Arlington Heights Striving to Make Winter Driving Safer

A Road Weather Information System would be a good tool to have during this week’s winter weather, but Arlington Heights will have to wait a bit to unveil its system.

Arlington Heights will be purchasing a $65,000 Road Weather Information System (RWIS) to install at four locations in the village. The RWIS provides data about pavement and air temperatures and wind speed and direction, Operations Director Mike Reynolds said.

Even more importantly, the RWIS can sense if the pavement is wet dry or icy, he said.

Public Works would be able to use crews more efficiently during winter storms by sending trucks out to the intersections that need salt or to be plowed, Reynolds said.

RWIS equipment is slated for the intersections of Wilke Road and White Oak street and Windsor and Valley Roads.

Arlington Heights has almost 200 miles of streets so the village needs to know what is happening on those roads, Village Manager Bill Dixon said.

“It really is just another tool in our ongoing efforts to control and keep streets safe,” Dixon said.

McHenry County Highway Department, the Illinois Tollway and the Illinois Department of Transportation use similar systems, he said.

Arlington Heights will be purchasing the system from Traffic Control Corporation, of Woodridge, after the village board Monday approved the company’s bid.