Finding a Win-Win: Planning and DataSharing Partnerships between 

Governments and Public Land 

Management Agencies

Memorandum2: Methodology

May 4, 2021
Prepared by the U.S. DOT Volpe Center 1

Table of Contents

Table of Contents ...................................................................................................................... 1

Introduction.............................................................................................................................. 2

Research Questions.................................................................................................................... 3

What types of data do PLMAs and transportation agencies use to support planning on public lands?. 3

How do PLMAs and state/local transportation partners use data to inform decision-making? ........... 3

What are the characteristics of successful public lands information/data sharing examples?............. 4

What are the barriers to effective data sharing between PLMAs and transportation agencies?.......... 4

What do PLMAs and transportation agencies need to share data more effectively?......................... 4

Proposed Collection Methods...................................................................................................... 5

Literature Review................................................................................................................... 5

Technical Research Panel (TRP)................................................................................................ 5

Case Studies.......................................................................................................................... 6

Case Study Selection Criteria ................................................................................................ 7

Case Study Assumptions.......................................................................................................... 9

Compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act....................................................................... 9

Travel Restrictions.............................................................................................................10

Recent Changes to Planning Processes..................................................................................10

Transportation Planning Process as a Starting Point................................................................10

Schedule and Next Steps............................................................................................................10

Appendix A: Transportation Planning Data ...................................................................................11
Prepared by the U.S. DOT Volpe Center 2

Introduction

This memorandum summarizes the proposed methodology for collecting and analyzing data and 

information in support of an applied research study titled, Finding a Win-Win: Planning and DataSharing Partnerships between Governments and Public Land Management Agencies. 

The specific goals of this project are to:

• Identify examples of information coordination between Public Land Management Agencies 

(PLMAs) and transportation partners that result in process efficiencies, cost savings, and more 

effective transportation system delivery and/or management.

• Develop a suite of tools, resources, and usage guidelines to aid PLMAs and their partners in 

improving data coordination for better transportation systems.

This memorandum describes:

• The research questions to be addressed; 

• The information and data needed; 

• The stakeholder entities and individuals from whom to gather the information and data;

• The proposed methods to collect the information and data; 

• Assumptions that will inform the methodology; and 

• The general timeframe for the Data Collection and Analysis task (Task C). 

This methodology is based in part on the information documented in Memorandum 1: Background and 

Literature Review(March 2021). 1

Definition of Key Terms

The research team provides the following definitions as applied to this Study. These terms are defined in 

additional detail in Memorandum 1: Background and Literature Review. 2

Transportation Agency/Organization

For the purposes of this Study, “transportation agency” or “transportation organization” refers to 

agencies with jurisdiction, planning, funding, ownership, or management responsibility for 

transportation systems (e.g., roads, trails, transit, marine, or aviation systems). Examples may include 

State Departments of Transportation (DOT), Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO) ,and other local 

or agency related divisions focusing on transportation issues. 

Public Land Management Agency

A Public Land Management Agency (PLMA) is any public agency that manages land for public access and 

use. These uses can include recreation, resource protection, and economic uses, such as resource 

extraction or energy production. PLMAs include federal land management agencies, as well as parks and 

conservation agencies managed by states, regional governments, counties, or municipalities. PLMAs 

may own and manage transportation systems within their boundaries. 

 1 Federal Highway Administration. 2021. “Finding a Win-Win: Planning and Data-Sharing Partnerships between 

Governments and Public Land Management Agencies. Memorandum 1: Background and Literature Review.” 

https://highways.dot.gov/federal-lands/programs-planning/studies/pads. 2 Ibid. 
Prepared by the U.S. DOT Volpe Center 3

Research Questions

Accurate and up-to-date data is critical for transportation planning; however, the types of data available 

and the process for accessing them are not always clear, especially when applied to transportation 

systems that provide access to or within public lands. This research project aims to fill some of these 

gaps, and considers both the data and the process of sharing data.

In order to focus this research on planning and data sharing partnerships, the study team developed 

high-level research questions:

• Why do PLMAs and transportation agencies share data?

