Description

The National Transportation Atlas Databases 2013 (NTAD2013) is a set of nationwide geographic databases of transportation facilities, transportation networks, and associated infrastructure. These datasets include spatial information for transportation modal networks and intermodal terminals, as well as the related attribute informa- tion for these features. Metadata documentation, as prescribed by the International Organization of Standards, is also provided for each database. The data on this DVD support research, analysis, and decision-making across all modes of transportation. They are most useful at the national level, but have major applications at regional, State, and local scales throughout the transportation community.

Format: This product is distributed in shapefile format. The shapefile is an open format created by the Environ- mental Systems Research Institute (ESRI). You can find additional information about the format at: www.esri.com/library/whitepapers/pdfs/shapefile.pdf

Design: The NTAD2013 databases are designed for use within a geographic information system (GIS); how- ever, the attribute data for each dataset can be accessed in any database, spreadsheet, or other software pack- age. This information is stored in dBASE format. Because of spreadsheet limitations, many of the larger dBASE files will not open correctly with spreadsheet software. It is important to note that users who manipulate attribute data outside of their GIS may alter the shapfiles’ linkage between the attribute and spatial data.

Compilation: The data used to compile NTAD2013 was provided by our partners within the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and by other Federal Government agencies. These contributors are the data stewards and are ultimately responsible for the maintenance and accuracy of data. The Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) performs structured quality evaluations on these data before they are included in the NTAD. Further details pertaining to the NTAD2013 compilation process may be found in the metadata file associated with each dataset.

Contents

NTAD2013 is organized into subdirectories, one for each feature type (point, polyline, and polygon) and one for each dataset. At the top level of the DVD there is also a doc’s subdirectory containing the back cover notes, these liner notes, and DVD cover image. There is also a pdf version of the BTS 2013 map of Major Transporta- tion Facilities of the United States. This map showcases many of the data contained in NTAD2013.

Transportation networks are polyline databases. Transportation facilities are point databases. The geographic reference databases may exist as any of the three feature types: point, polyline, or polygon.

All data included here are in shapefile format. Each shapefile dataset within NTAD2013, in general, is composed of nine different files:

1. dBASE file (.dbf) – attribute information for the features,
2. projection file (.prj) – projection and datum information for the dataset,
3. spatial index file (.sbn) – spatial index for read-write of shapefiles,
4. spatial index file (.sbx) – spatial index for read-write of shapefiles,
5. main file (.shp) – feature geometry,
6. index file (.shx) – indices of the feature geometry,
7. metadata file (.txt) – text version of shapefile’s metadata – FGDC format
8. metadata file (.xml) – xml encoding of shapefile’s metadata, and
9. shapefile (xml) geospatial metadata in XML format, such as ISO 19115

The shapefile format is a simple, nontopological format for storing the geographic location and attribute information of spatial features. For further information concerning the definition of SHAPE, consult ESRI documentation.

A listing of the NTAD2013 dataset subdirectories, with a brief description of each, follows. Please refer to the
metadata for more detailed descriptions of each dataset.

Point

airports *updated* Airports—Landing facilities in the United States—Data provided and maintained by the Federal Aviation Administration was compiled in 2013.

altfuels *new* Alternative Fuels—This spatial dataset, from the Department of Energy (DOE), replaces a similar data created by BTS in 2008. This is a geographic point dataset of fueling facilities that offer fuels other than gasoline in the United States. The data was compiled by DOE, 2012.

amtrk_sta Amtrak Stations—Data provided and maintained by the Federal Railroad Administration (last updated 2010).

border_x *updated* Border Crossing Ports are points of entry for land modes along the U.S. - Canadian and U.S. - Mexican borders. This data is created and maintained by the Customs and Border Protection, and spatially enhanced by BTS, 2013.

dams *new* Data of dams 50 feet or more in height, or with a normal storage capacity of 5,000 acre-feet or more, or with a maximum storage capacity of 25,000 acre-feet or more, from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) National Inventory of Dams.  Data provided by the USACE and was compiled in 2006.

facility_freight Intermodal Terminal Facilities—Data on locations where freight can be transferred between modes of
transportation. This data has been compiled by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (last updated 2003).

facility_passenger *new* Intermodal Passenger Connectivity Database is a national dataset of over 7,100 facilities for passenger public transportation facilities. This National dataset links the intermodal nature of passenger travel in transportation particularly in urban areas.  Data collected and provided by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, 2013.

locks_water *new* National inventory of navigable inland waterway locks. The database contains select attribute information of each of the 229 locks inventoried. Data provided by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was compiled in 2012.

nbi *updated* National Bridge Inventory—A database containing information on the more than 600,000 bridges located on public roads, including Interstate highways, U.S. highways, State and county roads, as well as publicly accessible bridges on Federal lands.  Data provided by the individual State DOTs to the Federal Highway Administration, 2013.

place National Populated Places—Place locations from the 2000 Census Master Area Reference File–Data provided and maintained by the Bureau of the Census, 2000, with additional attribute information from the Geographic Names Information System 2003.

ports *updated* U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Ports—Data provided and maintained by the USACE, 2013.

ports_major *new* The USACE identified top 150 major ports in the U.S. for import and export activity. This data was compiled by USACE, 2013.

rr_bridges Railroad Bridges – Dataset railroad bridges over the navigable and non-navigable waterways for the contiguous United States. Data provided and maintained by the Federal Railroad Administration, 2010.

rr_crossings *updated* Railroad Grade Crossings—Data on use and physical characteristics of highway-rail crossings. Data provided and maintained by the Federal Railroad Administration, 2013.

tmas *new* Travel Monitoring Analysis System (TMAS) stations from the FHWA replaces the atr and wim data. This data set contains information on over 15,000 stations. The data is provided and maintained by State Departments of Transportation and submitted to the FHA. The FHWA compiled this data, 2012.

