Transportation asset management is a data-intensive process and data integration is a fundamental component to improve integrated decision making. The evolution of geographic information systems and spatial technologies is providing powerful mechanisms for developing asset management decision-making products. However, many agencies are struggling with the development of these spatial products on an enterprise basis. The Transportation Research Board (TRB) Transportation Asset Management Committee (ABC40) and Spatial Data and Information Science Committee (ABJ60) hosted a peer exchange to investigate state and local agency applications of spatial technologies for asset management activities and to identify ongoing issues and research directions. Six state and local transportation agencies were selected based on their leadership and progress in the application of spatial technologies towards asset management. These six agencies were the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public facilities; the City of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; the Kansas Department of Transportation; the New York State Department of Transportation; the New York State Thruway Authority; and the NC Department of Transportation. Prior to the peer exchange, agency participants completed an extensive questionnaire on their uses of spatial technologies, their history of implementation, and perceived benefits and issues. The peer exchange participants focused on three major issue areas in moving spatial technology applications to the next level: managing change, data integration, and communication. Upon a thorough discussion of these issues, the peer participants identified research to address three areas of interest: temporal issues, symbology, and data and visualization models. The roles of national organizations in sharing best practices and in promoting standards and open data architectures were also discussed. This circular contains the presentations of the perspectives of the six agencies, a summary of agency responses to the questionnaire, and a summary of the major issues and research directions for the future.

Capabilities: Communication, Data & Information Systems, Tools & Technology