• How do PLMAs and transportation agencies share and use data?

• What are the challenges to data sharing?

These high-level questions served as the basis for the literature review, and the project team will further 

explore them in later phases of this project. To address these questions, the project team has developed 

the following, more specific research questions: 

• What types of data do PLMAs and transportation agenciesuse to support planning on public 

lands?

• How do PLMAs and transportation agencies use data to inform decision-making?

• What are the characteristics of successful PLMA and transportation agency data sharing

examples?

• What are the barriers to effective data sharing between PLMAs and transportation agencies?

• What do PLMAs and transportation agencies need to share data more effectively? 

This memo expands upon each of these high-level research questions below.

What types of data do PLMAs and transportation agencies use to support planning on 

public lands?

Establishing data sharing partnerships requires determining which data must be, could be, or may not 

need to be shared for transportation planning on public lands. Once planners identify the data sets, they 

are better positioned to determine whether they exist, who has them, and the quality of the data. 

This research project will explore:

• The primary types of transportation data for transportation planning in a public lands context; 

and 

• Additional types of transportation data or transportation-relateddata that could be beneficial 

when applied to this process.

How do PLMAs and state/local transportation partners use data to inform decisionmaking? 

For this study, the team will review how PLMAs and their federal, state, and local agency partners

approach transportation decisions across the entirety of the transportation project lifecycle (e.g., 

planning, project selection, design, operations, maintenance, etc.). Although this research project 

focuses primarily on using data sharing to support transportation planning, agencies’ decision-making 
Prepared by the U.S. DOT Volpe Center 4

processes typically apply across project phases. As a result, the project team will also consider data 

sharing throughout the transportation project lifecycle.

The research project will explore:

• State and local planning processes relevant to PLMAs;

• PLMA planning processes relevant to state and local transportation agencies;

• Differences and similarities in the goals for transportation data sharing between PLMAs and 

transportation agencies;

• Differences and similarities in transportation data access and analysis between these groups;

• Stage of the planning process or lifecycle process that data is shared; and

• Additional stakeholders relevant to PLMA, state, and local transportation planning processes.

What are the characteristics of successful public lands information/data sharing 

examples?

The literature review informed common practices for establishing data sharing partnerships. This 

research study builds on that background by identifying practices specific to successful examples of 

sharing transportation data between PLMAs and partners.

The research project will explore:

• Motivationsfor data sharing partnerships;

• The communication and coordination efforts to initiate and build data sharing partnerships;

• The mechanisms, methods, or platforms agencies use to share transportation data; and

• Outcomes of data sharing partnerships, such as expected benefits, realized benefits, and 

unanticipated failures. 

What are the barriers to effective data sharing between PLMAs and transportation 

agencies?

This part of the research will focus on what barriers exist to effective data sharing between PLMAs and 

transportation agencies. This will build on existing literature on barriers to effective data sharing 

partnerships, and use information from case studies to identify barriers specific to a public lands 

context.

The research project will explore:

• At what stage in the data sharing process agencies face challenges; 

• Challenges associated with sharing particular types of data;

• Challenges experienced by particular types of agencies in sharing data;

• Differencesin IT infrastructure or data storage between agencies;

• How agencies overcame or attempted to overcome any identified barriers; and 

• What resources agencies think would be helpful to overcome barriers.

What do PLMAs and transportation agencies need to share data more effectively?

This part of the research will focus on what resources and support PLMAs and transportation agencies 

need to engage in more successful data sharing partnerships. It will explore best practices and lessons 

learned from case studies, as well as feedback from the research panel and other sources.
Prepared by the U.S. DOT Volpe Center 5

The research project will explore:

• How to establish and maintain the mechanisms for data sharing (working groups, agreements, 

shared platforms, etc.);

• Existing opportunities to standardize transportation data to better share across agencies;

• Resources (e.g., funding, staff training, shared platforms) needed for data sharing partnerships; 

and 

• The role regional and national agencies could play in facilitating data sharing.