Polygon

boc_uza *updated* Bureau of the Census Urbanized Area Boundaries—Data provided and maintained by the Bureau of the Census, 2013.

cbsa *updated* Core based statistical area representing Metropolitan & Micropolitan Statistical Areas as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and maintained by the Bureau of the Census, 2013.

cd113 *updated* The 113th Congressional Districts Boundaries—Data provided and maintained by the Bureau of the Census, 2013.

county *updated* U.S. County Boundaries—Data provided and maintained by the Bureau of the Census, 2010. Data was derived by clipping the county_pol shapefile (using the 2010 state shapefile) to cut in the shorelines.

county_pol *updated* U.S. County Boundaries representing the U.S. political boundaries—Data provided and maintained by the Bureau of the Census, 2010. This dataset is contained in the county directory.

faf_regions  *new* Freight Analysis Framework FAF, version 3.4, domestic region level datasets and products provide information for states, state portions of large metropolitan areas, and remainders of states. This data supports the FAF network. This data was compiled by the FHWA, 2012.

hydro Hydrographic Features—Data provided and maintained by the BTS, 2006. (Note: A linear shape file called “hydrolin” is also provided.)

milbase *updated* U.S. Military Installations—Data provided by the Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command - Transportation Engineering Agency, 2013.

mpo *updated* Metropolitan Planning Organization—Database of MPO planning area boundaries collected by  BTS and FHWA, 2013.

naa *new* Non-Attainment Areas—Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-defined areas of the country where “air pollution levels persistently exceed the new national ambient air quality standards,” 2012. This data replaces a similar set of data formerly distributed by BTS.

parks *updated* National Park System Boundary Dataset—Data provided and maintained by the National Park Service, 2013.

state *updated* U.S. State Boundaries—Data provided and maintained by the Bureau of the Census, 2010. Data was derived by clipping the state_pol shapefile (using the 2010 state shapefile) to cut in the shorelines.

state_pol *updated* U.S. State Boundaries representing the U.S. political boundaries—Data provided and maintained by the Bureau of the Census, 2010. Data was derived by partially extracting (dissolving) the county_pol shape file. This dataset is contained in the state directory.

Polyline

faf_network  *updated* Freight Analysis Framework, version 3.4, — Integrates data from a variety of sources to estimate commodity flows and related freight transportation activity among states, regions, and major international gateways. The FAF is maintainted by the Federal Highway Administration.

hazmat Hazardous Material Routes—Data on highway routes for hazardous materials. The data is provided and maintained by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, 2006.

hpms *updated* Highway Performance Monitoring System—Data provided and maintained by State Departments of Transportation and submitted to the Federal Highway Administration, 2013. Attributes represent calendar year 2011. Because of the size of the attribute file, the HPMS data is distributed in ZIP format. Be aware that the unzipped HPMS data is more than 300 MB.

nhpn National Highway Planning Network—Spatial network of principal roadways within the United States. Data provided and maintained by the Federal Highway Administration, 2012. (Note: A nodal shapefile called “nhpnnd” is also provided.)

rail *updated* Railway Network—Spatial network of rail lines within the United States. Data provided and maintained by the Federal Railroad Administration, 2013. (Note: A nodal shapefile called “railwaynd” and AMTRAK lines are also provided.)

runway *updated* Airport Runways—Spatial data on airport runways within the United States. Data provided and maintained by the Federal Aviation Administration, 2013.

transit Fixed-Guideway Transit Facilities—Transit database including fixed guideway links and stations, 2004.

waterway *updated* U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Navigable Waterway Network—Data provided and maintained by the USACE, 2013. (Note: A nodal shapefile called “waterwaynd” is also provided.)

Technical Support

For technical assistance in using the data on this DVD, contact the Research and Innovative Technology Administration, Bureau of Transportation Statistics at 800-853-1351 and refer to the NTAD2013. Users may also contact us via e-mail at RITAinfo@dot. gov or visit our website: http://www.bts.gov/programs/geographic_information_services/

U.S. Department of Transportation
Research and Innovative Technology Administration
Bureau of Transportation Statistics
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590
800-853-1351

For assistance with importing the data into a GIS software package, please contact technical support for the specific GIS
software vendor.

User comments are critical to improving future editions of NTAD. Your feedback and corrections will be incorporated into the sub- sequent releases of these datasets. Please check our website (http://www.bts.gov/programs/geographic_information_services/) for any corrections or addendums to NTAD2013.

Acknowledgments

NTAD2013 is the result of cooperation throughout the U.S. Department of Transportation, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Bureau of
the Census, Environmental Protection Agency, Defense Installation Spatial Data Infrastructure, and the National Park Service.

Most of the geographic reference datasets are products derived from the TIGER database, the TIGER /Line files, or other products created
and maintained by the U.S. Bureau of the Census. We greatly appreciate these contributions.

Special thanks are given to the following individuals and organizations which contributed the data that made NTAD2013 possible: David LaBranche, of the Defense Installation Spatial Data Infrastructure; Raquel Hunt of the Federal Railroad Administration; and the Federal Aviation Administration’s Aeronautical Information Services Office. We would also like to recognize the contributions of the following individuals within the Research and Innovative Technology Administration’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics who were responsible for compiling NTAD2013: Stephen Lewis, Derald Dudley, Dominic Menegus, Yaguang Xu, Dominic Menegus, and Mark Bradford.