Geographic Information System-Based Accident Location and Analysis System (GIS-ALAS) Proposal

1.0 Project Statement

The Iowa DOT has developed an accident location and analysis system (PC-ALAS) that has been well received by users. With its pull-down menu structure, PC-ALAS is portable and more user friendly than its mainframe predecessor. Users can obtain accident statistics for locations during specified time periods. Searches may be refined to identify accidents of specific types or involving drivers with certain characteristics. Output can be viewed on screen, sent to file, or printed using pre-defined formats.

However, PC-ALAS remains rather difficult to use. Location "node numbers" must be identified from cumbersome node tables or paper/CAD maps. In addition, the presence of a node does not necessarily indicate the existence of historical accident data. Further, the text-based PC-ALAS does not utilize recent developments in computer graphics and spatial access methods such as geographic information systems (GIS).

We propose the development of a GIS-based ALAS. With advanced spatial query and display capabilities, a GIS-based system would reproduce current capabilities and, with marginal additional effort, enhance query and display features. Custom data requests will also be provided. Such a system, or GIS-ALAS, will include instant graphical access, enabling viewing and selecting of desired network locations (nodes and links). Node numbers no longer would need to be specified. Query results will be displayed on a map or in a table, thereby creating more easily understood displays of inputs (queries) and outputs (statistics).

2.0 Background

Interest in a user-friendly, fast, portable system for accident data retrieval and analysis is widespread. Several organizations have expressed a desire for a system that uses clearly defined inputs (queries) to create understandable outputs (statistics) in a timely manner. The outputs should be in the form of both graphics and tables. The Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) Engineering Division, developer of the current PC-ALAS (accident location and analysis system), considers a GIS-based ALAS (or GIS-ALAS) to be a natural progression of its current product. Members of the Incident Management Subcommittee for the Des Moines Metropolitan Area Intelligent Transportation Systems Early Deployment Study have suggested that a GIS-ALAS would be beneficial to their study by providing accident data quickly and efficiently. And the Iowa DOT GIS Coordinating Committee has identified GIS-ALAS as a pilot implementation of GIS technology at the department.

Several ongoing efforts are relevant to the development of the GIS-ALAS. These efforts will be monitored and coordinated with project tasks. Key efforts include:

• PC ALAS Improvement: In addition to the Iowa DOT, PC-ALAS is used by many local transportation agencies throughout Iowa. Among these are municipalities, county agencies, Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), and Regional Planning Associations (RPAs). PC-ALAS can be obtained by accessing Iowa State University's Center for Transportation Research and Education (CTRE) Bulletin Board System (BBS). Using the BBS, agencies can download PC-ALAS and the accident information for their respective counties. CTRE's Transportation Safety Circuit Rider also distributes the system. The Iowa DOT plans to implement PC-ALAS in Visual FoxPro. GIS-ALAS should have the capability of interfacing with the new PC-ALAS in order to display results of FoxPro queries rather requiring users to recreate queries, for example.
• Severity reduction factors project: This project is developing query programs, used for assessing the potential benefits of safety improvements to roadways, in Microsoft software. The overall mission of the project is to improve the effectiveness of methods used to program safety improvements. The programs developed in this project can likely be incorporated into future versions of GIS-ALAS.
• Collision diagram software project: In this project, the Iowa DOT is investigating acquiring software that will develop collision diagrams for intersections or short sections of roadway. The software will be compatible with the Iowa DOT PCs in the central office and in field offices. The diagrams will be defined by three fields on the accident data base: vehicle direction of travel, vehicle action, and collision type. Display of collision diagrams may be accessed through the GIS-ALAS geographically, thereby enhancing analysis and presentation capabilities.
• GIS-CC pilot projects: The DOT Geographic Information Systems Coordinating Committee is sponsoring several GIS pilot projects (being conducted by CTRE in conjunction with several DOT offices). Several of these projects are related to the development of GIS ALAS. In some cases (e.g., Accident and Roadway/Roadside Features pilot), tools being developed may enhance the GIS-ALAS. In others (e.g. Detour Locations pilot and Routing pilot), GIS-ALAS could provide an essential database input.
• DOT management systems: The DOT is currently developing several transportation management systems. Those which do or could make use of the GIS-ALAS are the maintenance, bridge, pavement, congestion, and especially safety and intermodal systems. For example, the intermodal management system team is developing system performance measures, one of which is accident rates. Rather than use the current PC-ALAS which would require determining node numbers, the team used a modification of the protptype/demonstration GIS-ALAS to do it. Another management system (Safety) would have the most need for a tool such as GIS-ALAS.
• Officer Information Manager (OIM): OIM automated certain driver/vehicle related reports completed by law enforcement officers using pen computers in the field. The first software developed was that of the Mobile Accident Reporting System (MARS) for accident reporting and accident record system data interface. MARS is now being implemented widely across Iowa. Currently MARS supports the link-node location of accidents performed by the enforcement agency, while pioneering the application of GPS/GIS technologies to this function.

