Geospatial Information Infrastructure for Transportation Organizations: Toward a Foundation for Improved Decision Making

This report contains information presented at three workshops held in three cities during 2002 and on research and deliberations by the Committee on Multimodal Transportation Requirements for Spatial Information Infrastructure during and after the workshops. The first workshop, held in Chicago in May 2002, examined the role of geospatial data in the project delivery process. The second workshop, held in Seattle in June 2002, focused on safety, security, and mobility. The third workshop, held in Washington, D.C., in October 2002, reviewed current activities of the modal administrations within the U.S. Department of Transportation in using the Global Positioning System, geographic information systems, and remote sensing to make decisions. The report commences with an executive summary, which briefly summarizes the importance of geospatial information in decision making and the recommendations resulting from this project. This is followed by a presentation of selected current practices, trends in decision-making tools, and a detailed discussion of the committee's findings and recommendations. The report concludes with a call to action to all decision makers to take responsibility for ensuring that decisions are made with the best information possible.