Focus Group Results: Maintenance Operations

Facilitator: Tom Maze, ISU/Civil Engineering
Date: June 14, 2004

  1. Developing Mobile Weather Observing Platforms
  2. Identifying Un-Forecasted Safety Critical Weather Events
  3. Developing Better Radar Systems

Team Members

Tom Maze (ISU/Civil Engineering), Troy Jerman (Iowa DOT), Diane Evans (Ohio DOT), Tom Martinelli (Wisconsin DOT), Tim Jackson (Missouri DOT), Roger Vigdal (Iowa DOT), Russ Frisch (Iowa DOT), Dick Banowetz (Iowa DOT), John Plymesser (Dallas County), Doug Cornelsen (Meteorlogix)

Initiative #1: Developing Mobile Weather Observing Platforms (31 votes)

1. Background and Problem Statement

Currently fixed site platforms are the main type of weather observation devices. Mobile platforms may be mounted to maintenance and supervisory equipment to provide added information and observations. A mobile platform may even be able to obtain new types of information (e.g., pavement friction). The problem to be addressed is how to move forward with the implementation of new mobile systems and integrate them with fix location systems.

2. Research Objectives

The objective of this research is to develop the information necessary to facilitate the adoption and deployment of mobile weather observing platforms. This project will identify a prototype mobile platform for road weather that is affordable, can be implemented within the space and environment conditions that are typical of a winter maintenance vehicle, and has the flexibility to allow the implementation of devices to sense new or different weather parameters. In all, this project will involve

  1. Identification of the user requirements
  2. Development of a prototype device that meets as best it can the requirements
  3. Field testing of the device
  4. Defining an implementation plan for agencies and other private and public vehicle fleets throughout the snow belt

3. Resource Needs and Time Frame

This program should take roughly 3 years and will involve a research team of meteorologists, instrument developers and integrators, an ITS architect, a vehicle designer, and winter maintenance specialists. It would also be a good idea to include several private sector system integrators on a project advisory panel. This program many require as much as $3 million. Funding may come from FHWA or a pooled fund of state transportation agencies.

4. Intended Users

Once the concept has been proven through a field test, it is expected that snow-belt agencies will start specifying mobile platforms. The private sector will supply the mobile platforms as options on vehicles. This equipment could also be used on other public or private sector fleets through a partnership.

5. Implementation

Deployment should be the responsibility of the private sector.

6. Other Outside Parties

Other parties have not been determined.

Initiative #2: Identifying Un-Forecasted Safety Critical Weather Events (29 votes)

1. Background and Problem Statement

Typically, several dangerous localized weather events go un-forecasted. For example, the resolution of forecasts is not fine enough to identify localized fog, black ice, or blowing snow. These localize weather events are not typically forecasted but can result in very hazardous driving conditions. There is a need to either predict or sense these dangerous conditions so that they can be mitigated.

2. Research Objectives

The research would investigate the technical and financial feasibility of forecasting or sensing localized dangerous conditions, conduct a field test and evaluation, develop a plan for implementing the prediction or detection system, and support the implementation of the plan by state and local transportation agencies. Since this may involve the development of roadside technology that does not currently exist today, this research is open-ended.

3. Resource Needs and Time Frame

This program should take roughly 5 years and will involve a research team to include meteorologists, instrumentation and equipment developers and integrators, an ITS architect, a transportation engineer, and winter maintenance specialists. This program many require as much as $5 million. Funding should come from FHWA, NTHSA, and state transportation agencies.

4. Intended Users

This system could be used by all transportation agencies that maintain highways throughout the world. Localized events like fog are not limited to any geographical area. Therefore, the benefits and uses are limited to just snow-belt agencies.

5. Implementation

All transportation agencies operating highways could potentially be implementers.

6. Other Outside Parties

Other parties have yet to be determined.

Initiative #3: Developing Better Radar Systems (22 votes)

1. Background and Problem Statement

Current radar system sometimes miss approaching snow storms. In some cases, current radar systems are directed either above or below the cloud releasing snow or the current national weather service radar system doesn’t provide ample coverage of rural areas to be able to detect snowfall. This project would examine new and emerging radar technology that would allow better radar coverage and better targeting of radar to identify snow clouds that are missed by current radar. This might involve an entirely new network of radar, and therefore, new institutional mechanisms for operating these radar as well as communications systems would have to be established.

2. Research Objectives

This research would involve

  1. Identifying the short comings of existing radar systems
  2. Determining the requirements of winter maintenance for a better radar system
  3. Identifying affordable technological options for providing better radar information
  4. Identifying institutional and operational framework required to a new radar system
  5. Identifying how new radar will be integrated with existing radar network
  6. Defining a plan for deploying a better radar system.

3. Resource Needs and Time Frame

The research team should include meteorologists, an electronic engineer (radar and communications expert), a winter maintenance specialist, and an ITS architect. This project should also involve an advisory panel consisting of representatives from the National Weather Service, value added weather information providers, and state maintenance specialists.

The project should be conducted over a period of 18 months and should have a budget of five hundred thousand dollars. This funding could come from FHWA, NWS, and pool of state departments of transportation.

4. Intended Users

This system could be used by National Weather Service and state and local transportation agencies.

5. Implementation

The results of the project will identify how the program is to be implemented.

6. Other Outside Parties

Other parties have not been determined.