Home Skip to main content

MPC
Research Projects (2001-02)

Identifying Number

MPC-218

Project Title

Leveraging Technology Investments - Integration of GPS, GIS and Maintenance Management

University

North Dakota State University

Project Investigator

Dennis Jacobson, MS, PE
Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute, NDSU
(701)231-7766
dennis.jacobson@ndsu.edu

External Project Contact

Jerry Horner, P.E.
State Maintenance Engineer
NDDOT
Bismarck, ND 58505
jhorner@state.nd.us

Troy Gilbertson
Maintenance Coordinator
NDDOT
(701)239-8904
tgilbert@state.nd.us

Project Objective

Develop a methodology with accompanying software programs which enable maintenance managers to use GPS and GIS technology to capture maintenance program needs and produce graphic and tabular reports of planned and executed programs and unfunded maintenance backlogs.

Project Abstract

The North Dakota Department of Transportation has invested thousands of dollars in developing a Geographic Information System for managing transportation assets. One of the early benefits of this effort was the integration of all of the existing databases. Now all of the resident transportation data can be accessed from the Roadway Information Management System (RIMS). Another was the development of a robust mapping system that replaced an archaic manual system of mapping. Transportation managers are now searching for secondary benefits from this investment in technology. One area of NDDOT operations that could benefit from the GIS investment is Maintenance Program Management.

Current practice requires that the district maintenance coordinators review the actual condition of their roads with their section leadmen. This requires that they visually inspect their system and determine which roads will receive maintenance effort from a palette of normal maintenance practices. These routine maintenance practices include pot hole patching, blade and scotch patching, crack sealing etc. The maintenance coordinators review the maintenance needs from these visual inspections and then allocate the appropriate dollars from their maintenance budgets to accomplish the work. Summer work plans are prepared and the sections and/or contractors perform the approved maintenance.

Maintenance coordinators consult with their district engineers and consider such things as upcoming construction projects when deciding the timing of maintenance work. Roads that are planned for reconstruction or major rehabilitation are normally excluded from extensive maintenance as these expenditures would be wasted. Generally, there are more maintenance project needs than available maintenance dollars. However, the severity and extent of this maintenance backlog are not quantified because there is no system to collect and store this data.

The existing system does not capture total needs in a way that can answer various management questions. It does not provide a historical perspective to see if a district or section is going backwards or forwards with respect to maintenance needs. If you asked a district what their total maintenance backlog of needs is, with the possible except of major projects, they couldn't tell you, at least with any degree of specificity. If you asked the NDDOT Operations Engineer what the statewide maintenance program is, he couldn't tell you. He could tell you how much money is budgeted but not where it's going nor what's left to do. Conversely, the Operations Engineer could not tell you what his backlog of needs is nor the impact of increasing or decreasing district or statewide maintenance program funding.

Current practices are manual and are not linked in any repeatable way across district borders nor summarized statewide. Current practice allows for the manual summary of major maintenance projects planned for a given year but cannot portray the unfunded maintenance backlog.

Task Descriptions

  • Task 1 – Develop methodology for maintenance managers to capture proposed maintenance work electronically.
  • Task 2 – Develop an automated palette of standardized maintenance practices.
  • Task 3 – Develop a software program to analyze and report proposed district maintenance work plans.
  • Task 4 – Develop an interactive software program which allows maintenance managers to develop and graphically display alternate maintenance programs.
  • Task 5 – Develop a software program to capture maintenance work performed and compare to work planned.
  • Task 6 – Develop an internet application which displays planned, executed and unfunded maintenance program graphically.

Milestones, Dates

  • Starting Date: July 1, 2001
  • Project Milestones:
    • Task 1: July 15, 2001
    • Task 2: August 1, 2001
    • Task 3: September 1, 2001
    • Task 4: October 15, 2001
    • Task 5: November 1, 2001
    • Task 6: March 1, 2002
  • Ending Date: May 31, 2002

Yearly and Total Budget

$78,000

Student Involvement

Graduate assistants and students will be used for programming software applications and establishing graphical interfaces and internet application.

Relationship to Other Research Projects

None at this time.

Technology Transfer Activities

This project will establish the utility of maintenance management practices using GPS/GIS technology. It is the intent of this project to create a product which is transferable to any transportation agency with a compatible GIS. The next step would be to market this product through the technology transfer centers.

Potential Benefits of the Project

At the conclusion of the study, a road system manager would be able to determine the backlog of needs through automated maintenance management using GPS and GIS technology. Questions that can be answered after the conclusion of the study are:

  • What are your total maintenance needs by type of work by roadway section, district, system, statewide?
  • Given X level of funding, what is the maintenance backlog by type of work or dollar amount? What is the backlog impact of cutting or increasing the maintenance program?
  • What has been the impact of past maintenance funding? Are districts' maintenance needs underfunded and increasing over time?
  • What is the construction program impact on maintenance needs and backlog?
  • What is the impact of slipping a construction

TRB Keywords

Maintenance management

NDSU Dept 2880P.O. Box 6050Fargo, ND 58108-6050
(701)231-7767ndsu.ugpti@ndsu.edu