Proposed Collection Methods 

This study requires strategic and targeted use of literature (including PLMA and transportation agency

publications, academic journals, and related documents), conversations with planning staff and 

technical experts, and analysis of existing data and tools.

Literature Review

The study began by investigating the why, how, and what high-level questions identified in the research 

statement and introduction section above. Using those questions as a framework, the study team 

conducted a literature review. The review process included key word searches in various databases and 

websites, including the Transportation Research Information Database (TRID), Western Transportation 

Institute resources, Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC), Transportation Research Board 

publications, U.S. Department of Transportation publications, FHWA plans and studies, State DOT and 

local agency research related to transportation on public lands, university research reports, and 

academic journals.

Through the literature review, the project team gatheredinformation on data sharing partnerships with 

other types of organizations and the available tools to support these processes. The final literature 

review includes sections on the purpose and benefits of data sharing; challenges to data sharing; data 

management sharing processes; and a summary of previous PLMA and transportation agency planning 

and data sharing efforts.

Technical Research Panel (TRP)

The researchteam assembled a technical research panel (TRP) to ensure the study purpose, approach, 

findings, and deliverables align with project goals and public land management needs at key project 

milestones. The research team will facilitate up to eight TRP meetings throughout the research process. 

The TRPconsists of participants from the following organizations or types of organizations: 

• Bureau of Land Management

• Bureauof Reclamation

• City planning and/or department of transportation

• County planning

• Economic development agencies or organization

• FHWA Federal-Aid Division Office

• FHWA Office of Tribal Transportation and/or Bureau of Indian Affairs

• National Park Service

• Nonprofit parks advocacy or research organization
Prepared by the U.S. DOT Volpe Center 6

• Private planning or engineering practitioner

• State Department of Transportation

• Regional planning organization

• State or local parks and/or other land management department

• United States Forest Service

• University researchers

• United States Army Corps of Engineers

• United States Fish and Wildlife Service 

The TRPis integral to the study, as participants have direct experience in the planning and data sharing 

processes that are the subject of this study. The TRP’sprimary purpose is to help guide the research 

process, and provide input and insight on the research team’s progress. 

The TRPwill also be involving in identifying and selecting case studies. Members will help connect the 

research team to resources or contacts for case studies.

Database Research and Scan for Additional Data Sharing Examples

Beyond the literature review and recommendations from the TRP, the research team will scan for 

additional examples of data sharing between PLMAs and partners in various databases and 

transportation groups. Examples include:

• FHWA Road Safety Audits

• FHWA Transportation Management Area (TMA) Certification Reviews

• Relevant TRB committees

• Relevant research conducted by University Transportation Centers

Case Studies

The research team will also reach out to stakeholders to gather the information and data for case

studies. These case studies will highlight how public lands management agencies and transportation 

agencies are using data sharing partnerships to achieve shared goals. These case studies will help 

examine best practices for partnerships to coordinate information/data sharing for planning, delivering, 

and managing transportation systems on and near public lands.

The methodology for conducting the case studies is as follows:

1. Establish case study selection criteria

2. Identify candidate case studies through database scans, TRPworkshop, and broad “Call for Case 

Studies”

3. Develop final case study list per selection criteria

4. Develop case study method, format, and evaluation

5. Conduct outreach to case study subjects

6. Conduct case study discussions

a. Conduct interviews and workshops, including up to 10 site visits (as possible)

b. Review background materials

c. Map planning and data sharing processes

d. Conduct up to 10 site visits (as possible)

7. Synthesize cross-case study findings for Research Panel review
Prepared by the U.S. DOT Volpe Center 7

The information gatheredfrom case studies may include, but is not limited to:

• Identification of common challenges that initiate data coordination efforts;

• Formation and maintenance of agency relationships;

• Data needs and innovations;

• Agencies involved;

• Tools and data platforms used;

• Application of data to project planning, selection, design, implementation, lifecycle 

management, and evaluation;

• Application of data to agency and user needs and travel patterns, including adaptive 

management of travel demand and public lands use;

• Lessons learned; and

• Results of collaborative data sharing efforts.

Case Study Selection Criteria

The TRP helped identify and define criteria for selecting case studies that cover the full range of 

examples discussed below.

Multi-Agency Involvement

The case studies should include a variety of types of agency involvement, such as: 

• One-to-one data sharing examples; 

• Data sharing that include three or more agencies; 

• Open data sharing with an unspecified number of agencies; and 

• Publicly-shared data. 

These data-sharing relationships primarily include traditional transportation and public lands 

stakeholders, but they also may include other agencies, such as state-level environmental agencies,

universities/research entities, non-profits, and private data providers. The research will cover the 

different data sharing policies and processes each of these types of agencies have, and how that 

influences their data sharing efforts.

Variety of Types of Data

The case studies should include a range of types of data, including not only traditional transportation 

data related to safety, traffic volume, transportation assets, or road ownership and maintenance, but 

also on cross-cutting topics like environment, resiliency, and equity. The examples should include 

multiple modes of travel. The case studies should include examples of sharing data that is easy to 

collect, as well as data that is less common or needs to be collected by innovative methods. The case 

studies should include both public and proprietary data. Finally, the case studies should include data in 

different forms, such as tabular, geospatial, longitudinal, and historic data.

Replicability

In order for case studies to be useful, they need to be replicable by other agencies. Case studies should 

provide an easy-to-follow roadmap for other agencies to implement similar data sharing efforts, with 

consideration given to agency policies, mechanisms for partnering, governance, project context, and 

costs. Case studies should highlight how agencies overcame similar challenges, and how identified gaps 

could be filled to better facilitate data sharing. 
Prepared by the U.S. DOT Volpe Center 8

Diversity of Circumstances and Contexts

Case studies should apply across public lands with a variety of circumstances and contexts, such as:

• Examples in rural, suburban, and urban areas;

• Examples that are local and regional in scale;

• Examples with limited staff capacity and with trained staff;

• Examples that span a range of costs, including consideration of cost effectiveness;

• Examples that consider the range of transportation needs to and within public lands, including 

recreation, economic development, and community connectivity; and 

• Examples with different agency goals for data sharing.

Different Project Phases

The case studies should include examples across different project phases, including those identified in

Figure 1, which shows a generalized version of the transportation planning process. This process will be 

used as a starting point in case study discussions to understand agencies’ transportation decisionmaking processes. Case study examples will include a focus on how data-driven decision making feeds 

into all elements of this process.
Prepared by the U.S. DOT Volpe Center 9

Figure 1: Generalized Transportation Planning Process

Case Study Assumptions

The project teammakes the following assumptions related to the case study methodology.

Compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act

The Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) is a law that governs how the Federal government collects 

information from the public. This research is subject to the PRA, and the Volpe Center may need to seek 

Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for any survey or structured interviews of nonfederal PLMAs and transportation partners. The PRA does not apply to collecting information from staff 

at Federal agencies.
Prepared by the U.S. DOT Volpe Center 10

Travel Restrictions

Due to restrictions on travel related to the Covid-19 pandemic, there will be limited opportunities for 

representatives of the research teamto conduct site visits or attend in-person meetings. The project 

team will only travel if and when USDOT travel guidance allows travel and it is safe for both the project 

team and meeting participants. If necessary, the project team will hold meetings virtually in lieu of 

travel. 

Recent Changes to Planning Processes

PLMAs and transportation partners may have recently modified their planning processes or their use of 

tools and resources due to impacts from recent events, including the Covid-19 pandemic and climate 

disasters. The Volpe Center will seek to understand how the planning processes and use of 

tools/resources have changed based on these impacts, and what additional tools/resources might help 

PLMAs and transportation partnersin times of transition.

