3rd National Surface Transportation Weather Symposium

1
3rd National Surface Transportation Weather
Symposium

• Improving commerce and reducing deaths and
  injuries through innovative weather-related RD
  and applications for the surface transportation
  system

July 25, 2007
2
Welcoming Remarks

• Mr. Samuel P. Williamson
• Federal Coordinator for Meteorology

Hosted by Office of the Federal Coordinator for
Meteorological Services and Supporting Research
(OFCM)
3
Sponsors and Supporters

• Sponsors
• Office of the Federal Coordinator for
  Meteorological Services and Supporting Research
  (OFCM), National Oceanic and Atmospheric
  Administration (NOAA)
• Road Weather Management Program , Federal Highway
  Administration (FHWA)
• Professional Partners
• Surface Transportation Weather Task Force,
  Transportation Research Board
• Intelligent Transportation Systems and Surface
  Transportation Committee, American Meteorological
  Society
• Weather Information Applications Special Interest
  Group, ITS America

4
Overview

• Special Welcome
• Why We Are Here
• WIST Improvements
• Symposium Goals
• Logistics Ground Rules
• Todays Agenda
• Keynote Address

5
Special Welcome

• Keynote Speaker
• Mr. Jeffrey N. Shane
• Undersecretary of Transportation for Policy,
  Department of Transportation

6
Special Welcome

• Keynote Speaker
• Vice Admiral Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., USN
  (Ret.)
• Undersecretary of Commerce for Oceans and
  Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator

7
Special Welcome

• Keynote Speaker
• Dr. Gene Whitney
• Representing
• Dr. Sharon L. Hays
• Associate Director of the Office of Science and
  Technology Policy

8
Why we are here

• Roadway Over 6,442,000 vehicle crashes per year
  on average
• More than 24 are weather-related (1.57 million)
• More than 7,400 people killed 670,000 people
  injured
• 25 of non-recurrent freeway delays are
  weather-related
• Weather-related delay adds 3.4B to freight costs
  annually
• Railway 865 weather-related crashes between 1995
  and 2005
• 8 deaths, 1,242 injuries, and 189M in property
  damages
• Most crashes related to 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

9
Why we are here

• Transit National weather-related mishap
  statistics not available
• However, overall safety incidents decreased from
  2002 to 2004, by 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 weathers impact
• For example, all airport grounds operations cease
  when lightning is detected within a certain
  distance of an airport

10
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

11
WIST Improvements

• 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
  3.5 (21, 023 injuries) in the first 2 yrs
  following WIST Report release in 2002
• During the same period, vehicle-miles driven
  increased by 3.7
• The 21,023 fewer injuries equate to about 500M
  saved in direct and indirect economic
  consequences
• 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
  Guards Top Ten Contributing Factors for
  recreational accidents

12
WIST Improvements

• Railway
• Annual average railway weather-related fatalities
  are much lower than roadways
• Between 2002 and 2005, property damage attributed
  to weather-related railway accidents decreased by
  1,016,378
• 511 and local TV/Radio broadcasts
• User surveys of State 511 road information
  services show that users use weather condition
  information for travel route planning
• Local television and radio stations now routinely
  carry combined traffic and weather updates
  specific to their broadcast area
• Trucking and automobile manufactures
• Some roadway freight lines are equipping their
  trucks to receive NOAA Weather Radio anywhere on
  the Nations highways
• Automobile manufacturers equipping cars with
  radios that can receive NOAA Weather Radio

13
Symposium Goals

• Articulate a clear observation strategy for
  surface transportation weather that defines the
  types of data that are needed and the optimal mix
  of observing platforms required to meet those
  needs.

14
Symposium Goals

• Identify the priorities, challenges, and
  opportunities for research and development that
  will contribute to saving lives, reducing
  injuries, and improving efficiency in the
  Nations surface transportation infrastructure.

15
Symposium Goals

• Define the needs for advanced computing capacity
  required for surface transportation weather
  modeling and for the assimilation of data from
  multiple data sources.

16
Symposium Goals

• Identify the needs for new products and services
  driven by current operations or concepts for
  future surface transportation systems.
• Are there existing capabilities or emerging
  research and development that can be leveraged
  and/or transitioned into operations to meet these
  needs?
• How can probabilistic forecasts be used to meet
  these needs?

17
Symposium Goals

• Investigate opportunities to document and
  substantiate the socioeconomic impacts of
  improved surface transportation weather products
  and services.  

18
Symposium Goals

• Identify the potential and emerging information
  dissemination technologies available to get the
  right message to surface transportation weather
  stakeholders.

19
Symposium Goals

• Establish partnerships with the stakeholder
  community to ensure that customers and
  stakeholders understand how to effectively use
  surface transportation weather products and
  services in their decision-making processes.

