Clarus Nationwide Surface Transportation Weather Observing

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ClarusNationwide Surface Transportation Weather
Observing Forecasting System

Paul Pisano Team LeaderRoad Weather
Management Office of Transportation
Operations Federal Highway Administration
James Pol, PE ITS Coordinator ITS Joint Program
Office U.S. Department of Transportation
OFCM CEISC Briefing November 30, 2004
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USDOT ITS Initiatives
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Changing Current Practices

• Weather products today generally are insufficient
  for transportation operations
• Too generalized
• DOTs investment in road observations
• Surface weather forecasting benefits from more
  data from more sources
• Ground observations are plentiful, but not
  managed to form coherent picture
• Managing all available ground data yields new
  products

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What is Clarus?

• What
• Demonstration of a regional road weather
  observational data management and forecasting
  system partnership to establish a nationwide
  road weather observation network.
• Why
• To reduce the impact of adverse weather for all
  road and transit users and operators.

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Why now?
Growing demands for specific road weather
products to offset safety impacts and impeded
mobility
New products and services for shared goals
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Unlimited Possibilities!
Spawn New technologies (in vehicle, PDA)
Add Detail to HAR VMS
Route Specific Radio TV Broadcasts of Travel
Conditions
Clarus
Enhanced decision making tools
Credible Precise Travel Advice
Create New and More Effective Ways to Convey
Surface Transportation Weather Information
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Who will benefit from Clarus?

• State and Municipal DOTs (Traffic Maintenance
  Mgrs.)
• Public Weather Forecasting Agencies (NOAA/NWS)
• Public Weather Consumer Agencies (USDA, DHS,
  DOD)
• Private Weather Information Providers (data
  forecasts)
• Electronic Print Media (traffic reporters, USA
  Today)
• Road Users (Commuters, Tourists, CVO/Truckers)
• New innovations/VII (e.g., OnStar)
• Mass Transit
• Rail
• General Public

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Challenges to Address

• Broader modernization efforts within NWS/NOAA
• Data ownership licensing
• VII and other emerging technology
• Institutional barriers for sharing
• Liability

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Clarus Roadmap Overview
FY04 FY05 FY06 FY07 FY08 FY09
Stakeholder Coordination
Track 1
System Design
Track 2
Multi-State Regional Demonstration
Track 3
Final Design, Model Deployment
Track 4
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Stakeholder Coordination

• Purpose
• Promote multilateral stakeholder ownership,
  consensus in design build partnerships.
• Activities
• Establish partnership with NOAA
• Create Interagency Coordinating Committee
• Directly engage stakeholders at key decision
  points and throughout the initiative
• Source of interdisciplinary expertise for design
  reviews and guidance
• Transportation Weather Private Sector

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System Design

• Purpose
• Establish data management for road weather
  observations and forecasts that serve the needs
  of disparate user communities.
• Activities
• Create concept of operations
• Identify possible constraints
• Integrate state road weather data with NOAA data
• Create engineering design documentation

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Multi-State RegionalDemonstration

• Purpose
• Achieve regional multi-state collection with
  quality control and enhanced forecasting
  capabilities.
• Activities
• Selection criteria location selection
• Leverage VII proof of concept test to fully
  exploit VII capabilities to deliver real-time
  data
• Develop regional system design
• Implement multi-state regional demonstration
• Evaluate demonstration

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Final Design, Model Deployment

• Purpose
• Establish package of products that are readily
  implemented by stakeholders and that are solely
  supported by the stakeholders.
• Activities
• Develop enhanced system design
• Design implement a more robust Internet data
  portal with hooks for new technologies such as
  CCTV VII
• Implement enhanced demonstration evaluation
• Create revised regional and nationwide Clarus
  system design
• Document all lessons learned and design guidance

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Where we are now

• Concept of Operations Development
• Identified user needs
• Developing Operational Scenarios
• General Information requirements
• System Design Procurement
• Proposals due next month
• Completion within 20 months
• http//www.clarusinitiative.org

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Achievements through Clarus

• Enhanced forecasting for surface transportation
• Stable, reliable access to road weather
  information and other weather sources
• Broadened participation for NOAA/NWS in surface
  transportation weather
• A regional model deployment of the observation
  data-sharing network and a suite of forecasting
  tools enabled through the Clarus system design