Ground Transportation


Part B
LEAD FEDERAL AGENCY/BUREAU AND/OR SUBCOMMITTEE/WORKING GROUP REPORT (Agencies With Lead Responsibilities Assigned under Current Circular A-16 Authorities) (Please provide a separate report for each activity for which you have the lead)

1. Program/Activity Name:

Ground Transportation Subcommittee

2. What are the programs this data supports?

BTS is the chair of the FGDC Ground Transportation Subcommittee (which does not collect data), and leads the DOT's effort to develop NSDI Framework standards. BTS is also the lead in a number of efforts to develop or enhance the DOT's GIS capability including the DOT GIS User's Group, National Road Centerline Network project and Web GIS applications.

Very Briefly Describe All Applicable Items:
3. Uses of Data: What are the end uses of this data? How does it benefit customers, support lead and other agency missions, etc.?

Uses of the data would include the tying of Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS) and National Bridge Inventory (NBI) attributes to a digital National Highway Network. Customers benefit from a more complete National Transportation database. The mission for BTS is to collect and distribute the most recent and complete GIS transportation data for the DOT.

4. Charter/Plan: Do you have a current charter or plan for collection? Should it be updated?

No. Yes, one should be created.

5. Metadata: What is the status of metadata? Is it discoverable and served through the NSDI Clearinghouse? What percentage of this theme's data has metadata and is in a Clearinghouse node?

GIS data, distributed by BTS, is in conformance with FGDC metadata requirements. All of BTS's publicly distributed GIS Transportation metadata is available to the general public and is served through the NSDI Clearinghouse.

6. Standards: What is the status of this theme's data, process, transfer, and classification standards?

Currently available data is transportation theme. Most current data, which is distributed in a variety of formats, along with metadata are available to the public.

7. Progress: List FY 2000/2001 activities/progress to date (quantify where possible).

The FGDC Ground Transportation Subcommittee has completed development of a draft of the Transportation Identification Standard. This draft was posted for public comment, and now the subcommittee is reviewing those comments. The subcommittee hopes to submit a finalized Standard for approval by the FGDC before the end of 2001. Other projects are: purchase of commercial road network for DOT, entering into agreements with other Federal agencies to develop more specialized data to meet their needs including development of road data for Federal Lands, development of Intermodal Facility database, and conversion of all of the DOT's spatial data into Object Oriented format.

8. Leadership: Describe your active leadership role with others (private, local, State, Federal) who collect and use this data.

A complete digital highway network database for the US has been purchased, from a private company called GDT. This data is considered to be in the public domain and is available for distribution. BTS is currently working with USDA Department of Forest Service, USGS, Census, FHWA and others do develop a National Road Centerline file as well as all the items mentioned under question #7.

9. Collaborative Partnerships: How many major partnerships with others do you have on this theme? (list if desired)

BTS is forming partnerships with several Federal Agencies. Some of these will include MOUs. BTS is working closely with the following agencies: US Coast Guard (an MOU has be developed but has not been signed), US Census, National Imaging and Mapping Agency, Military Traffic Management Command, United States Department of Agriculture, Maritime Administration (a MOU was signed on June 1, 2001), Federal Transit Agency (this may also include a MOU), and the FHWA.

10. Scope: Are you engaged in broad participation and international/global coordination?

No.

11. Policy: Do you have a policy in place for full and open access or data sharing?

No.

12. Are there areas or issues regarding lead responsibilities for spatial data themes that require attention, or lessons-learned that you would like to share with others? Please describe.

No.