In Yakima, Washington, the deployment of a Traveler Information System cost $333,000.

Providing road weather and road condition information to the regional Transportation Management Center and the public

Made Public Date
01/02/2013
Identifier
2012-SC00256
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Summary Information

WSDOT's South Central Region proposed a project to install a Highway Advisory Radio (HAR) station in the Yakima area and a road weather information system (RWIS) station in the vicinity of South Umtanum Ridge. The Yakima area HAR station would provide information on road and weather conditions that will help motorists decide whether to divert to a different route. This project consisted of the following devices and communications components.

  • An RWIS station and a closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera at the westbound Selah Rest Area on I-82, mile post (MP) 22.
  • A CCTV camera at the I-82/US-12 interchange, I-82 MP 31.37
  • An HAR station on I-82 MP 36.5
  • A HAR repeater on I-82, MP 31.0 and associated flashing beacons on US-12, SR 24, and I-82/US-97
  • Microwave communications from the South Central Region Transportation Management Center at Union Gap to Lookout Point
  • A multipoint radio from Lookout Point to the Yakima and Selah valleys
  • A high speed microwave connection to the HAR and variable message sign (VMS) in Selah
  • Actuated flashing beacons for a HAR station on US-12 near Naches.

The only component that has been a problem, so far, is the RWIS installation roadway sensor that determines pavement temperature and chemical concentrations. Every time the road is paved, this sensor is destroyed. It costs $6,000 to $10,000 to replace, and this cost is typically included in the cost of the paving project.