Transportation and Civil Engineering

Transportation Infrastructure Management System (TIMS)

TIMS is a world-class knowledge system for life cycle management of the provincial

highway infrastructure. The system integrates all the provincial highway systems data, data analytics (decision support systems) and the best infrastructure management practices. Through the effective harnessing of knowledge for decision making and execution, TIMS enables the Alberta government to achieve its infrastructure vision and mission to create and maintain safe, dependable, efficient, innovative and sustainable highway systems that will meet the province's short, medium and long term needs. The system is extensively used by the ministry’s employees, its consultants and contractors and can be gainfully used by other ministries and agencies of Alberta government.

TIMS is a web-based software suite of some 25 applications. It comprises a central data repository and applications that handle information on inventory and condition of

infrastructure assets and decision support systems that address techno-economic

analyses. There are also multi-media communications and reporting applications that

are integrated with the system.

Major TIMS Developments In Fiscal Year 2008-09

TIMS Webmap V2

TIMS Webmap V2 provides enhanced functionality for the 800+ internal and external

users of TIMS’ web-based geo-spatial software. New functions enhance the usability

and performance of these geo-spatial tools and include enhancements such as email

bookmarks, edit preferences (default tabs and lat/long format), set map height, and road length markers.

Geomatics Information Application V4 (GIA V4)

GIA V4 provides a desktop upgrade to the Geomedia platform for 20+ internal users and enhanced functionality for the Geomedia platform used in conjunction with Webmap V2.New functions enhance the usability and performance of Webmap includingenhancements to dynamic map labeling, cadastral data handling and interfaceintegration.

Rationalization and Optimization Decision Application V2 (RODA V2)

RODA provides software to optimize Alberta transportation’s $50B in highway assets,

ensuring highway transportation infrastructure capital is allocated to projects that return the highest socio-economic benefits to Albertans. RODA V2 provides enhanced software for the 15+ internal software users. New functions streamline the ease of use of the application, improve performance and position RODA for integration with Transportation’s Project Management Application (PMA) in 2009-10.

Bridge Information System V3 (BIS V3)

BIS provides software for inventory, inspection and management of Alberta’s 4,000+

bridge structures. BIS V3 provides enhanced software for 100+ internal and external

users, streamlines the application’s data handling, consolidating and enhancing bridge deck information, and significantly expanding the reporting capabilities of BIS V2.

Network Expansion Support System V2 (NESS V2)

NESS is an expert system for recommending highway improvement work activities. It

assesses the network to determine deficiencies, calculate network condition, and

recommends work activities for roadways and intersections. NESS V2 provides

enhanced functionality for data handling, specific enhancements for Geometric

Assessments and positions the application for tight integration with RODA.

TIMS Data Repository Application (TDRA V2)

TDRA is the central, consolidated TIMS data repository. It manages a comprehensive

Highways database including bridge, roadway, appurtenance, work activities, projects

and highway capital program plans. TDRA V2 provides enhanced data handling

capabilities and improvements in integration with TIMS applications.

Traffic Sign Systems Applications Release 2 (TSSA R2)

TSSA provides software to maintain the inventory of traffic signal systems. TSSA V2

incorporates inspections, signal system ratings and work activities for the signal

systems, and provides enhanced data handling capabilities, extended search

functionality and improvements in integration with TIMS applications.

Municipal Grants Management Application R1 V2 (MGMA R1 V2)

MGMA provides software to administer a number of municipal grant programs in

partnership with Alberta's cities, towns, villages, summer villages, rural municipalities

and Metis settlements. The grant programs provide financial assistance to municipalities for capital-related transportation, water/wastewater systems, and core municipal infrastructure needs. MGMA R1 V2 TDRA V2 provides enhanced data handling capabilities, extended reporting and improvements in calculation performance.

TIMS Security Application

This project integrates security functionality and data into the TIMS master security

framework and repository for new applications and enhancements completed in

2008-09.

Future Development

• Enhancing data management and decision applications based on feedback from

users and best practices benchmarking

• Developing a talent repository (TR) to complement the Data Repository

• Completing techno-economic risk analysis and management applications

• Refining the investment decision models to account for uncertainties, environmental

impact and other externalities

• Incorporating evolving technological innovations.

Transportation Safety Services (TSS)

Major TSS Developments In Fiscal Year 2008-09

Carrier Services Sanction Management/Administration

The Sanction Management initiative was about automating the manual processes that

were in place to administer and manage sanctions taken by Carrier Services against

poorly performing Carriers

Bus Permit Automation

The bus permit initiative intends to replace the manual process and increasing efficiency

in delivering permits to the industry

Rail Safety Permit

The Rail Safety permit initiative intends to replace manual process and increasing

efficiency in delivering permits to the industry

Defects Analysis Application

This critical initiative is as a result of no data mining solution available to analyze vehicle defects information collected by TSS. This information helps CVEB to tailor their business programs so that they can reduce collisions and fatality on the roads.

