3 rd National Surface Transportation Weather Symposium

1. 3rd National Surface Transportation Weather Symposium Improving commerce and reducing deaths and injuries through innovative weather-related R&D and applications for the surface transportation system July 25, 2007

2. Welcoming Remarks Mr. Samuel P. Williamson Federal Coordinator for Meteorology Hosted by: Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research (OFCM)

3. Sponsors and Supporters Sponsors: • Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research (OFCM), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) • Road Weather Management Program , Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Professional Partners: • Surface Transportation Weather Task Force, Transportation Research Board • Intelligent Transportation Systems and Surface Transportation Committee, American Meteorological Society • Weather Information Applications Special Interest Group, ITS America

4. Overview • Special Welcome • Why We Are Here • WIST Improvements • Symposium Goals • Logistics & Ground Rules • Today’s Agenda • Keynote Address

5. Special Welcome Keynote Speaker Mr. Jeffrey N. Shane Undersecretary of Transportation for Policy, Department of Transportation

6. Special Welcome Keynote Speaker Vice Admiral Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., USN (Ret.) Undersecretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator

7. Special Welcome Keynote Speaker Dr. Gene Whitney Representing Dr. Sharon L. Hays Associate Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy

8. Why we are here… • Roadway: Over 6,442,000 vehicle crashes per year on average • More than 24% are weather-related (1.57 million) • More than 7,400 people killed & 670,000 people injured • ~25% of non-recurrent freeway delays are weather-related • Weather-related delay adds $3.4B to freight costs annually • Railway: 865 weather-related crashes between 1995 and 2005 • 8 deaths, 1,242 injuries, and $189M in property damages • Most crashes related to extreme temperature variations • Marine Transportation System: Between 1996 and 2000 • Weather-related causes accounted for 11% of marine transportation mishaps and 3.6% of all recreational boating mishaps

9. Why we are here… • Transit: National weather-related mishap statistics not available • However, overall safety incidents decreased from 2002 to 2004, by 32 fatalities and 278 injuries • Pipeline: In 2005, 4 weather-related fatalities and 14 injuries • Three fatalities were attributed to incidents caused by temperature and one to high winds • Airport Ground Operations: National statistics not available • There are anecdotal examples of weather’s impact • For example, all airport grounds operations cease when lightning is detected within a certain distance of an airport

10. WIST Improvements • Over 4 years ago, first report on improving surface transportation safety and efficiency with improved weather/climate information • 2002 WIST Report, Weather Information for Surface Transportation (WIST)—National Needs Assessment Report • Public, private, and academic coordination and collaboration on WIST programs has increased and may be starting to show progress

11. WIST Improvements • Data collection and incident monitoring is limited, however, available, raw data show that progress may be occurring. For example: • Roadways: • Weather-related roadway crash injuries declined 3.5% (21, 023 injuries) in the first 2 yrs following WIST Report release in 2002 • During the same period, vehicle-miles driven increased by 3.7% • The 21,023 fewer injuries equate to about $500M saved in direct and indirect economic consequences • Marine Transportation System: • From 2002 to 2004, weather-related recreational boating accidents decreased from 228, with 66 fatalities, to 178 with 43 fatalities • Since 2002, weather has dropped out of the Coast Guard’s “Top Ten Contributing Factors” for recreational accidents

12. WIST Improvements • Railway: • Annual average railway weather-related fatalities are much lower than roadways • Between 2002 and 2005, property damage attributed to weather-related railway accidents decreased by $1,016,378 • 511 and local TV/Radio broadcasts: • User surveys of State “511” road information services show that users use weather condition information for travel route planning • Local television and radio stations now routinely carry combined traffic and weather updates specific to their broadcast area • Trucking and automobile manufactures: • Some roadway freight lines are equipping their trucks to receive NOAA Weather Radio anywhere on the Nation’s highways • Automobile manufacturers equipping cars with radios that can receive NOAA Weather Radio

13. Symposium Goals • Articulate a clear observation strategy for surface transportation weather that defines the types of data that are needed and the optimal mix of observing platforms required to meet those needs.

14. Symposium Goals • Identify the priorities, challenges, and opportunities for research and development that will contribute to saving lives, reducing injuries, and improving efficiency in the Nation’s surface transportation infrastructure.

15. Symposium Goals • Define the needs for advanced computing capacity required for surface transportation weather modeling and for the assimilation of data from multiple data sources.

16. Symposium Goals • Identify the needs for new products and services driven by current operations or concepts for future surface transportation systems. • Are there existing capabilities or emerging research and development that can be leveraged and/or transitioned into operations to meet these needs? • How can probabilistic forecasts be used to meet these needs?

17. Symposium Goals • Investigate opportunities to document and substantiate the socioeconomic impacts of improved surface transportation weather products and services.  

18. Symposium Goals • Identify the potential and emerging information dissemination technologies available to get the “right message” to surface transportation weather stakeholders.

19. Symposium Goals • Establish partnerships with the stakeholder community to ensure that customers and stakeholders understand how to effectively use surface transportation weather products and services in their decision-making processes.

