Detailed Justification for Geospatial Information

FY 2008 Request: $1,758,000
FTE: 7.4 [includes 2.4 overhead]

Overview

The vision of the Geospatial Information Program is to improve transportation decision making by providing a comprehensive set of geospatial information as the basis for planning, policy, investment, and asset management. The Geospatial Information Program provides visual and analytic tools that enable data to be linked using a geographic reference. This capability is particularly useful for transportation, which is inherently spatial, and represents an important IT investment. Transportation planners and others can use geospatial information systems to prioritize highway maintenance projects, study noise footprints around airports, and plan for system disruptions due to natural disasters or national security threats.

FY 2007 Base

In FY 2007, BTS will work with other modal administrations to distribute transportation data through the National Transportation Atlas Databases (NTAD). BTS is congressionally mandated to produce the NTAD on an annual basis. The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) of 1991 contained the original mandate and it remained in the legislation that followed, including the most recent SAFETEA-LU. The NTAD is used by geospatial professionals throughout all levels of government plus academia and the private sector. Many of the transportation data sets have been incorporated in to Department of Defense programs for national security.

BTS built a sophisticated mapping capability for the DOT Crisis Management Center (CMC) and will continue its support, providing mapping and spatial analyses during emergency transportation situations. BTS also provides this critical function for Continuity of Operations (COOP).

As mandated in SAFETEA-LU, Section 5601 (6), this program has the responsibility to lead the development of the transportation component of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI). This responsibility is also a requirement in OMB Circular A-16 and Executive Order 12906. Staff have been leading DOT through participation in the development of the Geospatial Line of Business. Also, this staff chairs the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) Ground Transportation Subcommittee, and participates on the FGDC Coordination Group. In response to OMB memorandum M-06-07, the RITA Administrator has been designated the Senior Agency Official for Geospatial Information within DOT.

Anticipated FY 2007 Accomplishments

• Lead DOT and the geospatial transportation community and support the development of the legislatively mandated NSDI through the e-government initiatives Geospatial One-Stop and the Geospatial Line of Business, participate in the Federal Geographic Data Committee, the National States Geographic Information Council, the Transportation Research Board, and the AASHTO GIS for Transportation Symposium Planning Committee.
• Produce the Congressionally mandated National Transportation Atlas Databases (NTAD) for 2007. Staff will gather transportation geospatial data and accompanying metadata from throughout the DOT and other federal agencies. The data will be compiled and distributed via CDROM.
• Provide mapping and geospatial analysis support. This will include standard map products for BTS publications and surveys.
• As practical, provide mapping and geospatial analysis support to DOTs Crisis Management Center (CMC), for Continuity of Operations (COOP), and government-wide exercises such as TOPOFF.

FY 2008 Budget Request

In FY 2008, this Program will compile and disseminate transportation specific geospatial data. The data will continue to be disseminated through the annual release of the National Transportation Atlas Databases (NTAD).

This Program will provide geospatial leadership, in the form of mapping and analyses, to decision makers. As practical, this Program staff will provide support to the Departments Crisis Management Center (CMC) and for Continuity of Operations (COOP).

This staff will continue leading and representing DOT in the geospatial community through Federal Geographic Data Committee participation, support of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure, and continued support of the Geospatial Line of Business.