Roadway Safety Data Program
 

ASSET MANAGEMENT IN OREGON
 

ROADWAY SAFETY DATA AND ANALYSIS
 

CASE STUDY
 

FHWA-SA-16-110
 

Federal Highway Administration Office of Safety
 

Roadway Safety Data Program
 

http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/rsdp/
 

December 12, 2016
 
 

 

 

ASSET MANAGEMENT IN OREGON
 

Notice 

This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of 

Transportation in the interest of information exchange. The U.S. Government assumes no 

liability for the use of the information contained in this document. 

The U.S. Government does not endorse products or manufacturers. Trademarks or 

manufacturers’ names appear in this report only because they are considered essential to the 

objective of the document. 

Quality Assurance Statement 

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) provides high-quality information to serve 

Government, industry, and the public in a manner that promotes public understanding. 

Standards and policies are used to ensure and maximize the quality, objectivity, utility, and 

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and processes to ensure continuous quality improvement. 

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1. Report No. 

FHWA-SA-16-110 

2. Government Accession No. 3. Recipient's Catalog No. 

4. Asset Management in Oregon: Roadway Safety Data and Analysis Case Study 5. Report Date 

November 2016 

6. Performing Organization Code 

7.Author(s) 

Richard Brown 

8. Performing Organization Report No. 

9. Performing Organization Name and Address 

VHB 

8300 Boone Blvd., Suite 700 

Vienna, VA 22182-2626 

10. Work Unit No. 

11. Contract or Grant No. 

DTFH61-10-D-00022 

Task Order T-13-003 

12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address 

Federal Highway Administration Office of Safety 

1200 New Jersey Ave., SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

13. Type of Report and Period 

Case Study December 2016 

14. Sponsoring Agency Code 

FHWA 

15. Supplementary Notes 

The contract manager for this report was Esther Strawder. 

16. Abstract 

With almost 20,000 lane miles on the Oregon highway system, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) is 

responsible for managing and maintaining its roadway assets. Managed assets include barriers, traffic signals, lighting, 

pavement markings, and signs. ODOT has developed an inventory of its assets and evaluates asset condition in order to 

efficiently manage maintenance efforts. Over several years, ODOT implemented two new programs to manage their 

roadway assets, TransInfo and the Features, Attributes, and Conditions – Statewide Transportation Improvement Program 

(FACS-STIP) Tool. TransInfo is a statewide asset management system. It provides ODOT asset management staff with the 

most up-to-date statistics on assets and other features on the State highway system. The FACS-STIP Tool is a web-based 

program that provides information on an asset’s location, attributes, and condition to all users with internet access. 

17. Key Words: 

asset management, roadway inventory, crash data 

18. Distribution Statement 

No restrictions. 

19. Security Classif. (of this report) 

Unclassified 

20. Security Classif. (of this page) 

Unclassified 

21. No. of Pages 

 14 

22. Price 

Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72) Reproduction of completed pages authorized 

ASSET MANAGEMENT IN OREGON
 

TECHNICAL DOCUMENTATION PAGE
 

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ASSET MANAGEMENT IN OREGON
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 

INTRODUCTION.........................................................................................1
 

BACKGROUND............................................................................................................1
 

OBJECTIVE....................................................................................................................1
 

AUDIENCE....................................................................................................................2
 

SYSTEM OVERVIEW OF TRANSINFO AND FACS-STIP .....................2
 

RESULTS .......................................................................................................5
 

BENEFITS ......................................................................................................................5
 

BARRIERS AND HOW THEY WERE OVERCOME.................................................6
 

FUNDING ......................................................................................................................6
	

LESSONS LEARNED....................................................................................................6
 

NEXT STEPS.................................................................................................................6
 

REFERENCES................................................................................................7
 

AGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION.....................................................7
 

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ASSET MANAGEMENT IN OREGON 

LIST OF TABLES 

Table 1. Assets Stored in the FACS-STIP Tool. ............................................................4
 

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ASSET MANAGEMENT IN OREGON
 

ACRONYMS 

FHWA	 Federal Highway Administration 

FACS-STIP	 Features, Attributes, and Conditions – Statewide Transportation 

Improvements Program 

ODOT	 Oregon Department of Transportation 

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
 

With almost 20,000 lane miles on the Oregon highway system, the Oregon Department of 

Transportation (ODOT) is responsible for managing and maintaining the roadway assets on the 

State-maintained roadway system. Managed assets include barriers, traffic signals, lighting, 

pavement markings, and signs. In order to accomplish this, ODOT has developed an inventory 

of its assets and evaluates asset condition in order to efficiently manage maintenance efforts. 

