Overview
This document describes the Concept of Operations (ConOps) for a Weather Responsive Traveler Information System (Wx-TINFO) being developed in the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT). The purpose of this document is to describe the current systems and procedures used by the agency, and capture the needs and vision for the Wx-TINFO system and its operation.
The purpose of the Wx-TINFO project is to design a system that brings together neartime environmental/weather-related data collected from both fixed and mobile data sources. Initially, the information will be made available to the traveling public via MDOT’s ATMS roadside dynamic messages signs (DMS) and the Mi Drive website.
The project team developing the system is moving away from using multiple systems to provide manual weather-related advisories, to create a wholly integrated Wx-TINFO system. While Wx-TINFO will be designed to operate as a fully functional application, it will also be a part of the overall DUAP system. The data sources that are being utilized within Wx-TINFO are some of the same sources used for applications within DUAP. This concept fits with MDOT’s desire to define the data once, collect it continually, and use it many times for the benefit of the entire agency.
During the continual ingestion process, data will undergo numerous quality checking algorithms and other processes to ensure the validity of the information being presented. Other analytical logic will be employed to determine specific weather eventsindicated by everchanging conditions. These weather events will be compiled into files that are to be picked up automatically by the ATMS and made available to the ATMS operators.
The remaining sections of this document describe these concepts in greater detail.