Toward Zero Deaths: Making the Traveling Public Safer through a Partnership between the National Weather Service and the Idaho Transportation Department

Winter weather conditions can double traffic accidents and have a significant impact on travel, commercial transportation and interstate commerce. The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) estimates that travel delays and accidents due to poor visibility and snowy and icy road conditions result in a state-wide economic impact of over 40 million dollars each winter. In addition, some local communities are required to implement emergency response plans and open local shelters to house stranded travelers due to the lack of lodging facilities.

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Pocatello has partnered with the ITD to establish mechanisms for real-time, bidirectional information sharing. More efficient exchange of information has helped ITD decision makers, enhanced situational awareness for forecasters, and better prepared travelers for weather and road conditions during significant weather events. This presentation will demonstrate efforts to integrate weather information with identified high impact areas to enhance decision support services to ITD decision makers, local communities and users of Idaho’s roadways. Through this partnership, ITD has developed a Mobility Index and Winter Performance Index to track their success.