3.0 Literature Review

An extensive search of TRIS and other reference sources was performed, (see Section IX, Information Sources and References). Many of these sources were identified and reviewed as part of a recent ISU master's thesis on use of GIS for accident location and analysis (which resulted in the development of a demonstration GIS-ALAS). In summary, Iowa is certainly amongst the leading states with regard to the development of user-friendly statewide accident data systems. Some states are beginning to use GIS to store and access accident information. However, the particular structure of Iowa's accident databases as well as the multi-level jurisdictional access considerations make little of the other state's software and procedures directly transferable to the Iowa situation.

4.0 Proposed Research Methodology

We propose that the development of GIS-ALAS be staged into five sequential tasks, as follows:

4.1 Task A. (5%): GIS ALAS Research (Jan - Feb)

4.11 literature review/state of the art

4.12 review state of the practice (with assistance from DOT)

4.13 software assessment and selection (Several GIS and access platforms will be investigated (e.g., ArcView, Maptitude, Mapinfo, internet application software, etc.) Preference will be given to software that would allow free or low cost user access (e.g., public domain GIS, or maybe secured/password protected remote access application via the Internet).

4.2 Task B. (40%): GIS ALAS Design (Mar - Jun)

This task includes consideration of several factors:

4.21 applications in engineering and related safety disciplines (mostly University of Iowa subcontract), 10%. Applications are likely to be diverse and include the identification of locations at high accident risk for emergency service deployment and/or traffic surveillance, and for safety improvements of highways and streets, before and after studies of the effectiveness of safety improvements that have been made, or of certain types of traffic control devices that have been changed, and the evaluation of different geometric designs, determination of proper control devices in work zones, development of changes in zoning codes and access management strategies, and prioritization and scheduling of safety improvement programs.

For Example, the Impact 1.0 program estimates delays caused by incidents on urban freeways. It requires several inputs related to roadway segments including: number of lanes (one way), segment length, two-way AADT, k factor, d factor, number of peak hours per day, etc. It also uses nationally derived accident rate data, data which could be improved for local use in Iowa by coordination/integration with GIS-ALAS. Each application can have different data needs and therefore place different constraints or requirements on the architecture of the accident database to be developed. For example, for the identification of high risk locations, summary statistics of accident frequency over space and time may be sufficient, but for safety improvement, information about the location, such as its type (intersection, rail crossing, bridge, work zone, etc.), its physical attributes, and its operating characteristics are needed so that the causes of high accident risk can be identified and correctional measures can be taken to remove them.

We would identify the data requirements for these applications and integrate them into the GIS-ALAS system design. Since the initial focus of the GIS-ALAS project is to recreate the PC-ALAS capabilities in GIS-ALAS, it may not be possible at this stage to consider the needs of all potential applications. We would therefore place our priority on accommodating the needs of engineering and safety applications of GIS-ALAS (these applications are also likely to be more demanding on the functionality of GIS- ALAS). Applications of interest to related safety disciplines (e.g., emergency response community) will be identified but not developed as part of the year one effort.

4.22 use of GPS/interface with MARS, 5%. The GIS-ALAS shall be designed to be able to import data referenced by global coordinates (such as those provided, say from GPS receivers as part of the MARS program).

4.23 make use of future cartographic enhancements, 5%. This subtask includes developing a method for incorporation of more accurate line work such as "conflation" - a GIS-based method of translating attributes from one map to another. This subtask assures that GIS-ALAS will not become out-of-date when improved digital maps become available.

4.24 software capabilities (user friendliness, import/export, size, access, database design, etc.), 20%. This also implies the design of a statewide system that is also suitable for use by regional and local agencies. Therefore, the GIS-ALAS shall be designed to allow for use on equipment readily available to local agencies.

For all subtasks, the project team will assure that software and databases maintain compatibility with existing and planned DOT computing standards and readily available hardware/software. The team will inform the DOT GIS coordinating committee of progress and request their review of same.

4.3 Task C. (30%): GIS ALAS Development (Jul - Sep)

4.31 programming of core system (Tie CAD nodes to accident data on a GIS platform. Also create link-based query capabilities.) This may include inclusion of other GIS thematic information, such as traffic and other road information from Base Records system and other DOT/non-DOT databases that can be imported into the GIS.

