ABJ60 Committee on Spatial Data and Information Systems 2006 Annual Meeting

Reginald R. Souleyrette and Harvey J. Miller, co-chairs, Cesar Quiroga, secretary

Tuesday, January 24, 2006, Hilton – Georgetown East

Business Meeting Started at 7:30 PM

Welcome and introductions, Reg Souleyrette

Agenda (attached)

Attendance (attached): 45: 19 members, 21 friends, 1 TRB Staff, and 4 guests

TRB Staff Report

Tom Palmerlee gave the TRB Staff Report. Tom highlighted that the committee was very active this past year, sponsoring several sessions, reviewing papers, workshops, and participation in peer exchanges. He also highlighted the theme for next year’s annual meeting: Transportation Institutions, Finance, and Work Force: Meeting the Needs of the 21st Century.

Orthophoto Initiative

Carol Brandt provided a handout describing NSGIC’s orthophoto initiative. The purpose of the program is to collect and disseminate standardized multi-resolution imagery around the country. Additional information is at

Subcommittee Reports

Education. Reg presented a summary report on behalf of Mike Anderson, who could not attend the annual meeting. Reg alluded to the triennial strategic plan (TSP) and the Grand Challenges paper (see more information below), and the increased focus on intellectual capital over the next few weeks. Mike will draft a section of the Grand Challenges paper on Intellectual Capital (education needs).

Data integration. Bobby Harris Jack Stickel summarized the activities of their subcommittee, including a meeting on Monday January 23, which had some 15 people in attendance. The subcommittee evaluated several sessions with papers and presentation related to data integration. The subcommittee also sponsored a workshop (117 – Sunday morning) and a follow up session (671 – Wednesday morning). James Hall has a paper on data stewardship, which is available on the committee’s web site. Also available on the website are the workshop presentations.

Research. Val Noronha provided a summary report on the genesis and progress made by the research subcommittee. He outlined six area focus groups: safety, planning and environment, operations and congestion, infrastructure, security, and science, which are intended to provide a response to interesting initiatives, many of them from the private sector. There was considerable discussion about having planning as a separate focus area because of the specific spatial data needs associated with planning. Reg proposed to temporarily group planning with science.

Demin Xiong highlighted that people normally think about GIS when the committee is mentioned. However, the committee has a much broader scope and can contribute to address many spatial concepts and issues. When we work with other committees, we must recognize that different applications implicitly or explicitly already use spatial concepts. In recent years, more detailed, extensive real-world transportation data, most of it spatially related, have been collected. However, this data has not been effectively used because of the difficulty to reference, integrate, and manage the data effectively. The committee can certainly contribute something to address these types of issues.

Environment. Elizabeth Harper presented a summary report on behalf of Leni Oman, who could not attend the meeting. Elizabeth outlined the Subcommittee’s follow up work from the “Environmental Spatial Information for Transportation” peer exchange of June 2003. At the June peer exchange four states (Washington, Texas, Florida and Virginia) presented information on their efforts to incorporate spatial data and technologies into their environmental analysis activities. Key challenges and formulas for success were summarized. Since that time the Subcommittee has been planning a second peer exchange, scheduled for May of 2006. The intention of this second work shop is to showcase progress in these same four states since 2003 and bring additional experiences to the forefront. The peer exchange will focus on activities in the Mid-Atlantic states. Conference Proceedings will be published by TRB.

2006 Annual Meeting Activities

The committee sponsored or co-sponsored the following 2006 Annual Meeting activities:

Workshop 117, Sunday, January 22, 2006, 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM, Hilton

Data Stewardship: Meeting the Challenges of Enterprise Data Management
Jack R. Stickel, Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, presiding
Sponsored by: Statewide Transportation Data and Information Systems Committee (ABJ20), Spatial Data and Information Science Committee (ABJ60), Transportation Asset Management Committee (ABC40), National Transportation Data Requirements and Programs Committee (ABJ10), Urban Transportation Data and Information Systems Committee (ABJ30)

Workshop 169, Sunday, January 22, 2006, 1:30 PM - 5:00 PM, Hilton
Spatial Data Needs and Opportunities: Safety, Security, Planning and Operations, Environment, and Infrastructure Renewal
Val Noronha, University of California, Santa Barbara, presiding
Elizabeth A. Harper, Parsons Brinckerhoff, presiding
Sponsored by: Spatial Data and Information Science Committee (ABJ60)

Poster Session 448, Tuesday, 9:30 AM–12:00 PM, Hilton

Location-Aware Technologies in Transportation

Harvey Miller, University of Utah, presiding

Sponsored by: Spatial Data and Information Science Committee (ABJ60)

