| PURPOSE OF SUBCOMMITTEE: The Ground Transportation Subcommittee helps coordinate Federal and non-Federal interests in ground transportation data, including the facilitation of information exchange and transfer of data; the establishment and implementation of standards for quality, content, and transferability; and the identification of requirements for the collection of spatial data to minimize duplication of effort where practicable and economical. MAJOR FY 1997 ACCOMPLISHMENTS: The Ground Transportation Subcommittee met seven times during FY 1997 -- six times in regular interagency meetings and one time in open session at the 1997 GIS-T Symposium, held in Greensboro, NC. Major accomplishments during FY 1997 are summarized below. Accomplishments are referenced to proposed actions in the Subcommittee's 1997 Work Plan. Goal One: Increase the awareness and understanding of the vision, concepts, and benefits of the NSDI through outreach and education. Objective: Develop and communicate the common principles and practices of the NSDI.
Outcome: An open meeting of the Subcommittee was held at the GIS-T Symposium, with 8 subcommittee members and 44 other participants in attendance. The meeting began with a presentation covering the FGDC, the Ground Transportation Subcommittee, and the NSDI. This was followed by a general discussion of how the state and local transportation agencies could participate in the NSDI, and what role the Subcommittee could play in facilitating this. Members of the Subcommittee also attended and made presentations on the NSDI and subcommittee activities at several national and regional conferences through the year. These conferences included: (1) a meeting of the Transportation Research Board GIS-T Task Force in January; (2) a meeting of state spatial data coordinating councils prior to the April FGDC Steering Committee meeting; (3) the National Association of Counties annual meeting in July; and (4) the FGDC New England Framework Workshop in September. Objective 1: Establish common classification systems, data documentation and content standards, and other common models to enable data sharing.
Outcome: A draft of the Transportation Spatial Data Dictionary was completed in March and distributed at the GIS-T Symposium and URISA Annual meeting, with a request for comments. Only three reviewers returned comments, and the nature of the comments indicated that the purpose of the dictionary was not well documented. Action 2: Compare SDTS Transportation Network Profile (TNP) with Geographic Data File (GDF). Outcome: No action was taken during 1997. Action 3: Monitor efforts within the transportation community to establish a standard linear data model and unified national linear reference datum and, if consensus is reached, initiate new activity to promulgate the model as an FGDC Standard. Outcome: Three efforts are currently in progress regarding a linear data model: (1) an FHWA project to document best practices among State DOTs in implementing statewide linear referencing systems, (2) a complementary BTS project to develop guidelines for implementing linear data models, and (3) a continuation of National Cooperative Highway Research Project (NCHRP) 20-27 to develop guidelines for the Implementation of Multimodal Transportation Location Referencing Systems. The first two of these projects will issue draft reports in 1997. The subcommittee will review these reports in its deliberations to promulgate an FGDC standard for a transportation network feature model. A prototype implementation of a linear reference datum is currently underway in Santa Barbara, CA, sponsored by ITS and FHWA. Results of this demonstration will be used in the Subcommittee's deliberations to promulgate and FGDC standard for a national linear reference datum.
Outcome: The BTS Web Site has applied for and been recognized as an official NSDI Clearinghouse Node. All databases on the BTS site have been documented in accordance with metadata content standards and are currently being revised to conform to clearinghouse format protocols.
Outcome: The 1997 version of the NTAD was released on CD-ROM in July. Action 2: Establish Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to coordinate development of a comprehensive road network database for the Nation. Outcome: Two meetings were held involving representatives from DOT, Census and USGS. A statement of purpose and proposal for an MOA was drafted and reviewed by each agency. Preliminary discussions focused on use of TIGER or DLG as the starting point for a national road network database, and on agency roles and responsibilities. No formal MOA was developed in 1997, but all parties agreed to continue discussions toward this end.
Action: Conduct site visits to State DOTs to promote awareness of and participation in NSDI activities, and to identify research priorities for GIS in transportation. Outcome: Eleven site visits to State DOT GIS offices were conducted in 1997. Summaries of each site visit are being posted on the BTS GIS Web Site. |
