Best Practices for Road Weather Management Version 3.0: Colorado DOT Variable Speed Management System

Details

• Corporate Creators:
  United States. Federal Highway Administration
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  • Road weather information systems
  • Weather conditions
  • Weather forecasting
  • Variable speed limits
  • Temperature sensors
  • Wet weather
• Resource Type:
  Brief
• Geographical Coverage:
  United States;Colorado
• Corporate Publisher:
  United States. Federal Highway Administration
• Abstract:
  Colorado State Highway 82, in Snowmass Canyon (between Aspen, CO and Glenwood Springs, CO) is composed of an elevated southbound roadway that shades the northbound roadway during certain times of the day causing rapidly changing freezing conditions. The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) installed the Variable Speed Management System which consists of a complete Road Weather Information System (RWIS), using newly developed non-intrusive pavement weather sensor technology. The pavement sensors monitor traction/friction conditions in the area that is shaded, and allow for alerts when conditions warrant. The system is capable of monitoring wet conditions, wet conditions with traction loss as freezing begins, and snow and ice conditions. The system wirelessly communicates to a single variable message sign (VMS) and a single variable speed sign (VSS) that are located nearly a mile in advance of this northbound section of highway in Snowmass Canyon (see Figures CO-3 and CO-4).
• Format:
  PDF
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/63461/dot_63461_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 70.55 KB]
• Collection(s):
  Federal Highway Administration
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:d87819ba710d8e0f619e25c24e3668a0305daee894203803e71a1a55cce99537d185e7d2a9d6d977d505b92b9ee2f4c6e57ac8569d91e89f5fc981423ac4164f