Pathfinder Peer Exchange Webinar January 16, 2019 This webinar will be recorded.
Agenda • Pathfinder: National Experience – Roemer Alfelor, FHWA – Shawn DeVinny, NWS • NWP States Experiences, Outcomes and Impacts of Pathfinder – Minnesota DOT – Joe Huneke – Wyoming DOT – Gabe Gutierrez and Mark Heuer • Other NWP Related Experiences • Questions and Answers • Closing
Pathfinder Overview Roemer Alfelor (FHWA) Shawn DeVinny (NWS) January 16, 2019 3 North West Passage Peer Exchange Webinar
FHWA Every Day Counts (EDC) Program State-based model to identify and rapidly deploy proven but underutilized innovations to: ✓ shorten the project delivery process ✓ enhance roadway safety ✓ reduce congestion ✓ improve environmental sustainability ▪ EDC Rounds: 2-year cycles ▪ Currently 5 th Round (2019-2020) - 10 innovations ▪ To date: 4 Rounds, 46 innovations 4 4 Name of Event North West Passage Peer Exchange Webinar
EDC-4 Initiative (2017-2018) Weather Savvy Roads - Promotes adoption of two distinct road weather management solutions: (1) Pathfinder - brings together DOTs and the National Weather Service to provide consistent messaging on adverse weather and road conditions (2) Integrating Mobile Observations (IMO) - advanced vehicle-based technologies for road weather data collection and applications 5 5 Name of Event North West Passage Peer Exchange Webinar
Video overview Pathfinder https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bc_Vza30NfA 6 6 Name of Event North West Passage Peer Exchange Webinar
Pathfinder in a Nutshell • Collaboration between the National Weather Service (NWS), State DOTs, and support contractors to share and translate forecasts into consistent public transportation impact messages • Disseminates road weather information that is: – clear, – concise, – consistent, and – impact-based. 7 7 Name of Event North West Passage Peer Exchange Webinar
Pathfinder Guidelines • Describes 8 basic steps and associated requirements • Provides examples from State DOT implementations • Companion workbook walks team through the implementation process 1 2 3 4 Determine Select Establish Point Qualifying Communication Person at Each Identify Partners Collaboration Mediums and Set Participating Events Procedures Entity 5 6 7 8 Establish Conduct Post Synchronize Create Shared Definitions and Event Review Forecast Impact Message Create Shared and Data Schedules for the Public Resources Archiving 8 8 Name of Event North West Passage Peer Exchange Webinar
Pathfinder Deployment States Washington North Dakota Montana Minnesota Vermont Maine Wisconsin South Dakota Oregon Idaho N.H. Wyoming Michigan New York . . Mass Iowa Nebraska Conn. Rhode. I. Pennsylvania Illinois Ohio Indiana Nevada Utah N.J Colorado West Kansas Delaware Missouri Virginia Maryland Kentucky Virginia California District of Columbia Tennessee North Carolina Oklahoma Arkansas New South Arizona Mexico Carolina Mississippi Georgia Alabama Texas Louisiana Virgin Is. Pathfinder Hawaii Florida Alaska Adoption (21) Puerto Rico Active but not adopting Under EDC-4 Not Implementing 9 Name of Event North West Passage Peer Exchange Webinar
Utah DOT Pathfinder Implementation Outcomes • Well forecasted, unified messages • Reduction in VMT during snow events • Public is more apt to modify their travel plans ▪ Changed schedule ▪ Changed route ▪ Did not travel ▪ Used transit • Trust is built among the public if all sources state the same road impacts • DOT Maintenance is more effective, with less congestion on the roads • Improved safety and mobility overall 10 10 Name of Event North West Passage Peer Exchange Webinar
NWS-Utah DOT Collaboration Website 11 11 Name of Event North West Passage Peer Exchange Webinar
WSR (PF and IMO) Toolkit Access the toolkit from FHWA’s Road Weather Management Exchange Website! https://go.usa.gov/xnSqy 12 12 Name of Event North West Passage Peer Exchange Webinar
NWS-FHWA Partnership 13 13 Name of Event North West Passage Peer Exchange Webinar
The NWS Role WILL • Help understand the evolution, timing and impacts of hazardous weather events WILL NOT • Forecast road/pavement conditions nor provide decision assistance for road treatment options • Provide roadway specific forecasts (e.g. amount of snow accumulation on roadways, road surface temperatures). • Run specialized road weather modelling for public dissemination. • Provide public facing road hazard mapping 14 14 Name of Event North West Passage Peer Exchange Webinar
