What Value May Geographic Information Systems Add to the Art of Identifying Crash211 Countermeasures

摘要

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) can be employed to relate, organize, and211u001eanalyze roadway and crash data, thereby facilitating crash countermeasure 211u001eidentification and evaluation. A literature review illustrates many of the 211u001eanalysis capabilities of GIS, Case studies at the corridor and citywide level 211u001eillustrate how GIS may be used as an instrument to identify potential crash 211u001ecountermeasures. Although the currently available crash and roadway data are not 211u001eperfect, they are sufficient for applying some GIS-based analytical techniques. 211u001eBy learning how to use GIS now, analysts can be ready to take advantage of more 211u001eextensive crash and roadway data sets that may become available in the future. 211u001eUsing the PC-based Micro Traffic Records System (MTRS), a software package 211u001eemployed by law enforcement agencies in Virginia that records crashes at either a 211u001especific intersection or between two cross streets, it was possible to place 211u001eapproximately 82% of the MTRS crash locations within a GIS.