MOTRIS – Inspection and Violation Module Enhancements

Several enhancements were needed to adapt the Inspection and Violation Subsystems of MOTRIS because of business/legislation changes.

Gemini Project (Field Officer Safety)

CVEB officers currently use voice communication to record their duty of status. The

voice communication does not address officer safety well enough. The Gemini system provides the ability for officers within an agency to see each other’s location and duty status. This provides for efficient interaction between officers, supervisors andmanagement staff. It provides for a more effective method for allocating resources and responding to public concerns.

TSS Data Bus Implementation

The TSS Data Bus allows applications to talk to each other by using emerging solutions.

Over many years we have created multiple business applications that don’t talk to each

other. This has become a business weakness because of the inability to share

information stored on disparate business applications. TSS Data Bus is implemented

using IBM Information Server which allows for sharing of data across applications.

TSS - In Progress/Future Development

SFC Certificates (NSC)

Changes to MOVES and MOTRIS are needed to facilitate new entry requirements prior to a carrier being allowed to register a NSC vehicle. The issuance of temporary SFC will be eliminated. Carriers will not be able to register a NSC vehicle unless the carrier has a valid Carrier number in MOVES.

Commercial Driver Profile

To implement a Commercial Driver Profile that will identify events involving the

commercial driver whether at the wheel of a commercial vehicle or a private passenger vehicle. Using existing information in MOVES and MOTRIS a process will be developedto identify violations, sanctions related to commercial drivers.

TRAVIS Routing Multi Jurisdictions

The primary objective of the TRAVIS Routing Full Deployment Project is to expand the

routing functionality and GIS spatial and attribute data to include all local and city

roadways. All business rules will include a jurisdiction component so that local rules can be incorporated into the system. This will allow permit application and auto approval for Alberta cities and municipalities and provide end-to-end routing between any two points within Alberta. The pilot project will include Edmonton, Calgary, Leduc County, Strathcona County, Parkland County, County of Beaver and possibly one or two others.

IRP Prorate

Alberta International Registration Program (IRP) Prorate project: This project will move various subcomponents of the MOVES Prorate application to a new environment on the Transportation side. Interfaces will be built with MOVES so that the Registry Agents will still use the MOVES Front-End to do their services.

Missing / Stolen Motor Vehicle Inspection Certificate

TRANS requires a real time solution in which MOVES would query MOTRIS before

accepting Alberta Inspection Certificate (Out of Province, Salvage and Commercial)

would be required. MOVES does not report out of province vehicles to IRE so a change would have to be made to report to IRE. Then subsequently, those jurisdictions could perform an IRE search against Alberta to ensure that the vehicles were registered in Alberta before accepting the Alberta out of province vehicle inspection certificates.

Cross-Branch Common Business Functions

Relate to Facility Audit Integration, Sanction Management, CVE Case Files

Enhancements, Tracking of CVSA Officer certificates performance, Rail Safety Permits Enhancements, IRP Prorate -Web Form Application and Vehicle Safety - Penalty, Case Files and Permits Enhancements.

Corporate Applications and Technology Refresh Initiatives

Completed in Fiscal Year 2008-09

Electronic Information Management (EIM)

EDMS Migration / Upgrade Upgrade to the latest release of Livelink, leapfrogging from

Version 9.2 bypassing 9.5 to Version 9.7, and re-indexing all contents. The new

improved solution has been branded as Livelink Plus solution and includes a number of technology components geared at reducing development time and cost and increasing efficiency of EIM projects.

Content Capture Solution

A document load solution was required to extend our Livelink Content management

Solution so that we can load documents/scanned images into the Livelink repository.

Kofax Data Capture solution has been embedded with the Livelink Plus Solution

Architecture to provide an end-to-end solution.

In Progress/Future Enhancements

Server virtualization

Server virtualization is ongoing as requirements arise. The necessary infrastructure in

terms of server clustering and replication has been set up, and can be extended. At

present, virtualization is being used for development and project environments only, and

is based on a 10-server hardware cluster. Databases are not virtualized because of

licensing issues. The advantages are operational redundancy, flexibility and

transparency, ultimately providing a more reliable environment.

64 Bit Databases

Databases are being moved from 32 bit platform to 64 bit platforms. This improves

speed and performance, and will become the standard platform. The 64-bit database is currently being used for Travis, TIMS and some smaller systems.

Oracle Real Application Cluster (RAC)

Oracle Real Application Cluster (RAC) is being implemented. This will provide

redundancy of servers at database layer. As well, it offers another structural level of

usage (database nodes). Since multiple nodes can be defined, this avoids limitations in number of users that unclustered installations are subject to. This is therefore an

essential step toward high availability and scalability of systems usage.

New Mapping Technology

Google technology (part of TRAVIS MJ) is being introduced to replace some of the

current mapping technology. The Google interface lowers the training threshold by

providing end-users with a popular, familiar interface and notably better performance. In addition the Google interface allows us to access municipal as well as provincial

networks, providing up to seven times more data perusal and access. As another enduser bonus, cross-browser usability is standard with the Google interface.