WA-Trans FAQ

The Washington Statewide Transportation Framework Project (WA-Trans) was organized to create an electronic map of transportation data for use in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) across the state.

No, once the information is collected and paid for it becomes public domain (citizen tax dollars have paid for it already). Some data collected by private companies may have security constraints.

Citizens are encouraged to attend and can attend via video conference if they make prior arrangements. WA-Trans Partners Meetings

Yes, citizens are welcome to attend WA-Trans meetings, however, all final decisions rest with the committee. We also ask that you save your input and questions until the break and then talk to the project manager or an appropriate committee member about your concerns. Steering Committe Meetings

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), through WA-Trans, in partnership with the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), established a consortium of public and private entities called the Geo-spatial Integration and Sharing Data Consortium (GISDC). The GISDC was created to organize the partner states involved in the Transportation Pooled Fund "TPF-5(108) Software Tools for Sharing and Integrating GIS Data" research project. The GISDC is interested in the development of computer based tools that facilitate geo-spatial transportation data sharing and integration for a variety of purposes and uses.

The FMG is a consensus building body that provides overall direction to individual framework projects. The FMG determines framework priorities, identifies and facilitates resolution of common framework issues, and ensures coordination among the projects. Overall framework decisions and decisions that are out of individual project scope are made by the FMG. Widespread participation is solicited and encouraged from federal,state, local, private, tribal, and professional organizations.

The National Map is a USGS intiative to provide a long term replacement for USGS quads. They are trying to do it using GIS gathering data from Cities, Counties and State Governments to produce a nationwide set of 7 layers. One of those layers is the Transportation layer. The USGS expects the various State's transportation frameworks, as being a source of longterm of roads data for the National Map. There are USGS people on the steering committee.

The Census TIGER modernization effort is a nationwide project to improve the accuracy and quality of Census TIGER data. There is very good possibility that the Census will get their Roads layer done before the WA-Trans does because of funding. If so, it's possible that the Census layer may be the first version of WA-Trans and then WA-Trans will be used to update the Census road layer over time. The relationship is supported by Census participation on the steering committee and Census may be able to provide in-kind resources for the project.

Geo Spatial One Stop is one of 24 Federal E-Goverment initiatives to improve effectiveness, efficiency and customer service throughout all layers of government. It builds upon the National Spatial Data Infrastructure objectives to enhance interoperability among geographic componants of government activities and to maintain a common inventory of geospatial content and services. One of the teams working on Geo Spatial One Stop is The RoadMAT (Modeling Advisory Team). This team is responsible for developing the roads standards. They are in the latter phases of doing this. There will be standards developed for other transportation layer modes including rail.

WA-Trans needs to be compliant with any standard GeoSpatial One-Stop comes up with for transportation data to support data exchange. The standards they are working with will be very basic in order to support nationwide implementation.

WA-Trans data is expected to be provided by various data providers across the state. The WA-Trans data is also expected to be maintained by these providers on a regular basis, making this data as current as possible. Every data provider will have their own data, in their own schemas, in their own application. WA-Trans data needs to be in a specified and standardized format. To allow for the data provider to successfully supply data and a user to retrieve data from WA-Trans a translation will need to be made between the datasets provided and WA-Trans data. The Puget Sound Pilot is currently developing the translation processes necessary to do this using an off the shelf translator software solution.