Success within highway projects depends on the accuracy and completeness of the data collected that describes existing land ownership, easements, and other property interests. Part of this success is that project delivery tasks flow seamlessly, property right and utility asset information is accurate, and construction is completed before the contract end date. However, existing utility investigation standards (e.g., ASCE 38) focus primarily on the physical properties of the utility facility being documented while excluding property interest details are excluded. These exclusions may lead to complications when existing utilities are discovered to be installed outside the location specified in the design plans. Also, utility investigations, including subsurface utility engineering (SUE), may not identify all the existing utility facilities because of a change in the level of service or utilities being upgraded or relocated.

Another challenge for state departments of transportation (DOTs) has been finding solutions regarding data sharing from utility providers due to proprietary rights claims or national security concerns. The development of a spatial data framework and data architecture guide would enable state DOTs to collaborate with utility providers, manage utility coordination efforts, and provide required data security. Therefore, research is needed to identify and assess the existing procedures in which state DOTs perform right-of-way (ROW) engineering and utility coordination tasks.

The objective of this research is to develop a spatial data framework and a data architecture guide for state DOTs to link and manage information about existing property interests with existing utility facility data. The development of the framework and guide would include:

·       Detailed case studies, including one addressing potential Homeland Security concerns;

·       Methods to facilitate effective and continuous coordination between state DOTs and utility providers;

·       Methods to maintain data security and data governance between state DOTs and utility providers and between utility providers; and

·       Resources on modular data integration framework and data architecture implementation to meet state DOT-specific needs.