Real User Friction for Winter Maintenance Operation and Evaluation, TPF-5(435), 2024

(2024) Real User Friction for Winter Maintenance Operation and Evaluation, TPF-5(435), 2024. Transportation, Department of

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Abstract

In winter season 2023–2024, Aurora program member states had the opportunity to evaluate connected vehicle friction measurement (CVFM) data provided by NIRA Dynamics’s connected vehicle (CV) fleet. A detailed analysis was conducted in Colorado, Pennsylvania, and Utah to evaluate how the CVFM data can be utilized in three use cases: variable speed limits (VSLs), chain laws, and winter maintenance forensics. For VSLs, a proof-of-concept friction signal was developed that proved capable of detecting slipperiness on the chosen corridors. A side-by-side comparison with historical speed restriction data demonstrated the value in utilizing a friction signal as an additional parameter for VSL decision-making. The friction signal algorithm was applied to the chain law use case and showed reliable performance on I-70 in Colorado. During snowstorms over the winter of 2024, the friction signal was able to detect the presence of low friction. Using the friction signal alongside existing weather data could improve methods for issuing chain restrictions. For winter maintenance forensics, several methods to measure a winter maintenance key performance indicator (KPI) using CVFM data were explored. Two methods used CVFM data to calculate KPIs for winter storm mitigation on individual roads, one providing an illustrative overview of the impact of a winter season on a road and one providing a detailed analysis of how CVFM reflects the impact of a snowstorm on a road stretch. A third approach involved calculating a KPI based on CVFM data during periods of snowfall for larger road networks. The KPI provided a reliable measure of how snowfall affects road networks and how maintenance work mitigates these effects. The results can be used for post-season evaluation of the maintenance work to find areas of improvement.