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UDOT’S Weather Operations RWIS Program. Ralph Patterson Weather Operations/RWIS Manager. Brief Overview of the Weather Ops Group Cost Benefits Points for Discussion Partnerships. Weather Operations Two Main Components:. ITS/RWIS Meteorologists.
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UDOT’S Weather Operations RWIS Program Ralph Patterson Weather Operations/RWIS Manager
Brief Overview of the Weather Ops Group • Cost Benefits • Points for Discussion • Partnerships
Weather OperationsTwo Main Components: ITS/RWIS Meteorologists
TOC Meteorologists • On-site Consultant Meteorologists • Staffed 24/7 • 3,500+ phone calls/winter • Alerts via radio/phone • One on one service
Weather Briefings • TOC/ Operations Personnel • Engineers/Managers • Traveler Information • Signal Engineers • Field Operations • Handle all weather related aspects of operations
Year-round Meteorological Support • Winter Maintenance • Construction • Road Rehab • Landscaping • Planning • Highway Avalanche Safety Program • Risk Management • Training • TOC Operations • Hydrology/Flooding • Fire Weather • Signal Timing Group • Forensic Work • UHP
Benefit Cost Study Western Transportation Institute • Conclusions • 90% High Approval Rating on Service • 80% Changed Approach to Winter Maintenance • Request from the maintenance sheds for an increase in TOC Meteorologist coverage • Conservative Benefit to Cost Ratio of 10-1, With an Estimated Savings to UDOT of $2-3 Million Annually … real dollars • ITS America 2007 Award for Best Return on Investment
UDOT Operations Meteorologists Technology Points For Discussion Weather Operations • Year-round focus • Increase support for Meteorologists in DOT operations Technology wish list • Full suite of Radar data access • Meso scale models • PBL profilers • Remote sensing Forecasting • Probabilistic vs deterministic • Human intellect
Partnerships • Private Sector • National Weather Service • USDA Avalanche Forecast Center • River Forecast Center • Dept of Energy • Tooele County EOC • Aurora Group • University of Utah • Utah State University • SLC International Airport • FHWA