GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM ENVIRONMENT FOR TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

The management systems that are required of states by the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 have a common element in their need for a well-established data base. In this regard, computerized geographic information systems (GISs) are emerging as efficient and effective tools for managing transportation information resources. These systems integrate geographic (or spatial) information displayed on maps, such as roadway alignment, with attribute (or tabular) information characterizing features, such as composition and age. The development of a prototype transportation management GIS data base for pavement management is described to illustrate the use of a GIS framework for transportation management systems. The data base that was developed covered two counties in Virginia, and the representation of the roadway system in these two jurisdictions established the reference for the pavement attribute data. The same geographic data base could be used for other management systems, although it would need to include slight additions for safety and bridge management and additional facilities for congestion, intermodal, and public transportation management.