National Needs Assessment Report |
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FCM-R18-2002 |
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Surface
transportation in the United States faces significant weather threats
on a nearly continuous basis. This report provides a compilation of weather
information needs across the six surface transportation sectors--roadway,
railway, transit, marine transportation, pipeline systems, and airport
ground operations--and an analysis of these needs. The findings in the
report provide a framework for actions to substantially improve surface
transportation operations in the future. |
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Adobe
Acrobat (PDF) |
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The
WIST Report (10,137 KB) |
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By Section | ||||
Cover,
Foreword, Table of Contents (1,295 KB) |
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Executive
Summary (519 KB) |
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1. Introduction and Background (1,341 KB) | ||||
1.0 Introduction. | ||||
1.1 Why Should We Be Concerned? | ||||
1.1.1 Adverse Weather and the Nation’s Streets and Highways | ||||
1.1.2 Adverse Weather and Other Surface Transportation Sectors | ||||
1.2 Exposures, Threats, and Risks are Increasing | ||||
1.3 Meeting WIST Needs—The Time is Right! | ||||
1.3.1 The Potential for Existing and Emerging Technology to Meet WIST Needs | ||||
1.3.2 Expanding the Fundamental Knowledge Base for New Capabilities | ||||
1.3.3 Aviation Weather and Surface Transportation Weather | ||||
1.4 Roles and Responsibilities of Information Users and Providers | ||||
1.5 The Path Forward | ||||
1.5.1 Initial Endorsement for a Coordinated WIST Effort | ||||
1.5.2 FCMSSR Endorsement for Continuing the WIST Effort | ||||
1.5.3
Strategic Thrust Areas and Next Steps in the Coordinated WIST Effort |
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2. Needs Identification and Validation Process (744 KB) | ||||
2.0 Strategy | ||||
2.1 First WIST Symposium | ||||
2.2 Initial Information Gathering | ||||
2.3 Follow-up Survey | ||||
2.4 Data Extraction and Analysis for Summary WIST Needs Templates | ||||
2.5 Validation and Verification of Sector-Specific WIST Needs Templates | ||||
2.6 Second WIST Symposium | ||||
2.7 Special-Case Needs Validation Process | ||||
2.7.1 Long-Haul Railways Sector | ||||
2.7.2
Pipeline System Sector |
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3. Organizations Participating in WIST Validation (498 KB) | ||||
3.0 Overview | ||||
3.1 Federal Entities | ||||
3.1.1 Department of Transportation | ||||
3.1.2 Department of Energy | ||||
3.1.3 Department of Defense | ||||
3.1.4 Department of Commerce and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | ||||
3.1.5 Department of the Interior | ||||
3.1.6 Department of Agriculture | ||||
3.1.7 Other Federal Entities | ||||
3.2 State and Local Agencies | ||||
3.2.1 State Departments of Transportation | ||||
3.2.2 Rural and Urban Transit Authorities | ||||
3.2.3 Public School Districts | ||||
3.2.4
Regional Airports—Airport Ground Operations |
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4. WIST User Needs—Analysis and Conclusions (1,513 KB) | ||||
4.0 Overview | ||||
4.1 User Needs: General Conclusions from the WIST Study | ||||
4.1.1 Users Recognize the Value of Weather Information | ||||
4.1.2 Users Want Information Tailored to Their Activities | ||||
4.1.3 WIST Needs Cover a Variety of Weather Elements, User Activities, Thresholds and Lead Times | ||||
4.1.4 Users Differ in Their Knowledge of Weather Impacts and Awareness of WIST Sources | ||||
4.1.5 Significant Differences Exist Between and Within Transportation Sectors | ||||
4.2 Introduction to Sector-Specific Analyses of Weather Impacts, Mitigation Actions, and Information Needs | ||||
4.3 Roadway Sector | ||||
4.3.1 Sector Activities | ||||
4.3.2 Analysis of Activity–Elements | ||||