Over several years, ODOT implemented two new programs to manage their roadway assets, 

TransInfo and the Features, Attributes, and Conditions – Statewide Transportation 

Improvement Program (FACS-STIP) Tool. TransInfo is a statewide asset management system. It 

provides ODOT asset management staff with the most up-to-date statistics on assets and other 

features on the State highway system. The FACS-STIP Tool is a web-based program that 

provides information on an asset’s location, attributes, and condition to all users with internet 

access. 

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INTRODUCTION 

The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) is responsible for managing and 

maintaining roadway assets on almost 20,000 lane miles on the State highway system. Managed 

assets include barriers, traffic signals, lighting, pavement markings, and signs. In order to 

accomplish this, ODOT has developed an inventory of its assets and evaluates asset condition 

in order to efficiently manage maintenance efforts. ODOT uses a statewide asset management 

database and sophisticated spatial data tools to track and manage its roadway assets; TransInfo 

and the Features, Attributes, and Conditions – Statewide Transportation Improvement 

Program (FACS-STIP) Tool. Oregon’s efforts provide a good example of relationships between 

spatial data for asset management and spatial data for safety improvement. This case study also 

describes the benefits related to agency policy setting and data-driven decision-making. 

BACKGROUND 

ODOT is directly responsible for the State’s roadways, transportation system, and 

transportation program. Before the data consolidations described in this case study, asset 

owners stored the data in different programs in decentralized locations. As a result, not all 

ODOT staff could access the data on assets they were not directly responsible for, or even 

know if the data existed for those other assets. Over several years, ODOT implemented two 

new programs to manage their roadway assets. The first program, TransInfo, is a statewide 

asset management system. This program is design for internal ODOT users. It provides ODOT 

asset management staff with the most up-to-date statistics on assets and other features on the 

State highway system. It also provides support for other ODOT sections’ efforts, including 

FHWA’s Highway Performance Monitoring System submission and the Federal Functional 

Classification System. The second program is the FACS-STIP Tool. This web-based program 

provides information on an asset’s location, attributes, and condition. This tool uses the ArcGIS 

Server to create maps for assets and can also generate reports in a spreadsheet format. 

OBJECTIVE 

ODOT implemented the two programs to achieve the following: 

 Deploy a statewide inventory for all roadway assets. 

 Design a system for maintenance and improvement teams to obtain roadway asset 

information. 

 Support integration with other ODOT systems. 

 Establish methods for data validation that would satisfy the data quality requirements of 

AASHTOWare Safety AnalystTM and make the best use of the integrated data for 

network screening. 

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AUDIENCE 

This case study applies to the following audiences: 

 State Departments of Transportation: Safety Engineering, Design, Planning, Maintenance, 

GIS, and Asset Management Units. 

 State Highway Safety Offices. 

OVERVIEW OF TRANSINFO 

TransInfo stores data on the assets used throughout ODOT, including ADA ramps, traffic 

barriers, bike facilities, curbs, sidewalks, stand-alone impact attenuators, and shared use paths. 

TransInfo is a customized implementation of a commercial “off-the-shelf” software solution. It 

provides statistical information on the assets stored within the system. The TransInfo database 

provides mileage statistics and the status of features related to the highway system. Asset data 

in TransInfo can be accessed by ODOT staff in different divisions. Field inventory sheets and 

feature inventory summary sheets are the data inputs for this system. 

The system allows for the following features: 

 Maintenance of the GIS Road Network done alongside the road features. 