20. Logistics Chair: Mr. Samuel P. Williamson Conference Coordinators Media Coordinators Asst. Coordinator for Conference Arrangements Audiovisual Specialists Registrar Mr. Frank Estis Lt Col David Andrus Mr. Kent Laborde Lt Col David Andrus Ms. Erin McNamara Mr. Ken Barnett Mr. Tony Ramirez Ms. Dawn Erlich Ms. CathiKulat Ms. Carmelitta Riley

21. Logistics Presentation Timers Session Coordinators Rapporteurs Ms. Mary Cairns Mr. Floyd Hauth Mr. Mark Gunzelman Lt Col David Andrus Mr. Frank Estis Lt Col David Andrus Mr. Floyd Hauth Mr. Mark Gunzelman Dr. Betty Hearn Morrow Dr. Paul Try Ms. Mary Cairns Dr. Mark Weadon Mr. Frank Estis Mr. Donell Woods

22. Logistics Icebreaker and Exhibits Symposium Sessions Sheraton Premier at Tyson’s Corner

23. Ground Rules • Questions welcomed...time permitting • Significant issues reviewed daily at OFCM staff meeting • Results of discussions and any action items will be summarized during the final session

24. This Morning’s Agenda 9:00 AM Keynote Addresses 10:30 AM Break 11:00 AM Session 1: Improving Economic and Life Decisions: Social and Economic Impacts and Benefits Moderator: Dr. Denise Stephenson Hawk, NCAR 12:30 PM Lunch

25. This Afternoon’s Agenda 1:30 PM Session 2: Priorities for Surface Transportation Weather R&D Moderator: Ms. Mary Glackin, NOAA 3:00 PM Break 3:30 PM Session 3: Leveraging Related R&D Activities to Benefit Surface Transportation Moderator: Mr. Leon F. Osborne, Jr., Univ. of ND 5:00 PM Administrative Remarks 5:30 PM Icebreaker

26. Keynote Address Keynote Speaker Mr. Jeffrey N. Shane Undersecretary of Transportation for Policy, Department of Transportation

28. Keynote Address Keynote Speaker Vice Admiral Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., USN (Ret.) Undersecretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator

30. Keynote Address Keynote Speaker Dr. Gene Whitney Representing Dr. Sharon L. Hays Associate Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy

32. Break 10:30 – 11:00 a.m.

34. Session 1 Improving Economic and Life Decisions: Social and Economic Impacts and Benefits Dr. Denise Stephenson Hawk NCAR Associate Director and Director of the Societal-Environmental Research and Education Laboratory

35. Session 1 Dr. Christopher Cluett Battelle Memorial Institute, System Evaluation Mr. James Wright 511 Travel Information Service Coordinator, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Ms. Julie Demuth Associate Scientist, NCAR Societal Impacts Program/Institute for the Study of Society and Environment/Research Applications Laboratory Dr. Betty Hearn Morrow Consulting Sociologist

36. Lunch 12:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

37. Session 2 Priorities for Surface Transportation Weather R&D Ms. Mary Glackin Acting Assistant Administrator for Weather Services and Acting Director, National Weather Service National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminitration

38. Session 2 Dr. Nelson Keeler Director, Office of Aviation Programs, John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, Research and Innovative Technology Administration, U.S. DOT Ms. Shelley J. Row Director Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office, Research and Innovative Technology Administration, U.S. DOT Mr. Richard Edwing Marine Transportation System Program Manager, National Ocean Service, NOAA Dr. Alexander E. MacDonald Deputy Assistant Administrator for NOAA Research Laboratories and Cooperative Institutes, and Director of the NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory

39. Break 3:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

40. Session 3 Leveraging Related R&D Activities to Benefit Surface Transportation Mr. Leon F. Osborne, Jr. Professor – Atmospheric Sciences, University of North Dakota

41. Session 3 Mr. Kenneth M. Leonard Director, Aviation Weather Office, Operations Planning Services, Federal Aviation Administration Mr. Jay J. Adams Global Product Marketing Manager Entertainment and Communications at Delphi Mr. Mark Gunzelman Senior Scientist, Science and Technology Corporation Mr. Bob Dreisewerd Vice President and Director of Forecast Services, Baron Services Mr. Jon Pollack Vice-President GeoDecisions, Army’s IRRIS Program

42. Icebreaker 5:30 – 7:00 PM

43. Session 4 Observation Data Requirements for Surface Transportation Dr. Walter Dabberdt Director, Strategic Research, Vaisala Group

44. Session 4 Dr. Walter Dabberdt Director, Strategic Research, Vaisala Group Mr. Chris Bunce Manager, Geotechnical Engineering, Canadian Pacific Railway Mr. Paul A. Pisano Team Leader, Road Weather Management Program, Federal Highway Administration Dr. James O’Sullivan Program Manager, NOAA Surface Weather Program, and Acting Chief, NWS Observing Services Division Colonel Michael Babcock Deputy for Federal Programs, Directorate of Weather, United States Air Force

45. Break 9:35 a.m. – 10:05 a.m.

46. Session 5 Modeling and Prediction: Required Products and Services Mr. Kenneth Graham Chief, Meteorological Services Division, Office of Climate, Water and Weather Services, NOAA National Weather Service

47. Session 5 Dr. Stephen Lord, Director Environmental Modeling Center, National Centers for Environmental Prediction, NOAA National Weather Service Dr. Kevin Petty Scientific Program Manager, National Center for Atmospheric Research Mr. Ralph Patterson Traffic Operation Center (TOC), Utah DOT Dr. Richard Shirkey U.S. Army Research Laboratory, CISD/Battlefield Environment Division, White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico Mr. Jeffrey Johnson Chief Science Officer, DTN/Meteorlogix

48. Lunch 11:35 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

49. Session 6 Weather Information Dissemination in Support of Effective Decision Making Mr. Dave Jones CEO, President and Founder of StormCenter Communications, Inc.

50. Session 6 Mr. John Ogren Deputy Director, Central Region, NOAA National Weather Service Dr. Patrick Welsh Executive Director Advanced Weather Information Systems Laboratory, University of North Florida Mr. Dave Lusk Senior Manager, Global Operations Control, FedEx Express Mr. Paul Trotter Meteorologist-in-Charge, New Orleans/Baton Rouge WFO (Slidell) Louisiana Mr. Mike Steinberg Senior Vice-President, AccuWeather, Inc.