Road Weather Management Benefit Cost Analysis Compendium [2014]

2014PDFTech Reporthttp://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop14033/fhwahop14033.pdfFHWA-HOP-14-033DTFH61-12-D-00050Road weather information systemsBenefit cost analysisUnited StatesUnited States. Federal Highway AdministrationLawrence, Michael; Nguyen, Paul; Skolnick, Jonathan; Hunt, Jim; Alfelor, RoemerUnited States. Federal Highway Administration; Leidos; Jack Faucett AssociatesFederal Highway AdministrationThe Road Weather Management (RWM) Benefit Cost Analysis (BCA) Compendium provides information about benefit cost analyses conducted around the country for specific RWM technologies or operational strategies. The actual project evaluations involve the use of custom spreadsheets developed by the agency or its contractors, or the application of available software tools to the BCA. The Compendium also includes hypothetical cases designed to demonstrate how BCA can be used for a specific RWM technology or operational strategy. FHWA has developed a sketch planning BCA tool --the Tool for Operations Benefit/Cost (TOPS-BC)--for application to TSMO projects, including RWM projects. For the hypothetical cases, TOPS-BC is used to assist in the measurement of benefits and costs and in the calculation of the benefit cost ratio. Each case demonstrates how planners conducted, or could conduct, a BCA on one or more RWM technologies or strategies. There are 17 cases studies presented in the RWM Compendium, and each addresses one or more specific BCA issues or procedures.79