Location data is the central focus of information collected and utilized by modern transportation agencies at all levels of government, state, federal, county, city, and tribal. This data is used internally for nearly every aspect of department functions, including highway maintenance, planning, safety, traffic, and environmental mitigation. It is also used to coordinate with other agencies within the jurisdiction such as law enforcement, parks and recreation, ecology, health departments, etc. and with outside interests such as economic development groups, freight carriers, and transportation agencies in other jurisdictions. This data is becoming particularly relevant to meet requirements for use of Federally provided safety related funding and new requests of the Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS). Development of a statewide transportation network, with roads and other transportation modes has become a critical need for many agencies and while there are various options for how this development is handled the most cost effective way over the long-term is to develop this network using data maintained and provided by local governments about the portions of the network they maintain. Thus data is developed and maintained at the location where the most information is available and then shared for the creation and maintenance of a statewide transportation network. There are various obstacles to development and maintenance of such a statewide network using data from multiple of sources, both organizational and technical. This study looks at both, but focuses on developing processes and utilities to overcome the technical obstacles. A consortium of public and private entities was established for the purpose of researching, developing and implementing computer based tools that facilitate geo-spatial transportation data sharing and integration for a variety of purposes. The Geo-spatial Integration and Sharing Data Consortium (GISDC) is funded by a Transportation Pooled Fund arrangement and managed by the Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT). The states currently participating in the pooled fund include; California, Idaho, Nebraska, Ohio, Oregon, Tennessee and Washington. This solicitation seeks other states to participate in the process. As more participants become involved, the project will benefit from a broader input of ideas, financing, and technical assistance. Those states joining now will benefit from research already completed. However, in order to complete the scope of work planned at least 3 more partners must join, and the existing partners must pay the full amount requested in order to fully participate. The Project Description document linked to this solicitation contains a description of the project - project phases, data to be considered, software tools to be developed, and sharing agreements among the participating jurisdictions. Several items under the scope have been completed already or are within 3 months of completion.

The goal of the consortium is to develop, implement and distribute a variety of tools and process for sharing and integrating geo-spatial transportation data. The basic objectives are: · Design and implementation of a core database, based on federal standards, within the state as a central repository of multi-jurisdictional location data, · Translation of the data from provider's schema to a centralized database and from one database to another, · Development of Internet portals for data providers to submit data and data users to download data and security to support data access, · Integration of data from disparate data sources into a seamless whole, · QA/QC processes and software to monitor data quality, security, data entry and retrieval processes, · Change detection, and change management to support maintenance of the data over time, · Documentation of a set of processes necessary to support data sharing from a variety of sources, e.g. data sharing agreements, agreement points, · Linear Referencing Integration. The initial timeline for this development is three to four years depending on funding. Annual consortium meetings and electronic communication are used to coordinate project activities. The timeline of the project and is updated based on current status and dependent upon available resources.

The following products/processes are necessary to successful implementation of the transportation network data sharing. Each product/process is listed. For a detailed description of each process listed please refer to the Project Description.doc found on this we site. Two packages have been delivered to TPF partners: 1.) Data User Internet Portal code and configuration documentation. 2.) Database models, configuration and associated documentation. embership include: · Flexible Translator (bi-directional) - Process to translate data into a variety of formats (convert GIS data into any type of system). Status: Research complete. A Translator Template has been created and substantially reduces the time to create input translations for new providers. · Data Provider Internet Interface (portal) - Provide the ability for a data provider to submit data periodically to maintain current data. Status: The Data Provider Internet Portal prototype is completed and available for trial use. · Data User Internet Interface (portal) - Provide a method for users to obtain transportation framework data. Status: The Data User Internet Portal prototype is complete. · Security - Status: Internet Portal Security is completed for both portals. · Change Detection and Change Management - Processes to support transportation data maintenance. Status: Change Detection and Change Management process are 95% complete. · Data Integration - To integrate and conflate data from various jurisdictions in order to create a connected statewide transportation framework. Status: Several integration and conflation issues are being researched to include: Coincident segments, connectivity between jurisdictions, integration of centerlines from multiple providers for a single jurisdiction, Multiple Linear Referencing Systems. Many of these are in advanced stages of research. · Quality Control and Quality Assurance - establish and enforce data consistency and accuracy by checking topological, scale/spatial, attribute, and metadata (standard GIS requirements). Status: Requirements are being identified and developed. A strategy for when to perform specific types of quality control has been identified. · Linear Referencing Implementation - This objective was not estimated in the initial solicitation of this study. More partners are being sought to support the cost if this item. Status: Multiple Linear Referencing Systems have been included for some jurisdictions and can be used as expected. Utilities to support maintenance of this are being researched. · Various data pilots are planned or being implemented to test and support the concepts being developed during this research.

California, Idaho, Nebraska, Ohio, Oregon, and Tennessee have committed to three years in the pooled fund and are contributing financially, as well as with technical and testing assistance. The addition of four more states will fully fund all phases of this project. Other states have expressed interest. WA-Trans and the GISDC are actively pursuing new members. The commitment requested from each state is a total of $90,000. This can be provided over a multi-year period of time. Only as much work as is funded can be completed. If current partners wish to provide funds beyond their original commitment, to help complete the original project scope, this is also an option.