7.0 Accomplishments and Lessons

The accomplishments of many of these TMCs toward the implementation of selected integration strategies are noteworthy and reflect management’s recognition of the critical importance of weather to their operations and a strong motivation to better position their operations to take advantage of improved access to weather information.

7.1 Accomplishments and Outcomes

All these TMCs can point to a common set of important accomplishments achieved through their participation in the weather information integration program, as follows.

Four comprehensive weather integration plans were prepared that serve not only to guide each TMCs future integration implementation efforts but also to offer clear examples for the benefit of other TMCs of weather integration across a range of strategies and under varying conditions.
Each TMC established, through participation in the weather integration process, new partnerships, both internal and external to their agency that served to enhance their overall operations, provide benefit to the traveling public, and chart a pathway to improved working relationships in the future.
TMCs acknowledged the importance of working closely with their counterparts in maintenance. Stronger relationships were established that will encourage collaborative activities and foster active sharing of weather information.
Awareness was raised at all levels of the DOT organizations involved, from TMC floor operators and field staff to upper management, of the potential role and value of weather information to enhance the quality and content of traffic operations, and the value of a more proactive stance with regard to managing their systems before, during and after weather events.

Specific accomplishments to each of the TMCs engaged in Phase III are summarized in Table 23.

Table 23. Summary of Accomplishments and Outcome Achievement among TMCs
Implementation Accomplishments	Anticipated Outcomes and Benefits
Phase II Site: Sacramento RTMC
Based on the self-evaluation process and recognizing the need for quality RWIS weather data, the RTMC recalibrated their RWIS equipment.	Increased operator confidence in the quality and accuracy of weather information coming from their RWIS stations.
Established an initial automated weather alert notification system.	As operators became more familiar with the alert system, the timing of message posting improved (i.e., messages were posted for higher percentages of time during event occurrence).
Established policy guidance for operators regarding which DMS to use for alerts coming from various RWIS locations.	Message posting better tracked the policy guidance over time, leading to more messages posted on appropriate DMS during weather events than before implementation.
Management awareness increased regarding the importance of providing operator training.	Training for operators increased, leading to greater operator understanding of the value of the alert system and the importance of consistent adherence to messaging policy.
Management learned how to fine tune the threshold and interval settings for the weather alerts.	Properly set thresholds yielded warnings and alerts that more accurately reflected actual weather conditions in the field Properly set alert intervals reduced the irritation to operators of receiving too many unnecessary warnings and alerts while assuring that the warnings and alerts that were issued were appropriate.
Experience with this initial alert system provided a foundation upon which management understood the need and value of improvements to their system.	The RTMC has very limited resources under the current economic conditions, but when resource availability improves, the RTMC intends to implement a new, expanded alert notification system. Overall, operator confidence in making proactive weather-based notifications to the traveling public has increased.
Phase III, Tier 1: Kansas City Scout TMC
Demonstrated advance notification of approaching weather events and presented through ATMS to operators as on-screen geo-located polygons.	Will guide the full integration of this capability within their ATMS. Enhanced operator awareness and preparedness to manage weather event information Timely issuance of weather advisory messages to the traveling public Enhanced traveler safety and mobility
Facilitated improved working relationships between TMC operations and maintenance	Maintenance representatives sit in the TMC at the “snow desk” during weather events and are able to maintain continuous radio communication with their trucks and plows and provide real time updates via MoDOT’s Winter Weather Event database. TMC operators and the maintenance representatives in the TMC actively share weather information through the ATMS and both have direct access to the CCTV images of changing road conditions.
Compiled all possible weather data sources for future integration into their ATMS.	Weather information ready for ATMS integration. Highly efficient TMC operations, with an ATMS that “pushes” weather data to the desktop, versus an operator having to “pull” in weather data. Enhanced advisory weather notifications to MoDOT and KDOT maintenance departments. DOT maintenance, partners, and public satisfied with TMC performance with regard to weather information management Better cross-agency and departmental communication and coordination. Proactive regional weather coordination for widespread, multi-state events. Ability to assess post-event data and identify trends, enabling new decision-making criteria for the TMC, its partners, and the traveling public.
Identified threshold levels for severe weather event triggers, allowing automated road segment specific weather condition alerts within their ATMS.	Future ATMS integration will utilize these thresholds to develop alert system. Efficient and timely assignment of motorist assist and emergency response resources to problem areas. Timely weather event creation and posting advisory messages. Timely and updated incident reporting and travel times posted to message signs. Timely on-scene response to weather incidents resulting in improved clearance times. Enhanced safety and mobility for maintenance crews and the traveling public.
Assessment of localized weather conditions by expert meteorologists in real time.	Improved interval assessment for start and end times of weather events. Efficient allocation of available resources during weather events. Potential for cost savings (staff time, materials, resources) and enhanced ability to modify staffing resources for anticipated weather events.
Approach developed to incorporate check boxes within ATMS for operators to provide timely reporting of weather event responses.	Approach will be included in future ATMS integration activity. Immediate post-event assessments of TMC efficiency and effectiveness. Improved public relations with partners and motorists during severe weather events. Enhanced agency and public satisfaction.
Phase III, Tier 1: Colorado Springs TMC
Identified new sources of weather information through contacts fostered with CDOT during the self-evaluation process.	CSTMC now receiving daily weather updates from the same source that has been used by CDOT but about which CSTMC had been unaware prior to the weather integration planning meetings.
The process of identifying the weather information integration strategies and tasks has led to refinements in CSTMC’s Concept of Operations and operating procedures related to weather	Awareness of the value of weather information and new ways to put that information to use in the CSTMC operations center has increased.
Established a plan and schedule for a pilot test of a signal timing plan, guided by weather information, in one of 16 city grid sections.	Demonstrate the effectiveness of a weather-responsive signal timing plan, and based on the pilot test results, extend to all districts in the CSTMC jurisdiction. Reduce the risk of intersection crashes and fatalities during adverse weather conditions. Increase the throughput in corridors covered by the new signal timing plan during adverse weather conditions.
Phase III, Tier 1: Louisiana Statewide TMC
Working through the Guide made the LATMC aware of the value of identifying and integrating into TMC operations all available weather information sources, such as MAP, State Police, and LSU (their RWIS).	When completed according to their plan, a weather information coordinator will be appointed, thereby facilitating a more proactive use of all available weather information to better manage traffic and inform the traveling public.
Awareness of the need to standardize policies and procedures to guide the flow of weather information and define weather advisory thresholds.	When completed according to their plan, these actions will help assure a consistent operational response to weather conditions throughout the state (across the multiple TMCs).
Prepared a strategy for overcoming DOTD’s reluctance to purchase new RWIS equipment that involves a small scale pilot test demonstration of the value of these systems.	This pilot test, if implemented as planned (requires obtaining funding for the test equipment), can demonstrate RWIS benefits exceed costs, especially in high weather risk locations such as the Atchafalaya Bridge, Bonne Carre Bridge, and Red River Bridge locations that are subject to severe fog events.
Phase III, Tier 2: Wyoming Statewide TMC
Expanding RWIS coverage throughout state, and multiple corridor RWIS projects.	Improved access to weather information.
Expanding vehicle weather data transmission to TMC from plows with AVL/MDC.	WYDOT expects challenges because the MDC component lacks a clear implementation strategy and integration with WYDOT’s AVL system.
Employed a part time, contracted meteorologist as the TMC weather information manager.	Assist TMC operators with professional interpretation of weather information and relevance to operational decisions.
Add VSL in four locations and continue to expand in statewide corridors.	Expanded weather information integration will support extension and operation of WYDOT’s VSL program.
Expand and enhance the weather alert notification system in phases.	This activity is expected to start this year, 2011, and will improve operational response to emerging weather conditions and provide timely notification to the traveling public.
Expand decision support tools, starting with VSL and moving to DMS recommendations.	This activity is expected to start this year, 2011, and will facilitate timely and effective decision making for TMC operations.

