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Chat History and Notes from 2007 Online RUG Meeting – August 22, 2007

 

Custom Reports and Data Mining

Jennifer Miracle: (10:13) The ability to create reports would work...especially if you set it up for drag and drop

james rance city of coldwater: (10:14) we would like complete control over the reports

james rance city of coldwater: (10:15) yes

Jennifer Miracle: (10:15) The ability to do that would work well

Randy McMunn - City of Jackson: (10:15) I especially like the advanced filtering ability.  Exporting info to other applications might make things easier

james rance city of coldwater: (10:15) we would like to export into other programs

Roger Belknap: (10:15) Alot of times I'll do reports in spreadsheet programs...to merge with other outside data.

Randy McMunn - City of Jackson: (10:16) I would probably be using excel

Roger Belknap: (10:16) MS Excel....then format to dbf to link with shapefiles

Dan Vreibel & Kevin Irrer: (10:17) Would Crystal Reports be an option to developing your own system. Kevin Irrer, St. Johns

 

Integrated Tracking for ADA compliance issues in current modules

Ann Miller 2: (10:23) Our sidewalks are all ADA compliant but it would be nice to have an area to put condition in

Randy McMunn - City of Jackson: (10:24) It would be helpful to have a year installed field

DOUGLAS E FULLER: (10:24) CERTAINLY THE ABILITY TO TRACK OUR PROGRESS IN BECOMING COMPLIANT IS DESIREABLE

Edward Hug SEMCOG: (10:24) Maybe the ability to link photos to specific intersections would help for ADA compliance/general inventory.

Ann Miller 2: (10:25) for us, having it linked to the sidewalk module would be good.  I'd like to be able to rank the condition like we do with the Paser ratings

DOUGLAS E FULLER: (10:28) EDWARD HUG'S COMMENT IS SPOT ON

DOUGLAS E FULLER: (10:29) THE TIMING OF CROSSING PERIODS SHOULD BE A RECORDED ITEM

John Velat: (10:30) If anyone interested in participating in an ADA workgroup, please send us an e-mail to roadsoft@mtu.edu [1] (Doug Fuller of Scio Township in Washtenaw County sent e-mail  expressing interest and also recommended Brian Shorkey of Washtenaw County as someone who would probably be interested).

 

Right of Way Crossing Layer

Patrick Hughes (City of Kentwood): (10:31) Yes!  We have a pedestrian safety island that I'd like to show

DOUGLAS E FULLER: (10:32) CROSSING LAYER WOULD BE A WONDERFUL ADDITION - DEER HITS A BIG ITEM IN OUR TWPSHIP

Ron Young: (10:33) Snow moblile crossing, trail crossing, rail crossing - type, date etc all would be somewhat useful - would be similar to a point pavement marking

Ann Miller 2: (10:35) it's not something we'd use

Ron Young: (10:35) Good idea for maintenace history, maintenance plas etc all would be good

 

Additions to Bridge Module

Roger Belknap: (10:36) Good idea for adding notes

Rick Lilly – TAMC to begin stronger emphasis on bridges over next few years.  Local agencies will be heavily involved.

 

Project Program Builder

Ann Miller 2: (10:38) I really like this.  It will really help us at budget setting time.

Roger Belknap: (10:43) I agree this is a good feature...we currently do this type of thing outside RoadSoft and it's painful!  Integrating future plans with current and projected pavement conditions is fundamental to Asset Management.

DOUGLAS E FULLER: (10:43)  YES PLEASE

Ron Young: (10:44) Good idea

Edward Hug SEMCOG: (10:44) I like this idea.

Randy McMunn - City of Jackson: (10:44) WE at the city of Jackson also like the idea of a program builder

Ron Young: (10:45) Would like to track project id numbers, file number, etc

 

Utility Focus Group

Ann Miller 2: (10:46) utilities play a big part in the reconstruction of a road.  It all is involved in the cost of the rebuild

Bob Slattery: (10:49) MML convention is in Traverse City on September 18-20

DOUGLAS E FULLER: (10:50) ANN COMMENTS ON S A D ' S IS EXCELLENT - WE DO THE SAME THING - AND DUE TO THE FAILING BRIDGES, THAT IS THE WAY WE WILL PROBABLY BE FUNDING BRIDGE MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS

Ann Miller 2: (10:50) sometime the utility directors don't know what's happening with roadsoft

Patrick Hughes (City of Kentwood): (10:50) Location is more critical than whether it's in conjunction with another meeting.  Suggest one on SW lower MI, one in SE lower MI, and one in Upper MI.

Ann Miller 2: (10:50) I agree with Patrick. 

DOUGLAS E FULLER: (10:50) I'D AGREE WITH PATRICK

Ron Young: (10:51) knowing phone, power, natural gas present would be useful - perhaps make it easy for utility companies to supply thier data

Bob Slattery: (10:53) Stitic is fixed - thanks.

DOUGLAS E FULLER: (10:54) RON - IF YOU FIND A UTILITY - PRIVATE- THAT IS WILLING TO PROVIDE THIS INFORMATION IN A FORMAT THAT WE COULD USE AS AN OVERLAY, LET ME KNOW, I'LL MOVE

Dan Vreibel & Kevin Irrer: (11:58)  schedule options of the focus group meetings.  Good possibilities are at the same time  as MML or CRAM meetings.

 

Markup Tool

Bob Slattery: (10:54) Good idea. We do that "offline" now.