Poster Session 449, Tuesday, 9:30 AM–12:00 PM, Hilton

Spatial Analysis and Modeling of Transportation Systems

Harvey Miller, University of Utah, presiding

Sponsored by: Spatial Data and Information Science Committee (ABJ60)

Session 629, Wednesday, January 25, 2006, 8:00 AM - 9:45 AM, Hilton
Transportation Mapping and Analysis Using Real-Time Data
William Bachman, GeoStats, presiding

Sponsored by: Spatial Data and Information Science Committee (ABJ60)

Session 685, Wednesday, January 25, 2006, 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM, Marriott
Data Modeling for Utilities Within Transportation Corridors
Cesar Quiroga, Texas Transportation Institute, presiding
Sponsored by: Utilities Committee (AFB70), Spatial Data and Information Science Committee (ABJ60)

Session 671, Wednesday, January 25, 2006, 10:15 AM – Noon, Hilton

Data Stewardship: Tools of the Trade

James Hall, University of Illinois, presiding

Sponsored by: Statewide Transportation Data and Information Systems Committee (ABJ20), Spatial Data and Information Science Committee (ABJ60), Transportation Asset Management Committee (ABC40), National Transportation Data Requirements and Programs Committee (ABJ10), Urban Transportation Data and Information Systems Committee (ABJ30)

Session 736, Wednesday, January 25, 2006, 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM, Hilton
Geospatial Technologies and Activity-Based Approaches
Konstadinos G. Goulias, University of California, Santa Barbara, presiding
Sponsored by: Moving Activity-Based Approaches To Practice Task Force (ADB60T), Traveler Behavior and Values Committee (ADB10), Spatial Data and Information Science Committee (ABJ60), Transportation Demand Forecasting Committee (ADB40)

Annual Report

Reg highlighted this was a good year with several sessions and papers. In total, the committee received and reviewed 22 papers. Of these 22 papers, 7 are being recommended for publication. 8 papers were accepted for presentation in a poster session format, and 5 were accepted for presentation in a paper session.

Triennial Strategic Plan (TSP) and Follow-up on TRB Critical Issues

Harvey discussed the idea of developing a white paper similar to TRB’s Critical Issues in Transportation paper. To this effect, the information gained in the August and Sunday workshops is providing the necessary background for a “Grand Challenges” document on geospatial science and data needs and opportunities. Following is a draft outline, to be completed by March 2006 to coincide with the development of the TSP:

  • Grand Challenges
  • GIScience and Technical Development, including data and information needs
  • Vision, Barriers and Opportunities
  • Operations
  • Safety
  • Infrastructure
  • Environment and Planning
  • Security
  • Intellectual Capital
  • Conclusion

Three time frames to be considered in each section:

  • Things that could be done or are issues now
  • Things that could be done if legal/institutional barriers could be addressed/removed or with current trends of technology improvement could be done
  • Things that require fundamental advances in technology and science or that are likely to become issues in the future (global warming, energy, …)

The “Grand Challenges” document will be circulated to other committees for feedback and peer review. Reg highlighted that one of the ultimate goals of the document will be to develop research problem statements, although the mechanism for how to migrate from the vision document to specific problem statements is not clear yet.

Transportation Information Needs Assessment

TRB is working towards the identification of critical transportation information needs. There is a website ( which members and friends were asked to use to submit ideas regarding current information needs from 01/30/06 – 02/17/06.

Ideas highlighted by members and friends include the following:

  • More information on rural highways and city streets, as opposed to just highways
  • Freight information is frequently needed.

Other 2006 Events

  • Geospatial Sensors and Technology Integration for Transportation - Santa Barbara, CA February 13-14 (by invitation). Val Noronha provided a summary of this event.
  • Executive GIS Scan workshop, DC, February 28 (by invitation). Kitty Hancock and Roger Petzold provided a summary of this event, which will be third in a series.
  • GIS-T Symposium, Columbus Ohio, March 27-29. Bruce Spear handed out a copy of the preliminary program. A large number of members and friends are planning to attend this event, which makes it ideal for the committee’s mid year meeting.
  • North American Travel Monitoring Exhibition & Conference (NATMEC), Minneapolis, Minnesota, June 4-7. Reg handed out a copy of the preliminary program.

