GIS-Based Crash Referencing and Analysis System. Summary Report

摘要

A geographical information system (GIS) can be simply defined as a collection of hardware and software that is used to edit, analyze, and display geographical information stored in a spatial data base. In recent years, many transportation departments and other related organizations, such as the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), have examined the feasibility of using GIS for transportation planning, systems management, and engineering applications. In some States and municipalities, GIS is being used to plan transportation routes, manage pavement and bridge maintenance, and perform a variety of other traditional transportation-related functions. One area where GIS has yet to be extensively applied is in the analysis of crash data. Computerized crash analysis systems in which crash data, roadway inventory data, and traffic operations data can be merged are used in many States and municipalities to identify problem locations and assess the effectiveness of implemented countermeasures. By integrating this traditional system with a GIS, which offers spatial referencing capabilities and graphical displays, a more effective crash analysis program can be realized.