BACKGROUND 

Transportation agencies and third-party data users and mapping organizations exchange information that can enhance the agencies' management of transportation networks and the travel experience for the traveling public. The information is made available by use of “data specifications” that exist for several use cases. Examples include the General Transit Feed Specification for transit, Mobility Data Specification for micromobility, Curb Data Specification for municipalities and private companies, or the Work Zone Data Exchange for connected work zones. However, these relationships may be uneven and partial use of the public data is problematic. For example, detour information is available from transportation agencies, but many mapping applications choose not to share this with the traveling public or freight carriers.  

Transportation agencies are forced to manage multiple specifications to enable data-sharing opportunities. This siloed approach means data specifications may use different inputs and schema (e.g., the use of state department of transportation (DOT) road inventory files versus OpenStreetMap), and therefore do not allow for comprehensive and uniform approaches. This can burden agency resources and limit the utility of the data across jurisdictions, at different levels of government, or among public sector agencies. For example, the non-routable state DOT road inventory cannot be used by public safety agencies in the development of Next Generation 911 because the new system requires routable road inventories. Research is needed to expand the relationships between transportation agencies and their public and private sector partners.   

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this research is to develop a framework for a comprehensive data specification that allows for a two-way exchange of information between transportation agencies and third-party mapping organizations so each can ingest data with uniform attributes and metadata.