NWS Products/Services NWS WEATHER UPDATES – Watches/Warnings/Advisories • Winter Storm • Ice Storm • High Wind – Forecasts and evolution – Expected Impacts NWS CHATS – Chatrooms dedicated to Pathfinder Collaboration 15 15 Name of Event North West Passage Peer Exchange Webinar
Contacts Federal Highway Administration • Paul Pisano Paul.Pisano@dot.gov • Roemer Alfelor Roemer.Alfelor@dot.gov • Gabe Guevara Gabriel.Guevara@dot.gov • Ray Murphy Ray.Murphy@dot.gov National Weather Service • Roham Abtahi Roham.Abtahi@noaa.gov • Shawn DeVinny Shawn.DeVinny@noaa.gov 16 16 Name of Event North West Passage Peer Exchange Webinar
Minnesota Pathfinder Joe Huneke| Road Weather Technology Section Supervisor January 16, 2019
Minnesota Pathfinder • MnDOT signed up as part of Every Day Counts (EDC-4) Weather Savvy Roads Initiative • Pathfinder workshop was held September 2017 • Workshop consisted of reviewing current practices and possible Pathfinder situations • A plan was developed to implement Pathfinder practices for the winter of (2017/2018) • Identified stakeholders 1/23/2019 18
Stakeholders • MnDOT Maintenance Operations • Regional Transportation Management Center (RTMC) • National Weather Service (6 NWS offices) • Iteris (private weather forecaster) • MnDOT Office of Communications (Central, and District offices) 1/23/2019 19
Getting Started • With the guidance of NWS office a Minnesota Pathfinder chatroom and training was created • MnDOT Pathfinder Implementation Team promoted participation in chatroom within MnDOT Maintenance operations • Worked with RTMC to provide direction on Changeable Message Signs (CMS’s) • Criteria was established as to when a Pathfinder Weather Briefing was to be held 1/23/2019 20
Pathfinder Weather Briefings • MnDOT Pathfinder Coordinator collaborates with NWS and Iteris • Follow suggested criteria for winter storm warnings/blizzards that will have a high travel impact • Time of day: • 11:00 AM • 3:00 PM • Other times determined by need and or special situations 1/23/2019 21
Weather Briefing Agenda • Agenda for the call: • Pathfinder Coordinator will moderate the call • NWS will brief on the forecast • Iteris will brief on the Road Weather impacts • Questions should be asked to NWS & Iteris at this point • Traffic Operations will brief on the CMS deployment • Districts/Maintenance affected by warning will brief on their deployment plan • Communications will share there plan of public outreach strategies • Any others will be given time to discuss anything else pertinent to the call 1/23/2019 22
MnDOT Pathfinder Benefits • Developed a great working relationship with NWS offices • Collaboration between MnDOT, Iteris, and NWS in Pathfinder Chatroom • Maintenance Operations personnel have become accustomed to using Pathfinder Chatroom • Forecasters value feedback from Maintenance Operations personnel in the field • Positive conversation has enhanced the Pathfinder Program 1/23/2019 23
Thank you again! For more information on Minnesota Pathfinder Kathleen Schmidt kitty.Schmidt@state.mn.us Joe Huneke joseph.Huneke@state.mn.us 1/23/2019 24
Gabe Gutierrez: TMC Quality Control Analyst Mark Heuer: DayWeather Meteorlogist
To create site specific, pre-event DMS messages for weather events that will impact the traveling public.
Dense Fog Winter Weather Events (Heavy impacts, but not at Warning Levels) Winter Storm Warnings Blizzard Warnings Snow SqualWarnings High Wind Events
DayWeather Meteorologist submits a form to the TMC with current times and locations of the event TMC Operators update the DMS.
When a TMC operator posts ANY conditions on the DMS that warrants the use of flashing beacons ▪ If conditions are that bad, we should avoid distracting drivers with extra information that will be no use to them during the storm event.
When there is high confidence from the Day Weather Meteorologist, or reports from NWS of wind events that will carry WIND GUSTS of 60+ MPH in “Light/High Profile Vehicle Closure” zones.
Continuity of information ▪ If the time or impacts of the storm is adjusted by the NWS or the TMC meteorologist, the operators must update their DMS to reflect. ▪ The forecasted weather did not live up to expectations. ▪ We try to make sure the Pathfinder messages are only activated for weather events that will have “high” impacts to travel.
Gabriel.Gutierrez@wyo.gov
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