SNOW AND ICE DETECTION AND WARNING SYSTEMS

This report summarizes the activity of a 2-year program to evaluate commercially available ice and snow detection and warning systems. The objectives were to select and operationally evaluate a number of promising detector systems and to prepare a data base of motorist behavior in adverse conditions for use in a motorist warning system study to be conducted during the second year of the study. Three detector systems were selected for evaluation. A bridge in the High Sierra Mountains near Truckee, California, was selected for the test site and fully instrumented with the detectors, as well as speed and weather measurement stations. A computerized, fully automatic data acquisition system was used to provide 24-hour-per-day recording of all sensor and detector information. Three optimally placed speed traps provided an approach speed profile for each of some 50,000 vehicles, automatically classified as car or truck that approached the bridge. Data recordings was made across a wide spectrum of environmental conditions. Although motorist behavior was found to be significantly altered by varying weather conditions, the manually operated motorist warning system also produced significant alterations in behavior.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration.
• Corporate Authors:

  MB Associates

  P.O. Box 196, Bollinger Canyon Road
  San Ramon, CA  United States  94583
• Authors:
  • MacWhinney, R C
  • Lovell, E C
  • Ruden, R J
• Publication Date: 1975-8

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 171 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Behavior; Data collection; Detectors; Drivers; Snow and ice control; Studies; Traffic speed; Warning systems
• Old TRIS Terms: Speed studies
• Subject Areas: Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Operations and Traffic Management;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00144309
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA-RD-76- 25 Final Rpt.
• Contract Numbers: DOT-FH-11-8127
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 30 1977 12:00AM