摘要: |
Transportation agencies in the United States are under increasing pressure to do more with less. From Maine to Hawaii, most transportation agencies are experiencing staff reductions; in some cases these have been significant. Simply to maintain their current level of service, transportation agencies may consider investing in advanced geospatial data tools and technologies, such as Mobile Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) and Automated Machine Guidance (AMG). During this three-dimensional (3D) decade, geospatial information may become the life blood of the transportation agency. This Synthesis report identifies the current state of the practice regarding the development, documentation, and introduction of advanced geospatial technologies within the transportation agencies. It is intended to be a detailed, actively linked, and geographically searchable reference source to online publications, as well as a summary of the results of questionnaires that were distributed to the departments of transportation (DOTs) (96% of state DOTs responded, as did those of Puerto Rico, Washington, DC, and Alberta, Canada) and the service provider community (81% response rate) concerning their current and planned use of advanced geospatial technologies. In addition, there is a discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of a number of the leading technologies, along with how they are being used and applied today. The service provider questionnaire helped to draw out some common inferences and determine themes and trends in current geospatial technology usage. |