Center for Weather Impacts on Mobility and Safety (C-WIMS)/Center for Transportation Research and Education (CTRE) Overview of Weather Related R&D

Historically Partnership with Iowa DOT –Progressive winter maintenance program Concept Vehicle Weatherview Iowa MDSS evaluation Early weather impacts safety and mobility studies Aurora Program Management

Following the AMS and BASC Reports June, 2004 Iowa held a Weather Issues in Transportation meeting (Iowa DOT-FHWA- CTRE) –Over 100 representatives from throughout north America Transportation professionals Technology provider Enforcement DOT maintenance field staff FHWA Traffic operators Private carriers

Work Shop Recommendation Identified and ranked 25 research project/programs Called for the creation of a center to provide leadership for Midwest transportation weather research Issues –Reduction in safety and mobility impacts of weather –Provide leadership in the development of research agendas –Support a forum for unmet, high priority needs –Raise financial resources –Work with other universities to develop a competitive research program

Early projects Traffic Demand – Traffic Safety – Traffic Flow Relationships Travelers will defer and divert trips depending on the type of trip. Likelihood of Diversion Intercity trips Intracity discretionary trips Work trips Commercial vehicle trips

Traffic Flow Relationships Capacity = Max Flow Flow = Speed x Density Density = 1/Headway

Urban speed and capacity reductions Snowfalls & rainfalls of varying intensity Reduced visibility Head winds Cold weather

Safety

Relative Crash Severity

Safety Conclusions Drivers learn to driver over the winter weather season Winter weather crashes become more severe as: Urban Rural Lower Higher Classification Classification

Current projects Isolating crash hot spots Winter safety audits Measuring impacts of mitigation strategies