|
June 2022
Road Weather Management (RWM) Program Update
Hello RWM Community!
We just received the exciting news that the National Transportation Communications for ITS Protocol (NTCIP) Environmental Sensor Station (ESS) Interface Protocol 1204 version 4 (NTCIP 1204 v04), a joint standard of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE), and National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) was published on April 1, 2022.
We hope you find this brief summary of the new standard informative,
David Johnson
FHWA Road Weather and Work Zone Management Team Leader
david.johnson@dot.gov
Tony Coventry
FHWA Road Weather Management Program Manager
tony.coventry@dot.gov
NTCIP 1204 v04 standardizes the communications interface for Road Weather Information System’s (RWIS) ESSs by identifying the various operational needs of the users and subsequently identifying the necessary requirements that support each need. It then defines the NTCIP standardized communications interface used to fulfill these requirements by identifying the dialogs and related data concepts that support each requirement. NTCIP 1204 v04 only addresses a subset of the requirements needed for procurement. It does not address requirements related to the performance of the sensors (e.g., accuracy, the supported detection range, the time it takes to detect conditions), hardware components, mounting details, etc.
For those who may be unfamiliar with the technology, the standard covers ESS which include a wide array of sensors, including those that monitor weather, roadway surface, water level, and air quality conditions. These sensors are typically connected to a nearby microprocessor termed a remote processor unit (RPU). An ESS consists of the RPU plus its suite of sensors. Typically, this equipment is fixed or permanently located at a site along a travel corridor. In some cases, the "stations" may be portable, or even mobile. For NTCIP 1204 v04 purposes, all three types of stations are called ESS. In the transportation community, these devices are frequently used to improve roadway maintenance and traffic operations. Environmental sensors are also frequently co-located with pavement treatment systems (PTS) and, in fact, may use the same controller. Thus, for NTCIP 1204 v04 purposes, the term ESS may also include a PTS. Note: The PTS portion of NTCIP 1204 v04 may be placed in a separate standard in the future.
|
 For additional information, please contact:
David Johnson, david.johnson@dot.gov
Tony Coventry, tony.coventry@dot.gov
FHWA Office of Operations
|
