Working together to advance Road Weather Information Systems (RWIS) technology

Aurora is an international partnership of public agencies who work together to perform

collaborative research activities, development, and deployment in

the area of road weather information systems (RWIS).

Ontario M of T Québec M of T Swedish NRA Alaska DOTPennsylvania DOT Virginia DOTMinnesota DOT Wisconsin DOTNew York DOT Illinois DOT Tennessee DOT Iowa DOTIndiana DOT

• Affiliates– US Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)– National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR)– American Meteorological Society– Meteorological Service of Canada– Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute– University of North Dakota– Pennsylvania State University– University of Minnesota– University of Gothenberg (Sweden)

• Completed Projects– RWIS Communications Standards – Adaptation of Swedish Local Climatological

Model in New Areas– Institutional Issues Committee– Road Weather Roadshow

• Completed Projects - continued– RWIS Data Integration and Sharing

Guidelines– Standardized Testing Methodologies for

Pavement Sensors– Expert System for Maintenance Decision

Support

• Information on completed projects can be found on the Aurora Program web site.

• Ongoing Projects – Equipment Evaluation– Guidelines for Testing, Installation,

Maintenance, and Calibration of Pavement Sensors

– Technology Transfer of Swedish RWIS to North America

– Temperature Sensor Accuracy– Affordable RWIS

• Ongoing Projects – Equipment Evaluation– Guidelines for Testing, Installation,

Maintenance, and Calibration of Pavement Sensors

– Technology Transfer of Swedish RWIS to North America

– Temperature Sensor Accuracy– Affordable RWIS– Off-The-Shelf Component RWIS

• Ongoing Projects – Standards / Architecture– Benchmarking the Performance of RWIS

Forecasts– Compilation of RWIS Specifications– Development of Road Weather ESS

Observation Systems

• Ongoing Projects – Decision Support– Expert System for Maintenance Decision

Support– Road Weather Training Program for

Improved Winter Response– RWIS Equipment Monitoring System

• Aurora also supports and participates in the MDSS effort

• Ongoing Projects – Information Outreach– Interjurisdictional Traveler Information

Exchange– Standardized Weather and Road Condition

Information Presentation

• Ongoing Projects – Information Outreach– Interjurisdictional Traveler Information

Exchange– Standardized Weather and Road Condition

Information Presentation– Computer-Based Training Development

• Ongoing Projects – Road Condition Monitoring– Color Video Camera Study– Investigation of the Variability of Snow

Cover Conditions– Intelligent Image-Based Winter Road

Conditions Sensor – Phases II and III

• Ongoing Projects – Modelling– Improved Frost Forecast Model

Aurora Program Web Site :http://www.aurora-

program.org