Current and Proposed Organizational Activities.

A. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) –
- GIS “field applications” now include a Linear Soils application running on a ruggedized tablet pc with a Bluetooth enabled Trimble GPS unit and two GeoXTs (Trimble’s handheld GPS unit) for the gravel prospecting crews. The field collection units are running customized ArcPad applications that dramatically increase productivity in the field and in the office.
- Right-ofWay plats were scanned, indexed, and spatially joined so anyone within the DOT can access the Right-of-Way plats from their desktop.
- The “map” portion of the internet has been updated and enhanced to include County Base Maps, Traffic Maps, and the Transportation Information Map. New interfaces to the Road Report, Load Limit and Road Construction Maps were also completed
- Video Log
NDDOT Personnel Go for a Ride
Recently NDDOT personnel have been doing a lot of site seeing. Normally this would be a bad thing but it actually saves the state's taxpayers money. Any user within the DOT that has a broadband connection can now "drive" any part of the state highway system. A collection of over 6 million images (860 gigabytes) can be viewed on the users computer with click of a button. Yearly the DOT drives the entire state highway system with a Pathways Services Van. A byproduct of the ride collection process are forward and side looking digital images that are taken every 27 feet. This "byproduct" has excellent value from the sign section to the archeology section to the District Engineer. Anyone can drive to their point of interest and view images that are less than a year old. Normally access to those images were only available on the Pavement Management Section workstations....well, now everyone can view them. (Brian Bieber 701-328-2649)

B. Move to more CADD standards - The NDDOT has recently implemented Axiom SpecChecker. This computer application is used to check drawings for CADD standard compliance. Previously the NDDOT selectively and manually reviewed drawings for CADD standard compliance. Now, most NDDOT drawings can be quickly and easily reviewed for CADD standard compliance. Reviewing projects is now a manageable task. It is now practical to review large amounts of drawings more frequently. The NDDOT is hoping that this type of review will minimize conflicts because they can be consistently detected and reviewed more often. The NDDOT uses one central database to export both the CADD Standards tools used to draw elements (MicroStationSelect Settings-stg files) and the tools used to review elements in drawings (Axiom Rule-rul files). This one database promotes consistency in the way Standards are documented, used and reviewed. Axiom SpecChecker is not only helping users draw more consistently. It is also helping CADD administrators identify needed or improved standards.

C. Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) - The NDDOT implemented a pilot project for a fully integrated real time AVL/RDC GPS tracking system on 18 NDDOT maintenance fleet vehicles to enhance overall snow fighting techniques, emergency/safety notification, provide decision support capabilities, and improve remote asset management techniques and resources for selected area-wide highway maintenance activities for winter operations.
The District’s and Maintenance and Engineering Division have identified the following benefits of the pilot project: operator safety, truck dispatching, and management of resources, increased public information and better forecasting.

Other benefits of the pilot include:
- Ability to test the ability of transmitting data over the UHF radio system
- Provide necessary data to determine if the system should be implemented statewide
- Provide trace to display which state highways and interstate have been plowed or treated. (Breadcrumb effect).
- Provide statistical data and reporting (Materials, speed, spread rate, vehicle location, plow positions)
- Send spreader rate: road and air temperature; front, underbody, and wing plow status (up or down); and speed back to Districts.

New Systems (Just Completed, In Progress, or Preparing to Start)

A. GIS
- Video Log - Phase II of the GIS Integration Plan involves moving the Pathway Image Log from a desktop (thick client) to a web based (thin client) application. The GIS Integration Plan is built on the premise of using GIS as an easy to use system that casual users will be able to find information from disparate NDDOT databases easily. For example, users will be able to extract data from RIMS using a geographic interface (zoom-identify features) instead knowing how to find the information from the menu driven mainframe application. The Image Log (Phase II) will be graphically driven and be used as a main entry point into other phases such as the RIMS module. It is the goal of the GIS Integration Plan for uses to be able to jump from the Image Log to the RIMS module to the Highway Components module and then back to the Image Log. The web based Image Log would be a platform neutral application that would leverage one modules experience to the next. The web based Image Log will be available for both internal and external users. For more information contact Brian Bieber – ISS, ND Dept. of Transportation, 701-328-2649

- Right Of Way - We have completed scanning all existing right of way plats for DOT owned property. The right of way plats are now available on the DOT GIS. We are working on making this data available on the Internet.

B. Design to Construction – We are working on a project called "Design to Construction Survey Automation". This is a process of downloading the design alignment, centerline profile, design cross sections, and topographic graphics to a data collector.
The information is used in the stakeout of grading projects.

C. Machine Control Data – We are in the process of getting software to help us provide contractor machine control data. We are using MicroStation/Geopak and Trimble software. Any help in this area would be appreciated.
Record of Exchange

We wish to thank all the states and other organizations that we have corresponded with to share ideas, thoughts, and information over the past year.

Information Wanted

A. What are states using for there Roadway Information Management Systems?
B. How states are exchanging electronic files (graphic and data) with the consultants they have under contract? What guidelines, standards, polices, ... are being used to control this process?
C. Have any states selected a hand held device as their field computing solution?
D. What are states using for their Asset Management solution?