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Title:

Diving Down the Rabbit Hole: RWIS Data to Develop a SWI

Accession Number:

01763610

Record Type:

Component

Abstract:

Accurately assessing winter maintenance operations is a challenge faced by various transportation agencies, including state departments of transportation (DOTs). One tool that has been successfully used by state DOTs for this purpose is the severe weather index (SWI), which assesses the performance and related costs of winter maintenance operations by considering the relative severity of each weather event. Developing an effective SWI encompasses a modeling process that requires the collection and preparation of quality data. This paper draws from research to develop a SWI for the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA). It focuses on the challenges of preparing data for use in a SWI. The study identified numerous lessons learned and recommendations for data preparation, including: Ensure historical data retention; Ensure long-term data usability through creating and maintaining a data dictionary; Consistent use of road weather information systems (RWISs) site names across the agency and by vendors contracted by the agency (even if the RWIS site names change); Define a consistent rounding scheme for data elements to ensure accuracy; Use consistent units, even if the vendor changes (e.g., miles per hour vs. knots); Keep a record of any RWIS sensor changes that occur over time; Continuously collect data (e.g., do not use a 1-minute data capture to represent 5-minutes); Ground truth and perform quality assurance/quality control of RWIS data; and Ensure a link is established between Maintenance Action Reports (e.g. Emergency Operations & Road Conditions) and RWIS data to allow for ground-truthing and quality assurance.

Supplemental Notes:

This paper was sponsored by TRB committee AKR50 Standing Committee on Road Weather.

Report/Paper Numbers:

TRBAM-21-00210

Language:

English

Corporate Authors:

Transportation Research Board

Authors:

Villwock-Witte, Natalie M
Veneziano, David
Clouser, Karalyn
Fay, Laura

Pagination:

13p

Publication Date:

2021

Conference:

Transportation Research Board 100th Annual Meeting

Location: Washington DC, United States
Date: 2021-1-5 to 2021-1-29
Sponsors: Transportation Research Board; Transportation Research Board

Media Type:

Digital/other

Features:

References; Tables

Geographic Terms:

Maryland

Subject Areas:

Data and Information Technology; Environment; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation

Source Data:

Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting 2021 Paper #TRBAM-21-00210

Files:

TRIS, TRB, ATRI

Created Date:

Dec 23 2020 11:07AM