4.32 data acquisition and assimilation (as CAD node maps become available from Office of Transportation Data)

4.33 develop applications interfaces (modules)

4.34 develop access/distribution methods

4.35 prepare documentation

4.4 Task D. (15%): GIS ALAS Testing/Refinement (Oct - Nov)

4.41 identify beta test sites for each design criteria

4.42 beta sites test system and provide feedback

4.43 refine system based on beta site feedback and advisory committee input

4.5 Task E. (10%): Technology Transfer (Dec)

4.51 prepare project report

4.52 deliver software and documentation

4.53 GIS ALAS training

5.0 Project Products and Deliverables

The main product to be delivered is a working GIS-ALAS system for Iowa. Each of the following deliverables will be included in final report. Interim versions will be made available to the advisory committee. By task, the products are:

5.1 GIS ALAS Research Products

literature review/state of the art review state of the practice (with assistance from DOT) software assessment and selection

5.2 GIS ALAS Design Products

A description of GIS ALAS design considerations related to engineering and non-engineering applications. Included will be engineering applications that can/will use GIS-ALAS or be incorporated into the GIS ALAS as modules (University of Iowa, lead) as well as other potential applications.

An assessment of software capabilities (user friendliness, import/export, size, access, database design, etc.) that includes the approach to be used to incorporate GPS data and accommodate improvements in cartographic accuracy.

5.3 GIS ALAS Development Products

A description of the approach used to program the core system, data acquisition and assimilation, development of applications interfaces (modules), and development of access/distribution methods.

GIS ALAS documentation (technical and user)

5.4 (15%) GIS ALAS Testing/Refinement Products

A description of the identification of test subjects for each design criteria, feedback received from subjects and refinements to be implemented in GIS ALAS.

(10%) Technology Transfer Products

project report

software and documentation (technical and user)

GIS ALAS training (workshop)

selected plots from GIS ALAS (e.g., shaded density map of accident statistics for Iowa counties, etc.)

6.0 Project Duration and Phasing

One year effort, representing phase one of development. At the end of the first year, the GIS ALAS will be working for the entire state (subject to availability of CAD and data files). Subsequent years efforts will be dedicated to improvements and enhancements in the system and development of safety, engineering and related disciplinary applications of GIS ALAS.

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Project Personnel

Principal investigator: Reg Souleyrette, Associate Professor of Civil and Construction Engineering at ISU. Reg is also the Associate Director for Transportation Planning and Information Systems at CTRE. Reg will be responsible for project management.

Faculty affiliate: Michael Zhang, Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the U of I. Michael will be responsible for investigation of engineering and related disciplinary applications and their relationship to GIS-ALAS design.

Graduate student: Michael Pawlovich, Department of Civil and Construction Engineering, ISU. Michael wrote his masters thesis on the potential of using GIS for accident location and analysis. He will be responsible for coding, data collection, documentation, testing and training on GIS-ALAS. Michael will be assigned one undergraduate assistant and will work closely with Drs. Souleyrette and Zhang.

GIS Specialist: Zachary Hans, CTRE. Zach will provide guidance on GIS design and assure that GIS-ALAS is compatible with related DOT efforts.

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Information Sources and References

Available resources:

• DOT CAD node maps (Randy Patterson, Office of Transportation Data)
  
• DOT CAD cartographic maps (Randy Patterson, Office of Transportation Data)
  
• DOT Base records data (Bill Lutz, Office of Transportation Data)
  
• PC ALAS program, user's guide, manual, database (Joyce Emery, John Nervig, Office of Transportation Safety)
  
• DOT accident analysis spreadsheet (Bill Bielefeldt, Office of Transportation Safety)
  
• Polk County high-resolution mapping (Steve Gast, Central Iowa Automated Mapping)
  
• Management systems GIS database (Mike Anderson, CTRE)
  
• Collision diagram software prototype (Duane Smith, CTRE)
  
• GIS-ALAS prototype (demonstration) software (Michael Pawlovich, CTRE)
  
• Roadside Features GIS Pilot Project (Zach Hans, CTRE)
  

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Brackett, R. Brackett & Associates. Basic Highway Safety Analytical Procedures. The Proceedings from the Joint 21st International Forum on Traffic Records and Highway Information Systems and the 4th NHTSA Conference on the Analysis of State Highway Safety Data. National Safety Council, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and the Federal Highway Administration, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 1995. pp. 106-110.

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last modified on 27. January, 1997 by Michael D. Pawlovich (ISU/CTRE)