 Add, update, retire, and query spatial and tabular interfaces. 

 Review information on many assets (e.g., ADA ramps, striped lines, weigh stations, bike 

facilities, etc.). 

The system produces reports that can support initiatives both internal and external to ODOT. 

TransInfo can provide extracts that support FHWA’s Highway Performance Monitoring System 

and the Oregon Highway Monitoring system. The system can provide budget reports and 

custom reports on assets collected in the system. 

OVERVIEW OF THE FACS-STIP TOOL 

The FACS-STIP Tool is accessible from any computer connected to the internet, which 

provides users reliable asset data at any time. This application is designed for external users to 

have access to statewide asset management data and spatial mapping functions. The goal of this 

tool is to help users make the best decision with the most up-to-date information available. 

FACS-STIP serves as the single location for users to access asset information stored at ODOT. 

The solution is a GIS implementation with a map-based user interface. Analysis and data 

management tools appear in a simple, one-menu user interface design. 

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There are two components within the FACS-STIP Tool: the Map Tool and Data To Go. The 

Map Tool uses ArcGIS Server to create user-determined geo-spatial maps with different base 

layers, such as aerial imagery, streets, and topography. Users have the ability to select assets, 

obtain attribute information, and print out the query. Data To Go also allows users to retrieve 

asset information for an area of interest whether that is a specific highway point or a highway 

segment. Reports are output in Excel worksheet format suitable for export to the user’s local 

machine. Users can also query assets based on a set of user defined parameters selected from 

the attributes stored in the system’s database. Data To Go allows for customizable views and 

commenting on assets and/or locations. Users can collect data on handheld devices and upload 

to FACS-STIP, which will then update in real time. 

Table 1 shows the assets stored in the FACS-STIP Tool. 

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Data To Go Map Tool 

 ADA Ramps  Roadbed

 Approaches o Pavement, Number of Lanes, Right Shoulder, 

 Auto Traffic Recorder (ATR) Sites Left Shoulder, Roadway Composition 

 Bicycle Facilities  Structures

















Bicycle Facility Needs 

Bridges 

Culverts (DFMS, District, MS4 

Permits) 

Fish Barriers (ODFW) 

Fish Passage (DSL) 

Intelligent Transportation Systems 

(ITS) 

Pavement 

Retaining Walls 









o Bridges, Weight Restricted Bridges, Retaining 

Walls, Major Structures, Tunnels 

Roadside

o Sidewalks, ADA Ramps, Bicycle Facilities, 

Approaches, Traffic Barriers, Sound Barriers 

Drainage (Culverts) 

Highway Equipment 

o Signs, Signals, ITS Systems, Weigh-in-Motion 

Sites, Automatic Traffic Recorder Stations 

Land & Environment 

o Aggregate Sites, Fish Barriers, Fish Passage,  Safety (Crashes, SPIS, Crash Rates) Unstable Slopes, Wetlands, PLSS  Sidewalks  Freight  Sidewalk Needs o Freight System Highways, No Reduction of  Sound Barriers Capacity, High Clearance Routes 

 Traffic AADT  Road Network 

 Traffic Barriers o Highway Network, Highway Network by LRS, 

 Traffic Posted Speed Off-highway Local, Signed Routes, Milepoints, 

 Traffic Signals Mileposts 

 Traffic Support (Signs)  Functional Class 

 Tunnels o Functional Class, Non-State Functional Class 

 Unstable Slopes  Highway System Class 

 Weigh-in-Motion (MCTD) Sites 













o Expressways, Highway Class, NHS 

Traffic Data 

o AADT, Projected AADT, Posted Speed, 

Traffic Flow, Truck Flow 

Crashes 

o SPIS, Crash Rates 

Boundaries 

o City Limits, Districts, Regions 

Political Boundaries 

o Congressional House, Senate Districts 

Project Needs 

o Bridge, Pavement, Safety, STIP, Bicycle 

Facility, Sidewalk 

Comments 

o Point, Line 

ASSET MANAGEMENT IN OREGON 

Table 1. Assets Stored in the FACS-STIP Tool. 

