2.8 Information Management
Intelligent Infrastructure
Information Management
- Data Archiving
Figure 2.8.1
Classification Scheme for Information Management
Data generated for immediate use in ITS applications can be archived and used for multiple purposes. Archived ITS data can be used to improve planning and operations and supplement government reporting systems by providing more comprehensive measures of performance analysis. Stored ITS data are typically referred to as an ITS data archive. Typical examples include bus journey times generated by transit automatic vehicle location (AVL) systems or traffic volume data monitored by freeway loop detectors.
The data stored in ITS data archives can be processed and organized using an archived data management system (ADMS) to facilitate subsequent analysis by end users. The inclusion of the Archived Data User Service (ADUS) in the National ITS Architecture underscores the value of archived data management systems and the need to collect, manage, and distribute ITS data to end users at the federal, state, and local level. The National ITS Architecture highlights a broad range of end users, including policymakers, planners, system operators, and the general public.
ADMS generally are scalable, allowing expansion of the scope of archived data to cover many functional items by finding relations among new sources and sets of data. Several large ADMS have been deployed in the United States over the past several years. The level of complexity of each system has been dependent on the end user needs. Small-scale systems have been tailored to meet the needs of a single agency or operations center, while larger systems have been deployed to collect data generated by multiple agencies, and to incorporate this data into regional ITS data warehouses.
Figure 2.8.1 shows how data archiving applications fit into the ITS classification scheme. Operating agencies around the country are in various stages of planning, implementing, and operating archived data management systems. As more advanced data analysis techniques develop, and the efficiency of data reporting systems is improved, additional examples of the effectiveness of information management systems will become available.[121]
Table 2.8.1 provides information on the costs of information management. An assessment of the impact of these systems is indicated by using the symbols in the Impact Legend at the bottom of each page.
Table 2.8.1 – Costs of Information Management
| Benefits | ||
|---|---|---|
| No data to report. | ||
| Costs | ||
| Unit Costs Database | Transportation Management subsystem |
See Appendix A |
| System Cost | The total cost of the Nevada DOT Freeway and Arterial System of Transportation (FAST) central system software design and development is approximately $4.225 million. The software will provide a fully automated freeway management system, plus the capability to receive, collect, archive, summarize, and distribute data generated by FAST. Of the $4.225 million, the cost to develop the design for the implementation of the Archived Data Management System (ADMS) for FAST was approximately $225,000. This cost included needs assessment, update of functional requirements, update of the regional architecture for the Las Vegas area, and system design.[122] | Software design and development cost: $4.225 million (2000) ADMS design cost: $225,000 (1999) |
Data Archiving
Impact Legend: