Statewide Data and Information Systems Committee

Statewide Transportation Data and Information Systems
ABJ20

Tuesday, January 11, 2005
Montana Department of Transportation Report

 

HISTORIC HIGHWAY MAP BOOK

The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) has prepared an "Official Highway Map" every year from 1934 to the present except for 1943 - 1946.  These maps not only document Montana's highway system over the years, but also much of its natural, historic and man-made attractions as well. Understandably, these maps have become historically valuable. Since 1934, MDT had a practice of maintaining a complete collection of these maps, but over the past 10 -15 years, maps have "disappeared" from the collection and were subjected to extensive wear and tear. After restoring the collection to a complete set of maps, it is the only known complete collection. In order to preserve the original maps and yet make them more widely available for review, staff scanned the entire collection and placed them in hard cover bound books.  MDT has also used this book to partially satisfy the continuing need for updating the programmatic agreement for Historic Roads and Bridges with the Montana Historic Preservation Office and the FHWA. A copy will be available for review at the ABJ20 meeting. For more information on this Project, contact Bill Cloud at 406-444-6114 or bcloud@mt.gov.

MONTANA TRANSPORTATION FRAMEWORK GIS AND ITS PROJECTS

An Example of Collaboration

The Transportation Framework Project (TFP) was conceived in 1999 by a group of concerned GIS professionals and endorsed by the Montana Geographic Information Council (MGIC).  MGIC discovered three basic realities concerning transportation data in the State of Montana:

• A significant amount of relevant ground transportation data already exists among public and private jurisdictions in Montana but is not readily accessible or integrated.
• For a given geographic area, it is the case that no single jurisdiction has a mandate to build or provide a multi-jurisdictional ground transportation database that contributes to the decision environment of a community or organization.
• An integrated Statewide Transportation Database could be used by private and public entities to create applications in a standardized manner. 

In 1999, Montana Senator Conrad Burns requested a proposal from the State (MDT) as part of TEA-21's Intelligent Transportation Systems project (ITSP) activities that ultimately resulted in funding for a statewide GIS project designed to collect GPS coordinate data for all roads open for public travel where centerline spatial data did not already exist. 

The ITSP and the TFP are intended to be complimentary projects.  As the Statewide project reaches completion, the MDT will utilize it for its applications and needs.  A brief three-page description of this project will be available at the ABJ20 meeting. For further information on these two highly inter-related transportation projects please contact: Zia Kazimi at 406-444-6114 or zkazimi@mt.gov.  

MONTANA DIGITAL ORTHO IMAGERY PARTNERSHIP PROJECT

The Montana Department of Administration (DOA) is partnering with the Farm Service Agency's National Agricultural Imagery Program to acquire digital imagery that will enable the availability of digital ortho-photography for approximately 90% of the state. The total project cost is estimated at $2.4 million. The DOA is coordinating financial contributions from other agencies for this project including the USFS, USGS, BLM, other state agencies, local governments, tribal governments, the private sector, and others. MDT has firmly committed to a $50,000 contribution, and probably more. Digital ortho-photography is a primary component of Montana's Spatial Data Infrastructure and is used for background imagery for GIS applications, wetland, vegetation and land use mapping, wildfire mapping, homeland security, and road and highway mapping, just to name a few applications. MDT is fortunate to share in the benefits of this project for such a relatively low cost contribution. A brief three-page description of this project will be available at the ABJ20 meeting.

Further information regarding this project can be obtained from Stewart Kirkpatrick, State GIS Coordinator, Montana Department of Administration, 406-444-9013, skirkpartrick@mt.gov.