Ancillary Asset Data Stewardship and Data Models

ABSTRACT NCHRP Synthesis 20-05 Topic 54-06: Ancillary Asset Data Stewardship and Data Models Some states have started tracking some ancillary assets in their Transportation Asset Management Plans (TAMPs), but most have not even though they inventory and manage many of these ancillary assets (e.g., assets other than pavement and bridges). There is a growing interest to create and maintain dynamic inventories of ancillary assets that provide centralized access to accurate and current ancillary asset information. Maintaining a dynamic inventory of current asset information is a cross-functional initiative. There are challenges for funding such cross-functional initiatives (e.g., statewide mobile LIDAR data collection and asset extraction) and also for stewarding the data. The data owner often has little control over the data lifecycle. For example, capturing relevant information about construction activities is often the work task of an inspector, who may not have a vested interest in the data being collected. Stewardship of the data is critical to data quality but is often disconnected from asset stewardship. The Federal Highway Administration is currently deploying Digital As-Builts through its Every Day Counts round 6 initiative. Many agencies interested in implementing Digital As-Builts recognize that the as-built data primarily serves post-construction uses. As such, they need to locate the asset data stewards and access the data models before they can implement digital as- built collection. Information on programmed and completed work against an asset may also have value for project planning purposes. Agencies also recognize that the majority of asset inventory information is created in design and should only need to be verified or updated in construction. Consequently, some agencies are harnessing technology to automate the creation of asset inventory information and are developing solutions to extract the information for use/update in construction and delivery to the asset data steward. Updates of ancillary asset data, including inventory and condition, is also used to make programmatic decisions. The objective of this synthesis is to document state DOT practices related to data models and data stewardship of ancillary assets.