Idaho, like many other states, relies on road weather information systems (RWIS) for site specific condition data. Road and weather data obtained from RWIS is especially helpful to maintenance personnel during the winter months when this information is used for such activities as pre-treating roads, plowing, and anticipating winter storms. However, the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) recognizes that to provide personnel with the road condition and weather information necessary to make good maintenance decisions requires access to a number of additional data resources beyond RWIS.

The ITD is spearheading a project to develop a Web site that provides maintenance personnel with a “one-stop” access point for weather and road condition data in Idaho and within a 100 mile boundary of neighboring states. Currently, maintenance personnel use RWIS (only accessible via the ITD’s Intranet) and disparate weather sources ranging from radar images to avalanche reports to assist in their decision-making process. The project anticipates using existing data sources such as the National Weather Service forecasts, Mesowest (University of Utah integrated weather system), and RWIS data from neighboring states.
 

A number of challenges face this project, the first (and most difficult) being the issue of integrating different vendor RWIS technologies. Other challenges include identifying the best data sources available for road and weather data and presenting information to end users in a simple and effective manner. While it may initially appear straightforward, the project strives to utilize to the fullest extent current National Transportation Communications for Intelligent transportation systems Protocol (NTCIP) standards (specifically the environment sensing stations portion), to redefine the ITD’s RWIS procurement specifications to allow for integration of future systems, and to design a system that allows for future growth and compatibility with other intelligent transportation systems applications. The ITD also plans to develop a Web site (using the same data sources) geared towards the traveling public.

For more information on RWIS, please contact: