Transcript Weather Information for Surface Transportation (WIST) Update on WG/WIST Activities and the 3

Weather Information for
Surface Transportation (WIST)
Update on WG/WIST Activities and the
3rd National Surface Transportation
Weather Symposium
July 18, 2007
Paul Pisano
Federal Highway Admin.
Jim O’Sullivan
National Weather Service
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)
Background - Weather Impacts
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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 – 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
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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:
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Annual average railway weather-related fatalities are much lower than
roadways
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Between 2002 and 2005, property damage attributed to weather-related
railway accidents decreased by $1,016,378
• 511 and local TV/Radio broadcasts:
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Surveys of users of State “511” road information services show that users
use information on weather conditions affecting their route of travel
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Most of these WIST users have altered their route or their travel plans to
avoid weather-related hazards or delays
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Local television and radio stations now routinely carry combined traffic and
weather updates specific to their broadcast area
• Trucking and automobile manufactures:
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Some roadway freight lines are equipping their trucks to receive NOAA
Weather Radio anywhere on the Nation’s highways
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Automobile manufacturers equipping cars with radios that can receive NOAA
Weather Radio
Background – WIST R&D Activities
• 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
Roadway state and
local
highways,
roads,
streets, and
intermodal
freight yards
Long-Haul
Railway – rail
lines providing
intercity freight
and passenger
service, with their
yard stations, and
depots
Observations
25
2
Modeling,
Forecasts,
Warnings,
Advisories, and
Verification
15
4
4
4
4
5
6
Weather
Information
Dissemination
20
3
3
3
3
3
3
Decision Support
Systems
23
1
1
1
1
1
3
Education,
Outreach, and
Awareness
13
Data Management
12
Performance
Measures and
Weather-Related
Crash Reporting
5
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
Rural and Urban
Transit – bus and
van service on
streets and
roadways, rail
lines for
metropolitan
subway and
surface “light rail”
systems
Marine
Transportation
System – coastal
and inland
waterways, ports
and harbors, and
the intermodal
terminals serving
them
Airport Ground
Operations – all
ground movement
of vehicles, work
crews, and
passengers
Crosscutting
Events
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3
Background – WIST Challenges
• 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
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
Surface Transportation R&D Needs
Pipelines
Roadways
Transit
Data
Collection &
Analysis
Marine
Rail
Modeling &
Prediction
Information
Dissemination
Cross-Cutting Themes
Airport
Ground
Stakeholder
Response
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
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Keynote Session
Social & Economic Impacts & Benefits
R&D Priorities
Leveraging R&D
– July 26th
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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