Roger Belknap: (10:54) Second Bob's comment

Ron Young: (10:58) Make it happen

Laura Blastick – CGI is excited about working with us to make this happen.  Best info comes from local agencies.  Current paper form has been useful but would like a digital transfer of data.  Will work with us to get new roads into Framework and maybe allow users to add data to new roads before road is in Framework and certified.

Rick Lilly – Dick Turcotte of MDOT must be included in this for roads to become certified.

Ron Young: (11:00) Lots of private roads are in framework

Ron Young: (11:01) 911 doesnt care if the road is certified

 

Map Enhancements

DOUGLAS E FULLER: (11:14) map printing would be outstanding

Ron Young: (11:16) projection tool critical to using aerial photos that are in state plane coordinates!!

Tracie Kalliainen - MDOT: (11:19) What about a zoom to previous view?  I think this used to be available in v5

Jennifer Miracle: (11:20) We were looking for a layer that included sidwell numbers

(Note: sidwell number is a property tax id number).

Randy McMunn - City of Jackson: (11:21) I am all for the ability to print more professional looking maps

Tracie Kalliainen - MDOT: (11:22) Great ideas/suggestions overall here

Roger Belknap: (11:23) Agree w/ Tracie: Zoom to previous view is helpful!

Tracie Kalliainen - MDOT: (11:24) I've noticed if I'm printing a map w/crashes I have to increase the size of the crash "dots" to their max size

Tracie Kalliainen - MDOT: (11:25) That's when I'm plotting

DOUGLAS E FULLER: (11:26) probably not highest priority –

Tracie Kalliainen - MDOT: (11:52) Really like the idea of being able to set up multiple legends (ie crash data - type and severity)

 

Crash Data Frequency

Edward Hug SEMCOG: (11:28) Annually for us is fine.

Road Commission of Macomb County: (11:28) quarterly would be nice if it is certified. we don't know how long it takes to certify.

Roger Belknap: (11:28) yes- monthly is helpful even if not certified..we currently get on state police website for data and I'm bouncing between programs.

Bob Slattery: (11:28) Fresher is always better, as long as it's accurate..

Randy McMunn - City of Jackson: (11:28) Annual is good for us too.  There are other sources if you need current data

DOUGLAS E FULLER: (11:29) I'd agree with Roger's comments

Doug Mills: (11:29) Annual OK - More frequent is not a priortiy for our County

James Albertson: (11:29) Anual is good for us  as well.

Road Commission of Macomb County: (11:29) then annually is good for us

 

Additional Crash Data Fields

Running late – no comments on this.

 

Additional Data Collection with LDC

Burt Thompson: (11:32) when can we expect linear pavement marking

Burt Thompson: (11:33) in ldc

 

Intersection Focus Group

DOUGLAS E FULLER: (11:37) certainly there is interest - more information is better - useful planning tool

 

Split Lane Capability

Roger Belknap: (11:38) Could this be accomplished through a notes field?

DOUGLAS E FULLER: (11:39) note field works fine

 

Purpose Field

Ann Miller: (11:40) that would be helpful to us

Roger Belknap: (11:40) Purpose field is a good idea...agree with Tim's synopsis

Bob Slattery: (11:41) Good point. TAMC ratings have to be done by trained raters. Ratings for other purposes might not.

Roger Belknap: (11:45) One point of frustration with the LDC...can you make the "submit rating" button a little bigger.  The slighted bump in the road jostles the cursor off, then I've got to try again!

Mary Crane: (11:46) Great suggestion for ldc..

 

Numeric Length Fields

Running late – no comments.  

Open Up Lookup Tables.

Running late – no comments

 

Transportation Plan Reporting Focus Group

Bob Slattery: (11:46) Anything that would help cities help cities use RoadSoft to do and report their asset management plan - and thus combine their Act 51 funds - would be helpful.

 

Access Control Focus Group

DOUGLAS E FULLER: (11:48) access control huge issue for Scio Township as we continue (!) to experience traffic growth

Doug Mills – need inventory such as driveways and structures.

 

Expand Work Order System

Ann Miller: (11:48) I like a work order system to send out pothole complaints, branches down, etc.

DOUGLAS E FULLER: (11:48) other modules as well - Ann's comment is spot on

Doug Mills: (11:49) Yes to access control

Jennifer Miracle: (11:49) RCOC has a whole department that processes complaints and work orders would be great for use there

Tom Gunst: (11:50) work orders would be great

 

Training for 2008

Roger Belknap: (11:58) Webinar format is very helpful and economical.

Road Commission of Macomb County: (11:59) Agree with Roger

Road Commission of Macomb County: (12:02) we like web training

Bob Slattery: (12:02) We like web training.

Bob Slattery: (12:03) After basic training take each module individually for an hour.

Tom Gunst: (12:04) different module training once oe twice a month would be helpful

 

 

Other Suggestions

Bob Slattery: (11:33) Crash graphics reports could be more flexible - ability to add header info, for example.

Roger Belknap: (11:33) Perhaps you could take inventory for paved non-motorized pathways in addition to sidewalks...obviously a future enhancement, but there is a lot of pavement out there to be maintained.

Edward Hug SEMCOG: (11:53) For TAMC data collection--How about an automated report to find any segments that are missing Paser, # lane, or surface type information. Sometimes those 0.001 mile long segments are hard to find.

Roger Belknap: (11:55) Good suggestion, Edward...we've had a lot of holes over the past few years with TAMC PASER.