BACKGROUND

Users of active transportation are facing an increasing disparity in traffic-related incidents. Particularly, underserved and low-income communities, including tribal historically redlined areas, bear an even greater burden. However, the implementation of data-driven safety, equity, and planning tools is hindered by the lack of high-quality inventories for bicycle and pedestrian facilities and treatments.

There are data management and organizational challenges to maintaining statewide inventories for active transportation treatments. High-quality, contiguous active transportation networks cross many jurisdictional boundaries. Data federated from local authorities are highly variable and often incomplete. Auditing and mapping pedestrian and bicycle treatments are crucial tasks within a geographic information systems framework. There are also emerging geographic data sources (e.g., crowdsourced and remotely sensed data), which can introduce new challenges and opportunities. 

Research is needed for developing a spatial framework for working across jurisdictional boundaries and data sources to digitize, maintain, and share active transportation-related assets while minimizing costs and risks associated with poorly governed data.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this research is to develop a guide that will assist state departments of transportation (DOTs) and local agencies in digitizing bike and pedestrian treatments and provide examples of how organizations have used digitized data to better fulfill their safety and equity goals. 

At a minimum the study shall (1) examine existing best practices; (2) explore the potential and benefits of using emerging geographic data sources; and (3) develop a standardized framework for data collection, maintenance, and sharing of the active transportation facilities and treatment inventory data.

Accomplishment of the project objective will require at least the following tasks: 

TASKS

PHASE I—Planning

Task 1.  Conduct a literature review of research on pedestrian and bicyclist treatments and associated infrastructure, emerging technologies for data collection, processing, application, and maintenance. The review shall include published and unpublished documentation and research conducted through the NCHRP and the Federal Highway Administration and other national, state, and pooled-fund sponsored research. 

Task 2. Conduct a survey of state DOTs that will identify (1) data collection needs for digitization of the facilities, treatments, and relevant nontransportation assets such as lighting and illumination and shade; (2) current practices, resources, and strategies used for data digitization for bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure and treatments; and (3) current practices for the application of the digitized data, specifically focused on safety and equity. The survey shall be reviewed and approved by NCHRP before distribution.

Task 3. Synthesize the results of the literature review and the survey to identify knowledge gaps related to the research objective. These gaps should be addressed in the final product or the recommended future research, as the budget permits.

Task 4. Propose the research plan, to be executed in Phase II, to achieve the research objective. At a minimum, the research plan shall include the following: 

• Developing a spatial framework for digitizing and sharing bicycle and pedestrian treatments and associated data, including minimally sufficient and enhanced data requirements;
• Developing recommendations for data collection and aggregation, archiving, and management procedures, including preparation of a treatment glossary and metadata;
• Identifying uncertainty issues related to emerging geo-data, such as inaccuracy, redundancy, biases, inconsistencies, and data gaps;
• Developing recommendations to address the issues identified;
• Developing recommendations for effective validation and certification procedures to assess the quality of digitized information; 
• Identifying any potential legal issues associated with digitization and data management, such as Americans with Disabilities Act compliance; and
• Identifying potential safety- and equity-focused applications of data digitization.  

Task 5. Prepare a preliminary outline and table of contents of the guide. 

Task 6. Prepare Interim Report No. 1, which will document Tasks 1 through 5, and provide an updated work plan for the remainder of the research no later than 6 months after the contract award. The updated plan must describe the process and rationale for the work proposed for Phases II through III. 

PHASE II—Execution

Task 7. Execute the research plan and update the outline and table of contents of the guide according to the approved Interim Report No 1. 

Task 8. Develop a complete sample section of the guide to be selected by the NCHRP. This section should be publication-ready with an appropriate level of detail. It shall include companion recommendation commentary with a section-by-section analysis of the background, rationale, importance, and benefit of each recommendation.

Task 9. Prepare Interim Report No. 2, which will document Tasks 7 and 8 and provide an updated work plan for the remainder of the research. The updated work plan must describe the process and rationale for the work proposed for Phase III.

PHASE III—Draft Guide

Task 10. Develop the remaining sections of the guide according to the approved Interim Report No. 2. 

Task 11. Prepare Interim Report No. 3, which will document Task 10 and provide an updated work plan for the remainder of the research. The updated work plan must 

PHASE IV—Final Products

Task 12.  Revise the guide after consideration of the panel’s review comments.

Task 13. Conduct a virtual workshop or webinar to present the findings of the project to state and other jurisdictional practitioners, which could include chief data officers, geospatial data officers, or equivalent officers.

Task 14. Submit the draft final deliverables, including (1) a final report that documents the entire research effort, (2) the guide, (3) a stand-alone technical memorandum titled “Implementation of Research Findings and Products, and (4) a PowerPoint presentation to present the research findings to the panel.

STATUS: Proposals have been received in response to the RFP.  The project panel has met and selected a contractor to perform the work.