1. Integrating and Standardizing Trails Data for West Virginia Evan Fedorko 13 April 2010 1

2. Project Goals Combine trail data (spatial and tabular) for West Virginia into one dataset – Dataset must be easily updateable – features must be easily traceable to source dataset Conduct a gap analysis Utilize Federal Interagency Trails Data Standard for development 2

3. Benefits Consolidates WVDOT Trail Coordinator’s knowledge into one DB and allows for spatial queries along side existing tabular reports Framework layer for future trail outreach, management, tourism applications, etc. 3

4. Study Area 4

5. Data Spatial data: available for ~2,300 miles of trails; Tabular data: available for ~3,100 miles of trails encompassing ~10,000 individual trails Challenge: merging spatial datasets with one another, with tabular data and then conducting a gap analysis – all within funding constraints! 5

6. Target Attributes Based on the FITS - why use this standard? – Well vetted – Designed for use across agencies – Well documented Will the standard work as a tool for compilation rather than data development and maintenance? 6

7. Source Attributes Spatial data sources from ~10 agencies Actual trail managers/stakeholders number closer to 200 given lack of top down standards within some organizations and varying degrees of local activity Existing attributes vary. Mostly skeletal. 7

8. Process Compile existing data Add/remove datasets based on currentness, extent, etc. 8

9. Process (2) 9

10. Process (3) Database design for new dataset Mostly straightforward – utilize FITS for fields and field definitions Some fields are being dropped due to their program specificity Challenge: we must be able to trace each feature back to an originating agency/dataset for the purpose of future updates – Likely solution: Custom attribute 10

11. Process (4) Edit source data to eliminate repetition Combine into single dataset – QA/QC attribute field map 11

12. Tracking Sources Development of a “tracking” attribute is a top priority Plan is to track three things: – Data source agency – Date of current source data – Date of last compilation We hope this will make “delete and replace” style updates very simple and based entirely on attributes 12

13. Harmonization WVDOT Trail Coordinator maintains a tabular database of WV trails. That data is unique and needs to be preserved – somehow we need to harmonize that information with spatial data 13

14. New Attributes and Datasets Develop new attribute values where possible – Attributes from WVDOT database – Geographic attributes; eg. County, Congressional district, etc Create new versions of source datasets and provide to stakeholders 14

15. Comments on FITD Devoid of attributes such as: – Source scale – Accuracy metric – Feature date Model seems to struggle between trail management information and trail entity information. That being said, FITD does mandate the creation of FGDC metadata which will fill holes. 15

16. Comments on FITD (2) Data model does a great job of: – Tracking/querying trail type – Allows us to store ATV trail info alongside rail trails, wilderness trails, etc. 16

17. Timeline Data processing has begun – principal compilation efforts expected to be complete within ~1 month. Gap analysis sometime within another month. True test: receipt of updated data from a trail stakeholder! 17

18. Questions? Thank you for your time! 18