7.2 Lessons Learned

A review of the accomplishments achieved so far by the TMCs that have participated in the weather information integration program over the past six years illustrates a number of “success factors,” lessons, and remaining challenges based on these experiences that can be expected to be relevant for any TMC. Various lessons learned have been listed in the prior reports on the earlier phases of this project, and more recently based on the Sacramento RTMC implementation and evaluation of their weather alert notification system (see Section 4). The potential value of lessons from these experiences is tied to creating a wider awareness of the benefits of weather integration and engagement in a process to identify and deploy integration strategies that can improve the operations of TMCs across the country. The ultimate benefits of weather integration are the attainment of the goals of safety, mobility, and satisfaction for the traveling public. Broad lessons, common across each of the TMCs in this study, include the following:

TMC managers are not generally predisposed to seek out new ways to integrate weather information into their traffic operations, and often they are unaware of weather resources that exist within their broader agency. After participating in the self-evaluation and integration planning process, the TMCs in this study recognized the potential value offered by weather integration, but for the most part required considerable assistance in moving forward to incorporate new ways to integrate weather. Self-motivation sufficient to support achievement of real changes in operations based on weather integration, along with a clear understanding of the steps they needed to take, appears to be rare.
Resources, both financial and staff, constitute a serious challenge to the successful promotion of weather integration in TMCs. While this point has been made a number of times before, it deserves repeating. This is not just a temporary problem associated with particularly difficult economic conditions in many states. TMC personnel are so stretched to fulfill their daily obligations and tasks, that motivating them to take on a new set of tasks and responsibilities, including modifying policies and procedures to support new ways of operating with weather information, is very difficult. Although TMC managers and operators may agree that enhanced weather integration could help them better meet their operational needs and serve their traveling public, weather integration simply doesn’t represent a high enough priority for them among their many tasks.
While the weather integration project has focused on enhancing TMC operations, the process depends on teamwork not only within the TMC but also with other agencies and stakeholders. Many, though not all, TMCs have separate structures for their operations and maintenance components. The most effective weather integration implies a seamless sharing of information and decision making across operations and maintenance, but the historical arrangements in TMCs often present major institutional and cultural barriers that hinder information sharing. Engagement in the weather information integration project has helped overcome these barriers where they have existed, but the motivation for TMCs and State DOTs to make that happen is lacking.

In spite of many challenges, the TMCs that have been engaged in the integration project have achieved notable progress, as shown in Table 23 and discussed throughout this report. However, in order to successfully promote and achieve more widespread TMC engagement and accomplishment with weather information integration, a number of additional steps should be considered, as recommended in Section 8.