Integration of Mobile Road Weather Information Systems into Winter Maintenance Operations in Fairbanks, Alaska

PI: Nathan Belz (UAF), npbelz@alaska.edu, ORCID: 0000-0003-0814-110X

Co PIs: none

AMOUNT & MATCH: $70,000 from PacTrans; $70,000 Match

PERFORMANCE PERIOD: 8/16/2020 – 8/15/2022

STATUS: Completed

CATEGORIES: Weather Information, Winter Maintenance and Operations

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DESCRIPTION: It is our supposition that mobile road weather information system (mRWIS) technologies can be used to provide critical information about road surface conditions and inform maintenance crews with regard to remnants of previous applications as well as the best course of action for retreatment. To that end, the primary goal of this project is to integrate mRWIS into Alaska DOT&PF maintenance operations (e.g., installed on maintenance and plow trucks) for real-time tracking of plow location, road condition, and estimated friction to improve decision making regarding ant-icing treatments. A more general objective of this project is to evaluate the efficacy and reliability of mobile road weather information systems (mRWIS) and their role in monitoring anti-icing applications, particularly the longevity of the application, and determine the extent to which mRWIS can be used as a decision making tool for anti-icing operations.

DELIVERABLE DUE DATE DATE RECEIVED
Research Project Progress Report #1 10/10/2021 10/19/2021
Research Project Progress Report #2 4/10/2022 4/24/2022
Research Project Progress Report #3 10/10/2022 9/29/2022
Research Project Progress Report #4 4/10/2023 N/A
No Cost Extension Request 6/15/2022 N/A
Draft Report 6/15/2022 1/5/2023
Final Project Report 8/15/2022 5/18/2023