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3 3 APPENDIX B The Process Multimodal Transportation Requirements for Geospatial Information Infrastructure PROJECT ORGANIZER: TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD The Transportation Research Board is a unit of the National Research Council, a private, nonprofit insti- tution that is the principal operating agency of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering. The Boardâs mission is to promote innovation and progress in transportation by stimulating and conducting research, facilitating the dissemination of information, and encouraging the implementation of research results. A committee (see Committee Member Biographical Information) was formed to address the mission and objectives of this project and to plan and conduct a series of three workshops. SPONSOR: BUREAU OF TRANSPORTATION STATISTICS The mission of the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) is to lead in developing high-quality transporta- tion data and information and to advance their effective use in transportation decision making. BTS supple- ments the data collection programs of other agencies and serves as the lead agency in developing and coordi- nating intermodal transportation statistics. Dr. Ashish Sen, previous Director of BTS, noted that BTS is the lead agency for geographic information within the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT). He charged the steering committee at the outset of the project and was a participant in the workshops. COSPONSOR: AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF STATE HIGHWAY AND TRANSPORTATON OFFICIALS The American Association of State Highway and Trans- portation Officials, which cosponsored the three work- shops, is a nonprofit, nonpartisan association representing highway and transportation departments in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. It is the only national public-sector association that represents all five transportation modes: air, highways, public transportation (bus and rail transit), rail, and water. Its primary goal is to foster the development, operation, and maintenance of an integrated national transportation system. MISSION This initiative seeks to identify common issues among transportation modes and recommend areas where joint development of data, tools, and organizational capabilities could improve collective capabilities. OBJECTIVES ⢠Characterize the current practice in geospatial information technologies in transportation organizations.
⢠Identify problems and opportunities in coordina- tion, communication, and cooperation on geospatial information among transportation modes. ⢠Suggest mechanisms for the development, man- agement, and coordination of geospatial information technologies throughout USDOT. ⢠Recommend approaches for enhancing geospatial information within transportation organizations. APPROACH The objective of this project (study) is to review current practice in geospatial information technology, examine the problems and opportunities among transportation modes, and seek ways to develop improved communica- tion and coordination among transportation agencies. The intent is to shift the focus of transportation agencies at the federal, state, and local levels from their current emphasis on single modes to the performance of all modes. This approach is essential in accommodating expected growth in passenger and freight transportation. The project was organized around workshops held in three cities during 2002. The first workshop, held in Chicago, Illinois, May 2â3, 2002, examined the role of geospatial data in the project delivery process. The sec- ond workshop, held in Seattle, Washington, June 13â14, 2002, focused on safety, security, and mobility. In each of these workshops, Ashish Sen, Director of BTS, provided guidance to the participants, committee members provided background material on the state of the art, and speakers representing the specific subject matter (including mode, organization, and discipline) were invited to present their perspective on the use of geospatial technology. The third workshop, held in Washington, D.C., October 22â23, 2002, reviewed cur- rent activities of the modal administrations within USDOT in utilizing the Global Positioning System, geo- graphic information systems, and remote-sensing soft- ware. Representatives of each modal administration were invited to present their perspectives. Each work- shop included ample time for discussion of the issues through breakout sessions designed to provide feedback to the committee. The committee met December 3â4, 2002, to review the workshop results and draft a summary report to address the mission and objectives of the project. This document is the result of that meeting. 3 4 GEOSPATIAL INFORMATION INFRASTRUCTURE FOR TRANSPORTATION ORGANIZATIONS
