An original approach for choosing and developing decision-making support tools for winter maintenance Roussel, Jean-Jacques ; Tanguay, Jean
Language: English Language: French Series: ; topic II-39Publication details: XIth international winter road congress 2002. Sapporo [Japan] / XIe congres international de la viabilite hivernale 2002, Sapporo [Japon]. Paper, 2002Description: 7 sSubject(s): Bibl.nr: VTI 2002.0071Location: Abstract: Three years ago, the Ministere des Transports du Quebec decided to set up a network of road weather information systems throughout its provincial road network of 30,000 km. The associated problems were many: choice of technology, geographic realities, industrial support, implication of snow removal entrepreneurs, accompanying efforts to provide. With the help of an expert from France, the Infrastructure Operations Support Division of the Ministere des Transports developed an original approach. Beginning with a real needs analysis of the operational decision-makers, this approach is directed at optimising the ensemble of decision-making support tools. Five activities have been put together and proposed to the operational personnel of two pilot districts. An instrument for measuring the improvements made was developed, which was based on the perception of the operational decision makers' confidence. Following the one-year pilot project, numerous lessons can be drawn from each of the five activities: (1) with regards to the organisation: the pressure felt by the operational decision-makers is considerable and it is useless to hope for significant benefits if the major irritants are not dealt with; (2) with regards to training: a road weather information approach drastically changes the pragmatic road culture of the operational decision-makers. Substantial training efforts are necessary and should extend to the operators of winter maintenance materials; (3) with regards to weather forecasting: efforts to join together these two very different cultures (meteorology and winter maintenance) are truly beneficial. New concepts (climate zoning, representative point, weather types and reliability index) greatly improve the confidence that the operational decision-makers have in weather forecasting; (4) with regards to mobile road weather information systems: the decision to develop measuring technologies that would be installed on patrol vehicles (air temperature, relative humidity and dew point temperature, road surface temperature and a search for measuring adherence and residual salinity) was shown to be excellent. This decision enables appropriation of new concepts and new reading of the road by the patrols; and (5) with regards to stationary road weather information systems: no decision to use stationary systems in the pilot district has yet been made. The operational personnel do not feel ready to integrate these technologies in their decision-making process. Their spatial limits curb their desire to use them. The project will continue in 2001/2002 and we estimate that it could constitute an interesting methodological approach for those countries with only networks of stationary road weather information systems.Current library | Call number | Status | Date due | Barcode | |
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Statens väg- och transportforskningsinstitut | Available |
Three years ago, the Ministere des Transports du Quebec decided to set up a network of road weather information systems throughout its provincial road network of 30,000 km. The associated problems were many: choice of technology, geographic realities, industrial support, implication of snow removal entrepreneurs, accompanying efforts to provide. With the help of an expert from France, the Infrastructure Operations Support Division of the Ministere des Transports developed an original approach. Beginning with a real needs analysis of the operational decision-makers, this approach is directed at optimising the ensemble of decision-making support tools. Five activities have been put together and proposed to the operational personnel of two pilot districts. An instrument for measuring the improvements made was developed, which was based on the perception of the operational decision makers' confidence. Following the one-year pilot project, numerous lessons can be drawn from each of the five activities: (1) with regards to the organisation: the pressure felt by the operational decision-makers is considerable and it is useless to hope for significant benefits if the major irritants are not dealt with; (2) with regards to training: a road weather information approach drastically changes the pragmatic road culture of the operational decision-makers. Substantial training efforts are necessary and should extend to the operators of winter maintenance materials; (3) with regards to weather forecasting: efforts to join together these two very different cultures (meteorology and winter maintenance) are truly beneficial. New concepts (climate zoning, representative point, weather types and reliability index) greatly improve the confidence that the operational decision-makers have in weather forecasting; (4) with regards to mobile road weather information systems: the decision to develop measuring technologies that would be installed on patrol vehicles (air temperature, relative humidity and dew point temperature, road surface temperature and a search for measuring adherence and residual salinity) was shown to be excellent. This decision enables appropriation of new concepts and new reading of the road by the patrols; and (5) with regards to stationary road weather information systems: no decision to use stationary systems in the pilot district has yet been made. The operational personnel do not feel ready to integrate these technologies in their decision-making process. Their spatial limits curb their desire to use them. The project will continue in 2001/2002 and we estimate that it could constitute an interesting methodological approach for those countries with only networks of stationary road weather information systems.