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ELECTRONIC DATA COLLECTION FOR SIGNS
 

As an example, the following describes ODOT’s sign management processes using the FACSSTIP tool. ODOT’s field operations are organized into five Regions. The Regional staff are 

responsible for collecting sign data. The Regions are able to use an electronic mobile device to 

input sign (and other asset) data. The electronic data collection device has GPS capabilities and 

can collect and populate some data elements automatically. This mobile data collection and 

management effort increases data collection efficiency, saving time and money. There is also the 

added environmental benefit from eliminating the use of hard copies. Because the electronic 

tool improves field staff efficiency, Regions are able to accomplish their work with fewer 

personnel. ODOT’s asset managers assist the Regions by offering training on using the 

electronic device for field data collection. ODOT also has a program in place to ensure signs 

are meeting MUTCD standard for retroreflectivity. At least once a year, maintenance crews 

drive all the roads to test the retroreflectivity levels of signs. The asset management data are 

collected by the staff who maintain the assets. 

RESULTS 

BENEFITS 

ODOT experienced a number of benefits by implementing these two systems. The systems’ 

data are updated more frequently and the timeliness of the data has substantially improved in 

comparison to the old single asset, paper-based systems. Other benefits from the efforts 

include: 

 Accessing all asset data through a single, uniform asset management system, which has 

data shared to all users from one source. 

 Using the mobile collection portion of the FACS-STIP Tool allows for maintenance 

crews to collect data electronically. 

 Linking asset data to performance management review. 

 Simplifying user interfaces so that users are able to view and assess information based 

on geo-located assets. 

 Integrating data in the future into other systems that will use the data collected within 

TransInfo and FACS-STIP. 

 Combining asset maintenance logs and update histories to support the Agency’s 

response to information requests and TORT cases. 

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BARRIERS AND HOW THEY WERE OVERCOME 

One of the largest barriers ODOT faced was funding. With limited resources, Oregon needed 

to be strategic about what asset management efforts were most important. In order to 

successfully facilitate that discussion, the State needed a project champion. Laura Wipper, the 

Asset Management Integration Program Coordinator from the Strategic Services and Data 

Management Section was the project lead who helped move these projects along. Laura guided 

the State to establish an asset management program by working alongside ODOT senior 

leadership. Senior-level support provided a springboard to create the Asset Management 

Steering Committee. Once this body was in place, the State was able to have strategic 

discussions on how to apply funding. Worker productivity, especially at the Region level, played 

a major role in these discussions as it was clear that staff reductions would adversely affect 

work flow unless the State could produce major efficiency gains. 

LESSONS LEARNED 

ODOT recommends completing pilot projects prior to full system implementation. This fosters 

a better environment for learning from errors in the early releases, and creates a better level of 

confidence for the intended users. 

ODOT used interns in developing the FACS-STIP Tool. The interns were responsible for 

gathering input from all the Districts, whose staff is responsible for asset maintenance. This 

resulted in a better user interface, and created a sense of ownership among the users, reducing 

perceptions of State-mandated processes. 

NEXT STEPS 

The next steps in development will provide interfaces to other ODOT systems that can use the 

data collected and provided within TransInfo and FACS-STIP. One of ODOT’s goals is for 

TransInfo to become the fully integrated data system for all assets. This does not necessarily 

mean that TransInfo would store all the data, but could rather interface with larger assetspecific databases (e.g., PONTIS stores all the asset information for bridges and TransInfo 

would bring in data from PONTIS as needed). 

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REFERENCES 

The following resources were used in development of this case study: 

1. Oregon Department of Transportation website: 

http://www.oregon.gov/odot/pages/index.aspx 

2. NCHRP 7-21 Case Study: Oregon Department of Transportation 

3. CRITIGEN ODOT FACS-STIP Tool Presentation 

4. ODOT TransInfo Presentation 

AGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION 

Laura Wipper 

Asset Management Integration Program Manager 

Strategic Services and Data Management Section 

Oregon Department of Transportation 

Laura.R.Wipper@odot.state.or.us 

503.986.4092 

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