20
Logistics
Chair Mr. Samuel P. Williamson
Conference Coordinators Media Coordinators
Asst. Coordinator for Conference Arrangements
Audiovisual Specialists Registrar Mr.
Frank Estis Lt Col David Andrus Mr. Kent
Laborde Lt Col David Andrus Ms. Erin
McNamara Mr. Ken Barnett Mr. Tony Ramirez Ms.
Dawn Erlich Ms. Cathi Kulat Ms. Carmelitta Riley
21
Logistics
Presentation Timers Session
Coordinators Rapporteurs Ms. Mary
Cairns Mr. Floyd Hauth Mr. Mark Gunzelman Lt Col
David Andrus Mr. Frank Estis Lt Col David
Andrus Mr. Floyd Hauth Mr. Mark Gunzelman Dr.
Betty Hearn Morrow Dr. Paul Try Ms. Mary
Cairns Dr. Mark Weadon Mr. Frank Estis Mr. Donell
Woods
22
Logistics
Icebreaker and Exhibits
Symposium Sessions
Sheraton Premier at Tysons Corner
23
Ground Rules

• Questions welcomed...time permitting
• Significant issues reviewed daily at OFCM staff
  meeting
• Results of discussions and any action items will
  be summarized during the final session

24
This Mornings Agenda
900 AM Keynote Addresses
1030 AM Break 1100 AM Session 1 Improving
Economic and Life Decisions Social and
Economic Impacts and Benefits Moderator Dr.
Denise Stephenson Hawk, NCAR 1230 PM Lunch
25
This Afternoons Agenda
130 PM Session 2 Priorities for Surface
Transportation Weather RD Moderator Ms.
Mary Glackin, NOAA 300 PM Break 330
PM Session 3 Leveraging Related RD
Activities to Benefit Surface
Transportation Moderator Mr. Leon F.
Osborne, Jr., Univ. of ND 500 PM Administrative
Remarks 530 PM Icebreaker
26
Keynote Address

• Keynote Speaker
• Mr. Jeffrey N. Shane
• Undersecretary of Transportation for Policy,
  Department of Transportation

27
(No Transcript)
28
Keynote Address

• Keynote Speaker
• Vice Admiral Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., USN
  (Ret.)
• Undersecretary of Commerce for Oceans and
  Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator

29
(No Transcript)
30
Keynote Address

• Keynote Speaker
• Dr. Gene Whitney
• Representing
• Dr. Sharon L. Hays
• Associate Director of the Office of Science and
  Technology Policy

31
(No Transcript)
32
Break 1030 1100 a.m.
33
(No Transcript)
34
Session 1

• Improving Economic and Life Decisions Social and
  Economic Impacts and Benefits

• Dr. Denise Stephenson Hawk
• NCAR Associate Director and Director of the
  Societal-Environmental Research and Education
  Laboratory

35
Session 1

• Dr. Christopher Cluett
• Battelle Memorial Institute, System Evaluation
• Mr. James Wright
• 511 Travel Information Service Coordinator,
  American Association of State Highway and
  Transportation Officials (AASHTO)
• Ms. Julie Demuth
• Associate Scientist, NCAR Societal Impacts
  Program/Institute for the Study of Society and
  Environment/Research Applications Laboratory
• Dr. Betty Hearn Morrow
• Consulting Sociologist

36
Lunch 1230 a.m. 130 p.m.
37
Session 2

• Priorities for Surface Transportation Weather RD

• Ms. Mary Glackin
• Acting Assistant Administrator for Weather
  Services and Acting Director, National Weather
  Service National Oceanic and Atmospheric
  Adminitration

38
Session 2

• Dr. Nelson Keeler
• Director, Office of Aviation Programs, John A.
  Volpe National Transportation Systems Center,
  Research and Innovative Technology
  Administration, U.S. DOT
• Ms. Shelley J. Row
• Director Intelligent Transportation
  Systems Joint Program Office, Research and
  Innovative Technology Administration, U.S. DOT
• Mr. Richard Edwing
• Marine Transportation System Program Manager,
• National Ocean Service, NOAA
• Dr. Alexander E. MacDonald
• Deputy Assistant Administrator for NOAA Research
  Laboratories and Cooperative Institutes, and
  Director of the NOAA Earth System Research
  Laboratory

39
Break 300 p.m. 330 p.m.
40
Session 3

• Leveraging Related RD Activities to Benefit
  Surface Transportation

• Mr. Leon F. Osborne, Jr.
• Professor Atmospheric Sciences, University of
  North Dakota