Transportation Planning Process as a Starting Point

This research focuses on data sharing partnerships between PLMAs and partners. The research assumes 

a “one-to-many” relationship, discussing how PLMAs can connect with various partners to achieve

shared transportation goals. Within the PLMA context, the researchprimarily focuses on transportation 

planning but also considers data sharing to inform decisions throughout the transportation project 

lifecycle. Agencies have different flow charts to illustrate the transportation project lifecycle, or the 

transportation planning process. Figure 1 includes a generalized version of this process that is used as a 

basis for this research. 

Schedule and Next Steps

The research study’s Data Collection and Analysis task includes three subtasks. The subtasks are listed 

below with their respective proposed timeframes and the initial next steps within each subtask.

• Data Collection: March 2021 to September 2021

o Conduct case studies, with the following interim deliverables:

 List of case study criteria and call for case studies

 Matrix for case study selection

 List of selected case studies

 Case study key questions and approach

 Field reports from each case study (including any resources shared by 

participants)

 Draft case study chapter, including case study write-ups and preliminary 

findings/themes

• Data Coordination and Data Sharing Toolbox: July 2021 to October 2021

o Develop a toolbox with the following information: 

 Data sharing forums, platforms, and practices;

 Partnership structures and governance;

 Plans, studies, or project delivery tools;

 Existing tools, benefits and barriers, and how to use them in different settings, 

such as the Congestion Management Toolkit (NPS) and INSTEP (NPS);
Prepared by the U.S. DOT Volpe Center 11

 Emerging data sources, such as mobile location data and Bluetooth traffic and 

visitor trip data collection;

 Data sharing platform tools, which may be used primarily outside of PLMA 

context currently or perhaps outside of transportation altogether;

 Gap analysis for tools that do not currently exist and the context for their use;

and

 Application and context of tools identified, including clarifying contextsfor tools 

and resources needed to operate tools.

• Findings: September 2021 to December 2021

o Summarize key findings and other recommendations based on the data collection and 

data coordination/data sharing toolbox tasks.

o Identify data coordination and sharing approaches that are most successful, how data 

coordination can be more effective, what steps can be taken to further advance 

mutually-beneficial coordination, and a best practices framework for state PLMAs and 

partners to adapt into their existing planning and project delivery processes.

Appendix A: Transportation Planning Data

Data that is critical to the transportation planning process are captured in Table 1. This list will be 

updated to reflect additional information gathered during the research process.

Table 1: Data Use by Type

Data Type(s)3 Example of Uses Source(s)

Road network Spatial Origin-destination pairs Departments of 

transportation (all levels)

Intersection nodes Spatial Modeling

Crash data Spatial, Tabular Road Safety Audits Law enforcement agencies

Demographic Spatial, Tabular Population density, Census, state and local 

agencies

Bus stop nodes Spatial Transit Network 

analysis

Transit agencies, DOTs

Traffic volumes Tabular Measure congestion FHWA, state and local DOTs

Train station 

nodes (all rail)

Spatial Transit network 

analysis

Transit agencies, DOTs

 3 Integrated Land and Water InformationSystem 

(http://ilwis.itc.utwente.nl/wiki/index.php/Basic_concepts:_Spatial_and_tabular_data) 
Prepared by the U.S. DOT Volpe Center 12

Data Type(s)4 Example of Uses Source(s)

Watershed Spatial Geometric design Environmental management 

agencies

Floodplain Spatial Infrastructure 

resiliency

Natural resource or 

environmental management 

agencies

Bridges Spatial Modeling Departments of 

transportation (all levels)

Culverts Spatial, Tabular Infrastructure 

resiliency

Departments of 

transportation (all levels)

Trails Spatial, Tabular Non-vehicle networks Natural resource or 

environmental management 

agencies

Bicycle Routes Spatial, Tabular Non-motorized vehicle 

networks

DOT (All Levels)

Pavement 

condition

Spatial, tabular Long range planning Departments of 

transportation (all levels)

Asset location Spatial Long range planning Managing agencies

Deferred 

Maintenance

Tabular Long range planning Managing agencies

 4 Integrated Land and Water InformationSystem 

(http://ilwis.itc.utwente.nl/wiki/index.php/Basic_concepts:_Spatial_and_tabular_data)