9:00 PM Adjourn

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ABJ60 Committee on Spatial Data and Information Systems, 2006 Annual Meeting Agenda

Reginald R. Souleyrette and Harvey J. Miller, co-chairs; Cesar Quiroga, secretary

Tuesday January 24, 2006, 7:30-9:30 p.m., Hilton – Georgetown East; http://www.ncgia.ucsb.edu/ABJ60/

7:30 – 7:35 Approval of Minutes and Roster Update Cesar Quiroga

7:35 – 7:45 Introduction of Members and Friends Reg Souleyrette

7:45 – 8:00 TRB Staff Report Tom Palmerlee including committee activities for building foundation with RITA

8:00 – 8:10 Orthophoto Initiative – Carol Brandt

8:10 – 8:30 Subcommittee reports

1. Education Reg (TSP and Grand Challenges paper)

2. Data integration Bobby Harris, Jack Stickel – including summary of workshop

3. Research Val Noronha – summary of workshop (also mention recap of August workshop

4. Environment – Leni Oman and Tom Palmerlee

8:30 – 8:40 Summary of 2006 Annual Meeting Activities - Reg Souleyrette

  • Workshop 117 Data Stewardship: Meeting the Challenges of Enterprise Data Management
  • Workshop 169 Spatial Data Needs and Opportunities: Safety, Security, Planning and Operations, Environment, and Infrastructure Renewal
  • 448 Location-Aware Technologies in Transportation (Poster Session)
  • 449 Spatial Analysis and Modeling of Transportation Systems (Poster Session)
  • Session 629 Wednesday, January 25, 2006, 8:00 AM - 9:45 AM, Hilton
    Transportation Mapping and Analysis Using Real-Time Data
  • Session 685 Wednesday, January 25, 2006, 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM, Marriott
    Data Modeling for Utilities Within Transportation Corridors
  • Session 736 Wednesday, January 25, 2006, 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM, Hilton
    Geospatial Technologies and Activity-Based Approaches

8:40 – 8:45 Annual report - Reg

8:45 – 9:00 Triennial strategic plan (TSP) and Following-up on TRB Critical Issues – Harvey Miller

  • Grand Challenges
  • GIScience and Technical Development, including data and information needs
  • Vision, Barriers and Opportunities
  • Operations
  • Safety
  • Infrastructure
  • Environment and Planning
  • Security
  • Intellectual Capital
  • Conclusion

3 time frames to be considered in each section –

  • things that could be done or are issues now
  • things that could be done if legal/institutional barriers could be addressed/removed or with current trends of technology improvement could be done
  • Things that require fundamental advances in technology and science or that are likely to become issues in the future (global warming, energy, …)

Note: Problem statements to be considered in each area

9:00 – 9:15 Transportation Information Needs Assessment – Reg (group input)

9:15 – 9:30 Other 2006 events

1. Geospatial Sensors and Technology Integration for Transportation - Santa Barbara February 13-14, Val

2. Executive GIS Scan workshop, DC, February 28 Kitty Hancock

3. GIS-T Symposium, Columbus Ohio, March 27-29 Bruce Spear

4. Transp Safety Planning Working Group small safety/planning tools workshop, DC March 27-28. Reg

5. North American Travel Monitoring Exhibition & Conference, Minneapolis June 4-7, 2006; Tom Palmerlee

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Attendance:

Name / Email Address / Status
Billy Bachman / / Member
Terry Bills / / Friend
Carol Brandt / / Friend
Kuo-Ann Chiao / / Friend
Richard Collins / / Friend
Jianhe Du / / Friend
Kaushik Dutta / / Friend
Sam Granato / / Member
Ed F Granzow / / Member
Jessica Guo / / Friend
James P. Hall / / Member
Khaled Hamad / / Friend
Kitty Hancock / / Member
Elizabeth Harper / / Member
Bobby Harris / / Member
Charlene Howard / / Friend
Seungmo Kang / / Friend
Tschangho Kim / / Friend
Sue Kimbrough / / Friend
Marc Kratzschmar / / Member
Edgar Graus / / Guest
Kimberly Majerus / / Friend
Harvey Miller / / Co-Chair
Shashi Nambisan / / Friend
Val Noronha / / Member
Cor Offermans / / Guest
Marcelo Oliveira / / Friend
Tom Palmerlee / / TRB Staff
Zhong-Ren Peng / / Member
Roger Petzold / / Friend
Anthony J Pietropola / / Member
Srinivas Pulugurtha / / Member
Mohammed Quddus / / Friend
Cesar Quiroga / / Secretary
Wayne Sarasua / / Friend
Mike Schultze / / Friend
Austin Smyth / / Member
Reg Souleyrette / / Co-Chair
Bruce Spear / / Member
Jack Stickel / / Member
Chris Upchurch / / Friend
David Veneziano / / Guest
James Vitale / / Friend
Joe Wilkinson / / Friend
Demin Xiong / / Member

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