Data Integration

Transportation Asset Management relies heavily on highly organized and integrated data to support informed and comprehensive decision-making. Data integration is vital to Asset Management because it weaves together information needed to make strategic decisions across asset types, provides quick and convenient access to data, improves quality and comprehensiveness of data, promotes consistency and reduces cost of data collection, storage and processing, and improves existing stovepipe and legacy infrastructure management systems to better serve agency needs.

Bringing compatibility to the disparate data sets is challenging because each system usually is characterized by limited capability. Thus, applications of data integration strategies to support Asset Management have occurred in only a few transportation agencies, and these applications have been limited in scope. Much information and guidance is needed to address the technical and other organizational challenges involved in data integration.

The FHWA's Office of Asset Management is collecting, developing, and disseminating information pertaining to data integration. The office has published a number of documents including a Data Integration Primer and a Glossary of Data Integration Terms. In addition, a collection of Case Studies describing State DOT data integration experiences is being developed.

To obtain information on FHWA data integration initiatives, please contact:

Vicki Miller
FHWA Office of Asset Management
HIAM-30
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE
Washington, DC 20590
Tel: 202-366-2373
Email: vicki.miller@fhwa.dot.gov