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