How Data as a Service transformed winter road maintenance in McHenry County, Illinois

Customer: McHenry County Division of Transportation, Illinois  

Products: Vaisala Road Weather On-Demand (subscription of RWIS stations with data accessible in Xweather Horizon)

The McHenry County Division of Transportation serves over 310,000 residents in one of Illinois' largest and fastest-growing counties in the Chicago metropolitan area. The area sees almost 40 inches of snowfall each year and has a mix of high-traffic suburban and rural roadways. The region is bisected by a high-use interstate highway, and driving speeds are typically high. These and other factors mean that the McHenry County Division of Transportation (MCDOT) must monitor a large network of heterogeneous road types while reacting to fast-changing winter weather conditions influenced by nearby Lake Michigan.  

The MCDOT previously owned several fixed Road Weather Information System (RWIS) stations, which produced useful data but required substantial investment and maintenance. As those stations neared the end of their service lives, the MCDOT looked to Vaisala for a DaaS solution that could provide consistent performance and value well into the future.  

Vaisala provided a Data as a Service program, replacing the RWIS stations and delivering data to the DOT with improved uptime and availability. The DOT also gained a globally recognized partner to troubleshoot, strategize, and scale as needed.  

Since then, the DOT has:  

• Improved its liquid and salt application practices  
• Effectively leveraged grip ratings and optical data  
• Efficiently adjusted material mixtures to suit conditions, protect local aquifers and habitats, and preserve resources  

Mother Nature will always challenge us, but Vaisala Road Weather On-Demand gives agencies certainty and simplicity when they need them most. It is a modern, flexible solution that is responsive to today’s challenges — eliminating maintenance burdens and delivering the reliable data you need to act with confidence.

“In Winter 2020, we went with Vaisala’s DaaS program, and it took out a lot of stress. It was nice to know the RWIS systems were up and running at all times. All the data we get from the sensors are instrumental to help with decision making.” 

Ed Markison
Maintenance Superintendent, McHenry County Division of Transportation