Really interesting interview from
@mikelaris
: After I-95 fiasco, a ‘road weather’ expert digs into snow, ice and jackknifed trucks:

After I-95 fiasco, a ‘road weather’ expert digs into snow, ice and jackknifed trucks
Andy Alden has explored the physics, environmental considerations and technologies affecting this specialized realm

Transportation

After I-95 fiasco, a ‘road weather’ expert digs into snow, ice and jackknifed trucks

Andy Alden has explored the physics, environmental considerations and technologies affecting this specialized realm

By Michael Laris
January 8, 2022 at 8:00 a.m. EST

Andy Alden saw the horrendous backups on Interstate 95 that started Monday with both professional detachment and an uncomfortable sense of recognition.

Alden is an expert in truck safety and “road weather,” which looks at conditions on roadway surfaces caused by things like snow and ice. He also was once stranded on an interstate near Memphis under similar conditions two decades ago.

As a senior research associate at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute working on freight, transit and heavy-vehicle safety, Alden has explored the physics, environmental considerations and technologies affecting this specialized realm.

As the Virginia Department of Transportation continues to review the I-95 incident, including what the agency on Friday called “performance gaps,” Alden spoke to The Washington Post about the broader factors that contribute to such a calamity. The interview was lightly edited for length and clarity.

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Michael Laris writes about the transformation of the U.S. transportation system. He has covered government accountability and was a reporter in Beijing. Twitter https://twitter.com/mikelaris