OpenStreetMap and NYSDOT Asset Comparison App

 

This data exploration showcases differences in overlapping transportation asset classes between OpenStreetMap (OSM) and NYSDOT's transportation asset inventory. The goal of this application is to facilitate visual comparisons between NYSDOT’s internal asset data and those collected as volunteered geographic information (VGI) in the OSM platform, with the aim of identifying differences, weaknesses, and strengths of each dataset and the potential to supplement NYSDOT’s own asset data with data from sources such as OSM. Benefits of this data exploration include:

  • Improving data schemas and approaches to collecting complex asset attribution,
  • Improving geographic asset coverage, pinpointing missing assets or asset types, and
  • Identifying additional datasets that currently don't exist in NYSDOT's asset inventory such as boardwalk bridges (wooden bridges on trails) and pedestrian bridges but that could be populated using OSM.

In addition, by making OSM features easily accessible through pre-filtered NY-state level data downloads, these benefits could be easily extended to other in-state partners and stakeholders.

Value Proposition

The intent of the use case was to visually allow a user to explore differences for features included in comparable OSM-NYSDOT datasets. The map also allows the viewer to see how NYSDOT's data coverage and attribution could potentially be improved with OSM asset conflation. An eventual goal could be to supplement NYSDOT data collection efforts, or even substitute time-consuming or costly data collection efforts, with automated integration of data from continuously updating VGI data sources like OSM. The potential exists to improve the quality and coverage of NYSDOT’s asset data while reducing the cost/staff hours needed to achieve better quality data.

Target Audience

This data exploration provides value to NYS main office and regions traffic engineers, and planners

geographic Extent

This use case covers the entire NYS.

Timeframe

OSM Assets:

  • Varies significantly depending on where features are located (ostensibly could go back to OSM inception time of 2004), but the OSM database is being updated on a continual basis. NYSDOT

Assets:

  • As of August 2021, a monthly feed is extracted into the data lake and could be added automatically to the use case web map through a streamlined workflow.

Update Frequency

A mechanism exists to update OSM data daily and NYSDOT asset management data on a monthly basis. However, the use case web application as it exists is based on data as of August 2021.

Access

The web application is publicly available.