium Details - Approach
Surface Transportation RD Needs
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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

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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
• RD Priorities
• Leveraging RD
• July 26th
• Observations
• Modeling Prediction
• Information Dissemination
• Pathway to Operations
• July 27th
• Closing Session on the Keys to Success Creating
  Synergy

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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 RD 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