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Developing a Specification for Bike, Pedestrian, and Accessibility Infrastructure Data

A National Collaboration

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Amanda Watson on Flickr

J. Maus/BikePortland

u/Miser on Reddit

Andrew Gastwirth on Flickr

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There is a data gap.

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Portland Bureau of Transportation

City of Boulder Open Data

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What is the impact?

Lack of a Shared Data Format

Data Inconsistencies

Impact

No consistent definition of how bike, pedestrian, and accessibility infrastructure data should be collected and stored

Multiple data collection methods
Complications in quality control
Difficulties aggregating data from multiple sources

Increased costs
A less complete picture of our transportation system
Lower quality information on walking, biking, and rolling trips
Safety, economic, and public health impacts

Bureau of Transportation Statistics

So, what is the impact?

Currently, there is no consistent, all-inclusive definition of how data that defines bike, pedestrian, and accessibility infrastructure data should be collected or stored.
This leads to data collection methods that vary a lot, as each city and state DOT collects and maintains data independently.
Having multiple sources of these data in different formats can create complications in maintaining data, which in turn result in data consistency issues, and difficulties aggregating the data from multiple sources.
Finally, this data inconsistency leads to increased costs on agencies, an incomplete understanding of our transportation system, and lower quality information on walking, biking, and rolling trips. This has even further impacts on safety, our economic system, and our greater public health.

https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/25995/availability-and-use-of-pedestrian-infrastructure-data-to-support-active-transportation-planning

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What is BTS' goal?

To create national geospatial data layers for the extent, connectivity, and condition of bike, pedestrian, and accessibility infrastructure for BTS’ National Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD)

Bike

Pedestrian

Accessibility

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National Collaboration

Objective

To work across sectors to develop shared data specifications for geospatial bicycle, pedestrian, and accessibility infrastructure data across the U.S.

Scope

Developing or endorsing open standards and practices that support the objective collection, exchange, portability, and refutability of high-quality data.
Facilitating adoption of these standards and practices by data producers and consumers.

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Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC)

Transportation Subcommittee (TSC)

National Collaboration on Bike, Pedestrian, and Accessibility Infrastructure Data (NC-BPAID)

Bureau of Transportation Statistics

We’ve organized a group of stakeholders called the National Collaboration on Bicycle, Pedestrian, and Accessibility Infrastructure Data (NC-BPAID) under the umbrella of FGDC’s Transportation Subcommittee.
The Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) provides direction and oversight for geospatial initiatives across the Federal government. BTS is the lead agency of the FGDC's Transportation Subcommittee – charged with coordinating the geospatial transportation data community to promote best practices and develop standards.
We had our first NC-BPAID meeting back in December 2023 and continue to meet monthly.
This group includes stakeholders from across the Federal government (especially USDOT, USGS, NPS, CDC, and NIH); state DOTs, MPOs, counties, and cities; academic researchers; private companies; professional and industry associations; and nonprofits.
We’ve agreed that our purpose is to advance a state of comprehensive, interoperable, and routable data for bike, pedestrian, and physical accessibility infrastructure data.

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Milestones

Convene stakeholders to assess shared motivations

December 2023

Elected three co-chairs

April 2024

Approved a collaboration framework under FGDC's Transportation Subcommittee

June 2024

Launched Data Practices and Specification Development subgroups

July 2024

Starting work on use cases, field scan of existing specifications, glossary, and guiding principles

Fall 2024

Launched Outreach subgroup

December 2024

Collaboration review of Supplemental Materials: Use Cases, Glossary, and Field Scan

January 2025

Target Draft Specification Release

August 2025

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Where are we headed?

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Drafting and Reviewing Specifications

Field Tests of Specification and Integrating Feedback

Scoping out additional resources and tools to make it easier for users to adopt

Version 1.0 of Specifications

Supplemental Materials

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Participate in NC-BPAID

Contact: jay.davis@dot.gov
Monthly meetings (typically on the last Thursday of the month, 3pm ET)
Next meeting: January 30 @ 3pm ET
Asynchronous peer exchange via GitHub discussions
Join one of our subgroups

https://github.com/dotbts/BPA?tab=readme-ov-file#national-collaboration-on-bicycle-pedestrian-and-accessibility-infrastructure-data

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