4.3.3 Impacts and Mitigation Actions, by Weather Element Group | ||||
4.4 Long-Haul Railway Sector | ||||
4.4.1 Sector Activities | ||||
4.4.2 Analysis of Activity–Elements | ||||
4.4.3 Impacts and Mitigation Actions, by Weather Element Group | ||||
4.5 The U.S. Marine Transportation System | ||||
4.5.1 Sector Activities | ||||
4.5.2 Analysis of Activity–Elements | ||||
4.5.3 Impacts and Mitigation Actions, by Weather Element Group | ||||
4.6 Pipeline Systems Sector | ||||
4.6.1 Sector Activities | ||||
4.6.2 Analysis of Activity–Elements | ||||
4.6.3 Impacts and Mitigation Actions, by Weather Element Group | ||||
4.7 Rural and Urban Transit Sector | ||||
4.7.1 Sector Activities | ||||
4.7.2 Analysis of Activity–Elements | ||||
4.7.3 Impacts and Mitigation Actions, by Weather Element Group | ||||
4.8 Airport Ground Operations | ||||
4.8.1 Sector Activities | ||||
4.8.2 Analysis of Activity–Elements | ||||
4.8.3 Impacts and Mitigation Actions, by Weather Element Group | ||||
4.9 Overarching Themes from the WIST Needs Identification and Validation Activity | ||||
4.10
Summary: Meeting the Needs and Addressing the Concerns of WIST User Communities |
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5. WIST Strategic Thrust Areas (978 KB) | ||||
5.0 Introduction | ||||
5.1 Strategic Thrust Area 1: Identifying and Specifying Gaps in Coverage of WIST User Needs | ||||
5.1.1 Barriers and Challenges in Identifying Unmet WIST User Needs | ||||
5.1.2 Next Steps for Strategic Thrust Area 1 | ||||
5.2 Strategic Thrust Area 2: Expanding Coordination Among WIST R&D Programs and WIST Providers | ||||
5.2.1 Barriers and Challenges to Expanded Coordination of WIST Efforts | ||||
5.2.2 Next Steps for Strategic Thrust Area 2 | ||||
5.3 Strategic Thrust Area 3: Clarifying and Defining Provider Roles and Responsibilities | ||||
5.3.1 Barriers and Challenges to Clearly Defined Roles and Responsibilities | ||||
5.3.2 Next Steps for Data Standards and a National Data Collection System | ||||
5.3.3 Next Steps for an Open Systems Approach for WIST | ||||
5.4 Strategic Thrust Area 4: Translating Research Results and New Technologies into WIST Applications | ||||
5.4.1 Highlights of Applied Research and New Technology with Near-Term Payoffs for WIST Users | ||||
5.4.2 Challenges to Current Technological Capabilities and Understanding | ||||
5.4.3 Opportunities in Current and Emerging Technologies | ||||
5.4.4 Next Steps for Strategic Thrust Area 4 | ||||
5.5 Strategic Thrust Area 5: Providing the Fundamental Knowledge to Support Future Technology Development and Application | ||||
5.5.1 Highlights of Longer-Term Research Topics | ||||
5.5.2 Barriers and Challenges | ||||
5.5.3 Next Step for Strategic Thrust Area 5 | ||||
5.6 Strategic Thrust Area 6: Expanding Outreach and Education | ||||
5.6.1 Barriers and Challenges in WIST Outreach | ||||
5.6.2 Next Steps for Strategic Thrust Area 6 | ||||
5.7
A Vision for Surface Transportation Weather in the Future |
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References
(94 KB) |
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Appendices | ||||
A. Entities Participating in WIST Needs Identification and Validation (129 KB) | ||||
B. WIST Needs Templates by Sector (73 KB) | ||||
B-1 Roadways (187 KB) | ||||
B-1.1 Federal Highways (147 KB) | ||||
B-2 Long Haul Railways (132 KB) | ||||
B-3 Marine Transportation System (129 KB) | ||||
B-4 Pipeline Systems (135 KB) | ||||
B-5 Rural and Urban Transit Systems (152 KB) | ||||
B-6 Airport Ground Operations (114 KB) | ||||
C. Abbreviations and Acronyms Listing (62 KB) | ||||
D. Glossary of Terms (150 KB) | ||||
E.
Weather Research and Technology Development Required to Meet WIST User Needs (117 KB) |
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F.
Federal Entities and Program Activities Relevant to WIST (353 KB) |
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Inside Back Cover and Back Cover (1,327 KB) | ||||
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