CAIT project no.: 64 RU787
Fiscal Year: 1998/1999
Status: Final
Rutgers-CAIT Author(s): Kaan Ozbay, Thomas BonGiovanni, Jignesh Shah
External Author(s): Bernard O'Keefe
Sponsor(s): FHWA-USDOT, NJDOT
The objective of this study is to deploy an integrated weather/traffic detection system that can be used to gather information about adverse weather conditions such as fog, ice, rain, and snow and traffic conditions and then evaluate the deployed system. The system was successfully deployed and evaluated. The results of the evaluation based on the data provided to the research team are presented in the report. Functional requirements of the weather / traffic information system were developed. The system was then deployed at the site selected by NJDOT. Two separate workshops were conducted to train NJDOT personnel and to demonstrate system’s full availability. The availability of the system and the accuracy of the data were both evaluated and found satisfactory. Using the data that was made available to the research team, independent evaluation was also conducted to determine accuracy of the system in terms of the data it collects. The system data was determined to be accurate as a result of this evaluation effort. There were several important lessons learned in this project in terms of challenges faced during the installation of the system at a relatively remote location. These lessons were in terms of issues especially related to the power, communication, and long-term costs of maintaining and using the system. The most important lessons learned was the possibility of additional delays due to these issues when deploying Intelligent Transportation Systems and the need for considering fast changes in the technology. These lessons learned are described in detail in the Executive Summary as well as in the Conclusions section of the report.