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Introduction and Summary

The MDOT TARUT Study is a three year effort to explore how satellite and other remote sensing data can address the needs of the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT). The study, jointly funded by MDOT and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), will combine data from fine detail, high-resolution remote sensing systems and other assets with advanced geospatial analysis techniques to examine transportation concerns. The data will come from civil agencies, commercial firms, and the Department of Defense (DoD), as appropriate to meet the study's goals and objectives.

 

Some of these transportation activities and concerns include: asset management (aerial monitoring of environment and roadways); HAZMAT vehicles (safe operations and routing optimization); intelligent transportation systems and traffic operations (validation, calibration and extrapolation); border crossing operations (analyze international queues); traffic safety and congestion forecasting; high-resolution land cover mapping; and environmental assessment of transportation corridors.   

 

Structure of the Study

The MDOT TARUT Study consists of four phases. The project tasks began, in Phase I, with generation of RADAR and electro-optical data and formulating stakeholder focus group. In Phase II, we conducted the stakeholder focus group meetings designed to link transportation agency needs to restricted use capabilities and remote sensing representative of restricted use technology. In Phase III, the study focused on the four focus areas previously listed, with pilot studies demonstrating how remote sensing technology and geospatial analysis can assist MDOT in meeting its goals and objectives. Based on the successful results of these preliminary phases, under Phase IV we have been developing demonstration desktop GIS tools for the MDOT-selected priority areas of improving asset management databases using high resolution imagery and increasing the efficiency of the wetlands mitigation site selection process using integrated remote sensing and GIS analysis. MTRI has collaborated closely with MDOT staff complete the technical tasks and manage the project to ensure that results are meeting the priorities of a state transportation agency.

 

Figure 1:  Summary of Tasks Comprising the MTRI, formerly Altarum Institute, TARUT Study

The project has six tasks that are grouped into four phases.  The figure shows the dependencies between tasks.  Task 5, the pilot studies, will be the culmination of all previous tasks.

 

View the TARUT Study Factsheet >>>

 

Demonstration Desktop Geospatial Tools for Validation

Two desktop geospatial tools were developed to help MDOT evaluate and validate the pilot study results. MTRI developed a Road Furniture Desktop GIS Tool and a Wetlands Mitigation Site Suitability Tool and demonstrated them to MDOT through an intensive software review and user feedback process. Demonstrations of the tools, and how they can applicable to different states and transportation planning and data collection priorities, are available by contacting MTRI. The road furniture tool integrates an imagery analysis and asset management data collection process into a user-friendly ArcGIS environment that includes managing the data in enterprise-level relational database software such as Oracle Spatial and PostgreSQL through ArcSDE. The wetlands tool enables transportation agency users to evaluate entire large watersheds for the suitability of areas to be wetlands mitigation sites, based on customizable transportation agency priorities. A field version of the tool is available in both ArcGIS and open source versions to enable field checking and real-time assessment of wetland suitability results.

 

View the Road Furniture Desktop GIS Tool Factsheet >>>

View the Wetlands Mitigation Site Suitability Tool Factsheet >>>

 

Electro-optical and RADAR Data Sources

This study will make use of a variety of remotely sensed data sources. These will include high resolution visible and infrared images, as well as data derived from ground moving target indicators (GMTI) and stationary object indicators. Many of these data sources will be come from non-restricted sources to expedite progress on the study and to allow for comparison between commercial and products and products derived from restricted use technology.

 

Figure 2: Blue Water Bridge at Port Huron, Michigan-Sarnia, Ontario Border.

Image zooms in from widest view (a) to tightest view (b).  Truck and automotive queues are visible on the Michigan side of the border.  Source: Ikonos, Sunday, August 3, 2002, roughly 2:45 PM.

 

Use of Geographic Information Systems in the Study

This study requires extensive use of high resolution remote sensing imagery, as well as geographic information system (GIS) based dynamic decision support systems (DDSS) that will assimilate remote sensing data and ground observations with models. The fusion of high resolution imagery with in situ (on the ground) observations, coupled with transportation models, will produce a useful set of analytical tools for this project. Additionally, the GIS-based DDSS system envisioned for this program will facilitate the efficient: a) archiving of the remote sensing data, b) assimilation of the data into the GIS-based transportation models, and c) dissemination of the products (both imagery and model outputs) to the user community. GIS will also be used to render observations from classified imagery into derived information, transforming the data into an unclassified format (i.e., derived products).

 

Stakeholder Focus Groups

Early in the study, stakeholders who will play an essential role in matching the needs of MDOT to the capabilities of restricted use technology will be identified. The focus group meetings have two objectives: to identify: 1) the highest priority uses of restricted use technology in the transportation sector, and 2) the most promising pilot tests based on stakeholder input.  Each of the focus group meetings had a session of technical briefings to better inform the stakeholders. To read more about the TARUT focus group meetings, click here.

 

Pilot Demonstrations

The representative restricted data and focus group results will support the initial match of types of DoD Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities to classes of transportation requirements. An iterative process will then be used focus in on the DoD ISR capabilities most likely to address specific transportation requirements. The results of this process will produce a candidate list of potential projects to demonstrate the feasibility and viability of the use of restricted use information and capabilities in the transportation arena. Focus groups and stakeholders in the affected transportation activities will provide information to MDOT to select one or more demonstration projects for implementation. The selected project(s) will be implemented and evaluated in terms of clear project objectives and performance metrics. The demonstration project experience and evaluation results will be documented as a part of the final project report.

 

Altarum’s Transfer to Michigan Tech Research Institute (MTRI)

We are pleased to announce that on October 1, 2006, Altarum’s Environmental and Emerging Technologies Division (EETD) (all personnel, equipment and contracts/grants) was divested and has become the Ann Arbor based Michigan Tech Research Institute (MTRI). The Altarum Institute will focus solely on healthcare issues, while the new Michigan Tech Research Institute will focus on education, research, and development of technology to sense and understand natural and manmade environments. Drs. Robert Shuchman and Nikola Subotic will serve as Co-Directors of the new Institute and report to Dr. David Reed, Vice President for Research at Michigan Tech.

 

MTRI, with a staff of 26, will continue the Environmental Research Institute of Michigan (ERIM) not-for-profit heritage of development of cutting edge remote sensing instrumentation and geospatial analysis techniques for societal good, first started at the end of the second world war in the form of Willow Run Laboratory. The entire staff of the new Institute looks forward to continued collaboration with our existing sponsors and research partners as well as renewing past affiliations.

 

MDOT Primary Staff: Kirk Stuedle, Director; William Tansil, Lead Program Manager; David Schade, Program Manager; and Larry Whiteside, Program Manager

MTRI Primary Staff: Robert Shuchman, Technical Oversight; Greg Leonard, Project Manager   MTRI Project Task Managers: Colin Brooks and Brian Thelen   MTRI Contributing Staff: Joe Burns, William Buller, Tyler Erickson, Nancy French, Joe Garbarino, Charles Hatt, Eric Keefauver, Ben Koziol, Liza Liversedge, Lisa Phillips, Richard Powell, Chris Roussi, Luke Spaete, Nik Subotic, Brian White, Michelle Wienert, Brian Wilson