The project proposed in this funding request is a continuation of the
development of Midwest FreightView (MWFV), a comprehensive data repository and information
delivery system for intermodal freight transportation in the Great Lakes Region. In
particular, this project will be
devoted to the development of a set of formalized data library functions that include
a complete set of user guides,
technical manuals, and training modules for using the system, a detailed inventory
of the contents of the data
repository, and complete documentation of the contents of the repository according
to national metadata standards. In
addition, the project will include a related set of tasks that include the establishment
of formally-defined directory
structures for storage of the data, backup and security protocols, and the development
of formal procedures for any
updates, additions, or edits to the contents of the repository. To date, development
efforts of the system have
emphasized data collection, development of analytical tools, and customization of
the GIS platform. The bulk of this
work has been devoted to assembling, reconciling, and integrating diverse data from
a wide range of sources into a
single comprehensive repository that provides access to millions of records within
a wide range of datasets. These
efforts cannot effectively continue until a set of rules and procedures are set in
place and a sense of continuity in
the project is maintained by building an “institutional memory” for the repository
and delivery system.
Specific outcomes resulting from this project can be summarized as follows:
- for users to gain the necessary expertise to effectively use the system
and to
familiarize themselves with the contents of the repository;
- for the project team to have a clearly defined, systematic approach for
integrating
new data into the system, for documenting updates, for maintaining data security,
formalizing the directory
structure of the repository, and for backing up data within the system to remote platforms;
- for the project team to identify gaps in the database through the
inventory
process.
Byproviding current, detailed data coupled with analytical tools, MWFV contributes
to the mission of the UT-UTC by
providing a comprehensive resource to transportation analysts, regional stakeholders,
public officials, and other
interested parties in both the public and private sectors. The MWFV system can provide
the tools for evaluating
system-wide efficiency by modeling flows through intermodal connectivity. However
this resource can be of greater
utility to transportation professionals if additional effort is devoted to organizing,
documenting, and maintaining the
system. The development of this Data Management Library System will thus enable users
to take advantage of the strengths
of MWFV.
