Street networks (road centerline data) are one of the most widely used geospatial information products in today’s society. They support E-911 dispatching, mail and parcel delivery, response and relief efforts during major disasters, online sales tax collection, mapping, geo-coding, intelligent transportation systems, and automated vehicle routing and location systems, to name but a few applications. Their use is pervasive in American society, yet there are scant figures available to demonstrate the true value of street network data to society.

So far, nationwide programs that collect and assimilate transportation geospatial data from local, state, regional and federal sources are usually done with a single purpose, rather than a multi-purpose use, in mind. Several commercial data providers buy, partner, or recreate the data produced by government agencies. In the absence of an effective and organized national program, and without incentives to cooperate, each level of government continues duplicate efforts by creating these data to meet only their specific business needs. This practice leads to duplicative spending, wasted taxpayer dollars and inefficient government. The true business value of shared transportation geospatial data is only beginning to be realized.

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