Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT)
Base Map Conversion Services
Over a period of years, Kinetic Solutions developed
and improved INDOT's base map.
The driving need was to track pavement types for
all roads and highways across the state to receive
federal funds. The challenge was integrating
multiple sources and capturing detailed
information. Kinetic Solutions integrated
data from paper and Mylar maps, and
from DB2 mainframe databases, to create
a single accurate and comprehensive source
of road data. Existing digital data had
to be scrubbed for the new system. Roads
were designated by function (arterial, feeder, etc.).
The conversion required the capture of
substantial detail, including bridges,
municipal boundaries, urban area boundaries,
hydrologic features, federal funding codes,
segment length, road direction, and
associated data. Non-graphical data was
input to an Oracle database with a key
that maintains relationships with the
original DB2 database. The successful
completion of this task delivered the
first integrated digital map to
the department.
Application Development/Software Customization
Kinetic Solutions wrote custom applications and customized the
GIS user interface to allow less technically trained staff to
maintain the data. The application allowed users to add, move,
and delete information from the graphic and database systems.
The main application was written in C and runs on a DEC Alpha
using Open VMS. Other applications were written in Visual Basic
on a Windows platform and connect to the Oracle database on the
Alpha system to produce reports of road information for state
and federal agencies. The development of these user-friendly tools
increased productivity and ensured timely reporting.
CASPER Program
The purpose of this effort was to improve the efficiency of snow
plough routing and to reduce fuel and staffing costs of snow plough
operations. Kinetic Solutions assisted in developing the data
model to support the routing algorithm, and created a roadway
database to feed the model. Data came from various sources and
multiple formats. The deliverable was a highly detailed map database
including bridges, road segments, mile marker locations, vehicle
turn restrictions, direction of traffic and allowable turns. This
data was fed into algorithms which calculate the shortest and
most efficient snow plough routes. Expected cost savings of CASPER
were $2 million the first year.
Critical Reporting Capability
Kinetic Solutions created a seamless digital map for the entire
state for INDOT's Roadway Management Group. The purpose of this
map is to accurately report on construction and maintenance activities
to qualify for state and federal funding. Kinetic Solutions provided
a variety of services to automate the reporting and information
exchange functions for the DOT.
Graphic Decision Support System Development
Kinetic Solutions developed a custom Web solution to complement
INDOT's GIS that would make new digital data available over the
Internet to county agencies and other departments of the DOT.
The solution allowed remote users to directly access the digital
map in real time and take a snapshot of the data to be viewed
as a GIF image in their browser, or downloaded as DXF or JPEG
formats. This statewide geographic data is now available easily
and instantly to a wide range of agencies for a variety of decision
support applications.
