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1    Introduction

1.1    Background

The Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Road Weather Management Program (RWMP) has established a research agenda, referred to as their programmatic ‘road map,’ that identifies the integration of weather information into the operations of Transportation Management Centers (TMCs) across the country as a key objective. Integrating weather information supports the capability of state and local transportation agencies to better manage their traffic, dispatch maintenance crews and respond appropriately and in a timely way to weather-induced problems affecting the transportation system. Well-integrated weather information allows TMC operators to make effective and timely management and operational decisions based on quality information related to weather forecasts, the anticipated timing and intensity of weather events, the interaction of weather conditions with the road surface, and the type and availability of appropriate transportation management devices and systems. Integrated weather information positions a TMC to be proactive rather than reactive with regard to the operations and maintenance of their transportation infrastructure, and supports a set of activities that can be characterized as advisory, treatment and control.

The objectives of this study are to prepare a detailed self-evaluation guide that will assist TMCs in identifying appropriate weather integration strategies, given their current level of weather integration and their desire for additional operational capabilities through enhanced weather integration. This project sought to assist two TMCs in developing a weather integration plan based on integration strategies identified through their self-evaluation. These two TMCs were selected to work with and help refine the self-evaluation guide and integration planning process.

The intended next steps along the RWMP ‘road map’ will include selecting additional TMCs to work with the guide and implement weather integration enhancements into their TMC operations. More specific suggestions are presented in a set of sequenced recommendations described in Chapter 6.

1.2     Prior Integration Study

The FHWA RWMP, in partnership with the FHWA Emergency Transportation Operations Program, completed a survey and analysis of how weather and emergency information are being integrated into the operations of TMCs throughout the country. The goal of this study was to identify best practices and develop guidance to enhance the operations of TMCs during inclement weather and emergency situations. The final report from this study summarized how weather and emergency information and decision-support systems are being integrated in thirty eight TMCs around the US, and explores strategies for applying practical, effective concepts and methods of integration in the future. The report discussed a framework for integration, the current state of the practice, potential benefits, and challenges associated with integrating weather and emergency information in TMCs. This report also offered a number of recommendations for how weather integration could be encouraged and supported. One of these recommendations has led to the work that is discussed in this report; namely, a recommendation that TMCs “should conduct a self-evaluation to help identify the most effective integration solutions and guide their deployment.” A comprehensive self-evaluation process is described in this report, and the suggested integration solutions that emerge from this self-evaluation lead directly to the development of a weather integration plan that the TMC can follow to achieve increased integration.

1.3    Expected Benefits of Weather Integration

Working through the self-evaluation process will help TMCs assess their needs for weather integration, offer specific candidate integration strategies that they can implement, and clarify the benefits they could expect to derive from enhanced weather integration. Some of the expected benefits from enhance integration include the following:

A long-run objective and benefit of having a TMC work through this process from self-evaluation to plan development and implementation of integration strategies, is expected to be improved operational performance in responding to traffic conditions influenced by weather events. Ultimately, the goal is for the TMC managers and operators to fully embrace a culture that supports the use of new technologies and strategies for dealing with inclement weather. Thus, technical changes are expected to be incorporated along with institutional and organizational culture changes. The goal is for TMC operators to recognize the importance of road weather in their operations, to understand and use the tools that are available to assist them in better managing weather-influenced events, and to proactively seek out and access other resources in support of more effectively interpreting weather phenomena in the context of their transportation mission.

As a generalization, weather integration is at a relatively low level in most TMCs across the country. In many it is non-existent at this time, even though weather, in some form, is affecting safety and mobility in every state. To address this deficiency, the goals of the RWMP include:

The RWMP’s ‘roadmap’ of desired growth in road weather utilization is structured to meet these goals, and the underlying assumption is that the benefits of increased weather integration in TMC operations will be substantial.

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