Geographic Information System Implementation Plan for Pavement Management Information System: Texas Department of Transportation

Abstract

Integrating a geographic information system (GIS) with an existing pavement management system such as the Texas Department of Transportation Pavement Management Information System is not as simple as merely installing a new piece of software into the existing pavement management system and then operating it. A successful GIS implementation involves not only the information technologies themselves but also other elements, such as personnel and their GIS skills, the organizational structure within which they work, and the institutional relationships that govern the management of information flow. All of these elements need to be managed in an interactive manner. GIS can serve as a platform for integrating various types of data, systems, and technologies. Because of the nature of rapid changes in GIS and related information technology, a well-developed GIS implementation plan is essential. The development of a comprehensive and practical implementation plan using GIS to enhance the pavement management practice in the Texas Department of Transportation is presented. As the basis of the implementation plan, a “three-stage implementation” concept was used to assess the current practice, define the visionary system, and identify the intermediate solutions. Also presented are several key issues and aspects important to the successful implementation of GIS for pavement management.