Problem Statement

Over the past two decades state departments of transportation have invested greatly in the development of roadway sensing systems and weather forecasting support for highway maintenance. Unfortunately, the state-of-the-art in surface transportation weather has advanced little in the past two decades as highway meteorology has failed to establish itself as a priority research area within the atmospheric sciences. To develop a national priority for surface transportation weather, it is critical that capable atmospheric science research institutions assume a leadership role in establishing the pathway to achieving the necessary research results. The University of North Dakota proposes through the formation of the Surface Transportation Weather Research Center (STWRC), to expand its national leadership efforts in surface transportation weather research to address critical elements that presently limit the ability to more accurately provide site-specific weather and road condition forecasts. The effort will be closely tied to existing and future regional and national ITS programs requiring weather-related support. This research effort will result from strong collaboration with state Departments of Transportation. Furthermore, the efforts at UND will be coordinated with a broader national surface transportation weather effort of the Road Weather Management Program in the FHWA.

The proposed work of the STWRC will integrate advanced pavement condition analysis and prediction system elements, which will result in greater spatial definition of pavement conditions, with ongoing and developing ITS programs in North Dakota and South Dakota. The challenge involved will be to identify new methods of problem solving associated with winter maintenance and travel safety and to develop, test and implement these methods for improved operational capabilities. Specifically, the proposed Integration Project will integrate with the current 511 traveler information systems, new road condition reporting systems becoming available during the coming year, and with the Maintenance Decision Support System presently undergoing research and development in both states.

Through the development and use of Advanced Pavement Condition Analysis and Prediction System (APCAPS) capabilities the current project will reduce the requirement for expensive road weather information system deployment throughout arterial and freeway systems. The new system will also result in improved travel planning, safety, and mobility. Further, the use of APCAPS data within operations and maintenance activities will provide improvements in new FHWA initiatives such as Maintenance Decision Support Systems (MDSS) and will improve the cost effectiveness and efficiency of winter maintenance activities.