41
Session 3

• Mr. Kenneth M. Leonard
• Director, Aviation Weather Office, Operations
  Planning Services, Federal Aviation
  Administration
• Mr. Jay J. Adams
• Global Product Marketing Manager
• Entertainment and Communications at Delphi
• Mr. Mark Gunzelman
• Senior Scientist, Science and Technology
  Corporation
• Mr. Bob Dreisewerd
• Vice President and Director of Forecast Services,
  Baron Services
• Mr. Jon Pollack
• Vice-President GeoDecisions, Armys IRRIS Program

42

• Icebreaker
• 530 700 PM

43
Session 4

• Observation Data Requirements for Surface
  Transportation

• Dr. Walter Dabberdt
• Director, Strategic Research, Vaisala Group

44
Session 4

• Dr. Walter Dabberdt
• Director, Strategic Research, Vaisala Group
• Mr. Chris Bunce
• Manager, Geotechnical Engineering, Canadian
  Pacific Railway
• Mr. Paul A. Pisano
• Team Leader, Road Weather Management Program,
  Federal Highway Administration
• Dr. James OSullivan
• Program Manager, NOAA Surface Weather Program,
  and Acting Chief, NWS Observing Services
  Division
• Colonel Michael Babcock
• Deputy for Federal Programs, Directorate of
  Weather, United States Air Force

45
Break 935 a.m. 1005 a.m.
46
Session 5

• Modeling and Prediction Required Products and
  Services

• Mr. Kenneth Graham
• Chief, Meteorological Services Division, Office
  of Climate, Water and Weather Services, NOAA
  National Weather Service

47
Session 5

• Dr. Stephen Lord, Director
• Environmental Modeling Center, National Centers
  for Environmental Prediction, NOAA National
  Weather Service
• Dr. Kevin Petty
• Scientific Program Manager, National Center for
  Atmospheric Research
• Mr. Ralph Patterson
• Traffic Operation Center (TOC), Utah DOT
• Dr. Richard Shirkey
• U.S. Army Research Laboratory, CISD/Battlefield
  Environment Division, White Sands Missile Range,
  New Mexico
• Mr. Jeffrey Johnson
• Chief Science Officer, DTN/Meteorlogix

48
Lunch 1135 a.m. 100 p.m.
49
Session 6

• Weather Information Dissemination in Support of
  Effective Decision Making

• Mr. Dave Jones
• CEO, President and Founder of StormCenter
  Communications, Inc.

50
Session 6

• Mr. John Ogren
• Deputy Director, Central Region, NOAA National
  Weather Service
• Dr. Patrick Welsh
• Executive Director Advanced Weather Information
  Systems Laboratory, University of North Florida
  
• Mr. Dave Lusk
• Senior Manager, Global Operations Control, FedEx
  Express
• Mr. Paul Trotter
• Meteorologist-in-Charge, New Orleans/Baton Rouge
  WFO (Slidell) Louisiana
• Mr. Mike Steinberg
• Senior Vice-President, AccuWeather, Inc.

51
Break 230 p.m. 300 p.m.
52
Session 7

• Research to Operations The Pathway to
  Operational Implementation

• Mr. Richard Wagoner Deputy Director, Research
  Applications Laboratory, NCAR

53
Session 7

• Ms. Gloria Kulesa
• Program Manager, Weather Research and
  Development Program, Federal Aviation
  Administration
• Mr. Leland D. Smithson
• American Association of State Highway and
  Transportation Officials, Snow and Ice Pooled
  Fund Cooperative Program Coordinator
• Dr. Lars Peter Riishojgaard
• Director, Joint Center for Satellite Data
  Assimilation
• Dr. Walter D. Bach, Jr.
• Program Manager, Environmental Sciences
  Division, Army Research Office, United States
  Army
• Ms. Mary M. Cairns
• Senior Staff Meteorologist, Office of the
  Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services
  and Supporting Research

54

• Exhibits and Reception
• 500 700 PM

55
Session 8

• Keys to Success
• Creating Synergy in All Components of Surface
  Transportation Weather Applications

• Dr. Paul D. Try
• Senior Vice President, Science and Technology
  Corporation

56
Session 8

• Dr. Elbert W. (Joe) Friday
• Professor Emeritus, University of Oklahoma
• Dr. John T. Snow
• Professor of Meteorology, Dean, College of
  Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences, and
  Administrator, National Weather Center,
  University of Oklahoma
• Dr. Alexander E. (Sandy) MacDonald
• Deputy Assistant Administrator for NOAA Research
  Laboratories and Cooperative Institutes, and
  Director of the NOAA Earth System Research
  Laboratory
• Mr. Anthony T. (Tony) Furst
• Director, Office of Freight Management and
  Operations, and Acting Director, Office of
  Transportation Operations, Federal Highway
  Administration