U.S. DOT Issues Challenge to Do Something About the Weather

Everybody talks about the weather but nobody ever does anything about it, as the saying goes, but apparently the U.S. Government thinks all it takes is a little bit of financial incentive to get somebody to do something about it. The U.S. Department of Transportation plans to sponsor as many as seven “innovative ideas” for using the Clarus weather information system to improve roadway safety during severe weather. The DOT will provide up to $80,000 per award in the open competition.

Launched in 2004, Clarus provides near real-time atmospheric and pavement observations from more than 2,000 environmental sensor stations and 45,000 road sensors deployed by state departments of transportation. Clarus provides a comprehensive picture of the weather along the nation’s roads that is available to any user, at anytime, anywhere in the U.S.

“Nearly a quarter of all vehicle crashes happen when severe weather strikes, and many of those crashes can be prevented using available technology,” says U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “Having access to highly accurate, live weather information will raise the level of safety on our roads and save lives.”

Transportation managers and weather providers in 36 states and three Canadian provinces currently contribute data to Clarusand use it to make critical decisions. By offering researchers and other innovators full access to Clarus’ live weather data, RITA Administrator Peter Appel, administrator of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), believes that the DOT can tap into the program’s potential.

“Applications developed using Clarusdata could help someone decide not only whether to grab an umbrella, but also when they should travel and what routes they should take,” Appel says. “This competition will lead to new safety products and ideas that are bound only by the limits of our imagination.”

The Federal Highway Administration’s Road Weather Management Program, in conjunction with the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Joint Program Office, established the ClarusInitiative in 2004 to reduce the impact of adverse weather conditions on surface transportation users. Proposals will be accepted until April 14, 2010. Additional information on how to submit a proposal can be found at www.fbo.gov, Solicitation number DTFH61-10-R-00015.