Hazardous weather remains a significant risk for U.S. drivers, contributing to approximately 22% of all crashes: more than 1.25 million incidents, 445,000 injuries, and nearly 5,900 fatalities each year.*

Through integrated capabilities, we transform complex weather data into actionable insights that help keep travelers safe and transportation systems running efficiently:

• Operations and Decision Support
• Road Weather Artificial Intelligence
• Actionable Weather Guidance
• Weather Severity Indices
• Quality Control

Since the late 1990s, RAL has played a pivotal national role in uniting the surface transportation and weather communities to improve safety, efficiency, and mobility. Building on this foundation, we continue to work proactively with partners to advance a research agenda that addresses evolving national and international needs for more effective surface transportation weather services.

RAL is currently conducting surface transportation weather research in two main areas:

1. Maintenance Decision Support System (MDSS®)

   RAL will work to accelerate the adoption of the Maintenance Decision Support System (MDSS®) technology across the nation and internationally and extend this technology by developing transportation decision support systems focusing on traffic, incident, and emergency management and maintenance beyond snow and ice control.

2. Connected Vehicle Technology – Pikalert®

   RAL aims to become the central focus for research and development for the weather component of Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) intelligent transportation system.

Partners

• Battelle Memorial Institute
• Colorado DOT
• Denver International Airport (DIA)
• Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
• ICF International
• McFarland Management
• Michigan Tech
• Trihydro
• University of Nebraska
• University of Utah
• University of Wyoming
• Wyoming Department of Transportation

* Annual averages from approximately 2007-2016