Road-Weather Management | Safety and Incident Prevention | Regional and Statewide Coordination
Construction and Work Zone Management | Data Management | Asset Management | Enabling Activities
Road Weather Management Program Area
Road Weather Management is focused on managing weather related incidents, such as fog, flooding, wind, snow, and ice. This area includes measures to help improve safety during weather-related incidents and winter road maintenance, including snow plow operations, roadway treatments, and other snow and ice control activities. The area also includes systems to monitor environmental conditions and weather forecasts to support operations and disseminate weather related information to the traveling public.
Currently, the VDOT Transportation Emergency Operations Center (TEOC) collects and disseminates road and weather information using data collected from environmental sensors stations associated with RWIS. In addition to the current fixed sensor stations at the roadside, sensing of the roadway environment from sensor systems located on NRO maintenance and construction vehicles is planned.
The collected environmental data is used by NRO to make decisions on operations. Efforts are underway to enhance automated treatment systems such as treatments for fog dispersion, anti-icing chemicals, etc. When the environmental sensors detect adverse conditions, the automated treatment system will be activated and drivers will be notified of the system activation through dynamic message signs.
NRO is not responsible for snow removal or other maintenance activities. The district maintenance group will be responsible for clearing the roadway system during winter events. However, NRO can play a vital role by providing proactive information and decision-making support to the maintenance group based on awareness of traffic conditions. Similarly, by integrating road weather information into TOC operations, a more proactive advisory and control strategy can be adopted.
Strategies under road weather management also support emergency management and response functions (Program Area 3) and are driven by the statewide emergency response plan.
The following strategies carry out road weather management related activities:
- Automated Anti-Icing Systems
- Expand RWIS Network
- Snow and Ice Mobilization Plans
- Weather Responsive Traffic Management (WRTM)
Market Packages
The market packages most associated with road weather management include the following:
- MC03 - Road Weather Data Collection
- MC04 - Weather Information Processing and Dissemination
- MC05 - Roadway Automated Treatment
- MC06 - Winter Maintenance