Road Weather Management Performance Measures: A Way to Measure and Monitor Achievement

2010Roemer M. AlfelorPDFBriefFHWA-JPO-09-036B;EDL 14524Road weather information systemsWeatherTraffic forecastingRoad weather informationBaselining road weather informationQuality attribute matrixUnited StatesUnited States. Federal Highway AdministrationUnited States. Dept. of Transportation. Road Weather ManagementUnited States. Dept. of Transportation. Office of Transportation ManagementNTL-OPERATIONS AND TRAFFIC CONTROLS-OPERATIONS AND TRAFFIC CONTROLSIntelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office;Federal Highway AdministrationThe 2005 Safe, Accountable, Flexible and Efficient Transportation Equity Act \u2013 A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) established a Road Weather Research and Development Program under the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) program with three primary goals: maximize the use of available road weather information\uf020 and technologies; expand road weather research and development efforts \uf020to enhance roadway safety, capacity, and efficiency while minimizing environmental impacts; and promote technology transfer of effective road weather scientific and technological advancements. To gauge performance, the Road Weather Management Program (RWMP) conducted a study to identify meaningful, understandable, and practical measures to evaluate products and activities, including Clarus, the Maintenance Decision Support System (MDSS), Weather Responsive Traffic Management (WRTM), and others. The study generated input from over 250 public and private stakeholders who reviewed an initial list of candidate output and outcome measures and identified 11 measures to assess RWMP performance. Program impacts can result as a direct consequence of RWMP actions or indirectly through other agencies and activities associated with or influenced by the RWMP. The RWMP catalyzes and encourages the efforts of other Federal agencies, state departments of transportation (DOTs), and private sector providers, which contributes to achieving the SAFETEA-LU goals as well as supporting independent initiatives and efforts