The West Virginia Department of Transportation (WVDOT) has signed a $4.7 million contract to upgrade and install Road Weather Information System (RWIS) stations across the state.
The state has contracted with Specialty Groups, Inc., on the new RWIS stations, which collect data on weather and road conditions and transmit it to the WVDOT’s Traffic Management Center (TMC). The data collected enables WVDOT to quickly alert drivers about adverse weather conditions in real-time and improve safety on the roads.
“Making sure our weather stations have the most updated technology to provide accurate information is important to everyone traveling in West Virginia,” Gov. Jim Justice said. “Safety is a top priority, and this funding is really going to help us keep our citizens informed about any potential dangers on the roads before they happen. We want everyone traveling in West Virginia to feel secure and prepared.”
WVDOT said that RWIS is a component of its overall Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) program. RWIS stations provide WVDOT with the ability to more effectively manage state roadways and communicate information to users on WV 511 and other platforms regarding local weather conditions and their effects on the roadways.
“RWIS is an excellent example of how the WVDOT can utilize technology to have instant access to information about local conditions to make decisions that will result in more effective management of the roadway system and provide important and timely information to motorists,” Ted Whitmore, P.E., director of the WVDOT’s Traffic Engineering Division, said.
WVDOT added that the collected data helps the department more efficiently optimize snow removal and ice control operations, identify weather and roadway conditions of concern and interest to motorists, and create site-specific forecasts for specific sections of highway. Additionally, data collected by RWIS stations is also provided to third parties, such as the National Weather Service, for weather monitoring and forecasting purposes.
