Creating an Accurate GlobalCreating an Accurate Global Public Domain Roads Data Set

Global Roads Open Access Data Set (gROADS), a project of the ICSU CODATA Global Roads Data Development Task GroupICSU CODATA Global Roads Data Development Task Group

By Alex de Sherbinin, CIESIN, Columbia University, Working Group Chair

P t d b Gl H CIAT W ki G Vi Ch iPresented by Glenn Hyman, CIAT, Working Group Vice Chair

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Presented at the 2011 Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers (AAG)

OutlineOutline

Background and update on the CODATA-Roads Background and update on the CODATA Roads initiative

The Strategy for Data Developmentgy pCompile best available public domain data and cleaning itApproach mapping agenciesResearch or pilot data development efforts

Strategy Moving Forward

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gROADS GoalgROADS Goal To develop a global roads open

access data set (gROADS) that is:access data set (gROADS) that is:1. globally consistent model

(UNSDI-T v.2)2. spatially accurate (~50m p y (

positional accuracy)3. topologically integrated4. focused on roads between

settlements (not streets)5. up-to-date and with the

possibility of frequent updates

VMAP0 – best available public domain data set updates

6. well documented7. freely distributed (on

attribution only basis)

domain data set

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attribution only basis)

CODATA-Roads organizational il tmilestones

Workshop representing users and producers of roads data at CIESIN/Lamont Campus (October 2007)CIESIN/Lamont Campus (October 2007)

CODATA working group formed out of subset of participants, subsequently adding two members (Jan 2008)

Becomes a Task Group of UN-GAID e-SDDC (UN Global Alliance p (on ICT for Development Open Access to and Application of Scientific Data in Developing Countries) (May 2008)

Listed as a deliverable of the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) 2009 2011 W k Pl (O t b 2008)2009-2011 Work Plan (October 2008)

Listed as a milestone in the Interim United Nations Spatial Data Infrastructure Framework (November 2008)

R i d NASA SERVIR G t (M h 2009) Received NASA-SERVIR Grant (March 2009) Received Gates AGCommons Grant (April 2009) Promoted to Task Group by CODATA (November 2010) – see

member list on next slide

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member list on next slide

CODATA R d T kRoads Task Group –March 2011

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CODATA-Roads partners (1)CODATA Roads partners (1)1. Center for International Earth Science Information Network

(CIESIN) (WG co-chair A. de Sherbinin) – data cataloging and cleaning coordination function for SERVIR project AGCommonscleaning, coordination function for SERVIR project, AGCommons

2. Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical (CIAT) (WG member G. Hyman) – contributing Latin America roads data

3 G hi I f ti S t T ITOS/UTA (WG b K3. Geographic Information Support Team, ITOS/UTA (WG member K. Payne) – providing a baseline for gROADS v.1

4. GISCorps – providing volunteer GIS staff5. Global Road Inventory Project (GRIP), Netherlands Environmental

Assessment Agency (PBL) – data and methods sharing6. Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Association (GSDI) (WG member

H. Onsrud) – endorsed the network, advice on licensing7. Google Mapmaker (F. Lamy and J. Pfund) – provided gROADS

Kenya data for comparison purposes, provided feedback on MM

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CODATA-Roads partners (2)CODATA Roads partners (2)7. iMMAP (WG co-chair O. Cottray) – AGCommons coordinator8. International Management and Mine Action Programs (IMMAP)

(WG h i O C tt ) l d AGC j t(WG co-chair O. Cottray) – lead on AGCommons project 9. National institute for Advance Industrial Science and Technology

(AIST), GEO Grid, and University of Tokyo (WG member K. Iwao) –ll b ti SERVIR j t d l i i t t d dcollaborating on SERVIR project, developing semi-automated road

feature extraction software and WFS-Transactional10. OpenStreetMap (WG member M. Maron) – massive community of

d t d l itt d t d t filli i ROADSdata developers committed to open data, gap filling in gROADS11. Regional Center for Mapping of Resources for Development

(RCMRD) (collaborating on SERVIR and AGCommons projects12. Tracks4Africa (WG member J. Groenewald) – GPS tracks for

spatial validation of existing data, advice on AGCommons work

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CODATA-Roads partners (3)CODATA Roads partners (3)13. UNOSAT/SAFER project – developing RS-derived roads data for

one or more countries14 W ld F d P t ITHACA ll b ti14. World Food Programme – access to ITHACA, collaboration on

AGCommons project

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gROADS releasesgROADS releases

Visit www groads org

CODATA Roads Data Catalog v.1 (Nov. 2009)1. Catalog of 360+ national and regional Visit www.groads.orggROADS v.1 roads data set alpha release (November 2010)

g gdata sets

1. University of Georgia’s Information Technology Outreach Services (ITOS) compiled for the UN’s

with data from:

(ITOS), compiled for the UN s Geographic Information Support Team (GIST)

2. Netherland’s MNP Global Roads Inventory Project (GRIP)Inventory Project (GRIP)

3. Open Street Map4. CIESIN data development activities

gROADS v 1 final (summer 2011)

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gROADS v.1 final (summer 2011)

DEVELOPING DATADEVELOPING DATA

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Assembling Best Available DataAssembling Best Available Data

Starting with ITOS data: A combination of Starting with ITOS data: A combination of VMAP1, DCW and national sources

CIESIN is:editing topology contributing new data by cleaning GPS derived data (e.g.

K ) L d t d i d d t ( Ni i ) d Gl b lKenya), Landsat derived data (e.g. Nigeria), and Global Map (ISCGM) data

combining data from multiple sources (e.g., DCW and Africover for Tanzania)

conducting pilot projects that will provide new data for EthiopiaEthiopia

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Contacting national mapping iagencies

Letter extract: “As a first step in creating this data set, we are contacting agencies such as your own to obtain permissions to incorporate existing

ti l l l d t f it bl lit f i l i i ROADS I th t An arrangementnational level data of suitable quality for inclusion in gROADS. In the next phase, we will be creating the infrastructure necessary to update these data in a distributed manner, so that those who contribute data can expect, within a three to four year time frame, to see improvements to their original dataset through the inputs of a wider community. Semi-automated means for facilitating distributed contribution of GPS tracks and digitizing tracks off of imagery are both being pursued as well as efficient means for gathering information about road characteristics Since all data will be distributed free

An arrangement whereby governments give their roads data

information about road characteristics. Since all data will be distributed free and clear of copyright restrictions, the data you contribute, plus any additions or enhancements, will be available to your organization at any time for extraction from gROADS. Any enhancements will be clearly documented in terms of the source of the updates. Thus, you obtain continuing visible credit for any contributions because each data source will be documented in the accompanying data documentation. Furthermore, your organization will be listed as a supporting data contributor on the

in the expectation of receiving better data i tyour organization will be listed as a supporting data contributor on the

gROADS wiki. You may highlight on your own website that your organization is a recognized official contributor of gROADS, and your organization will be granted authority to use the trademarked gROADScontributor logo in conjunction with this statement.

“We hope that you will agree that by contributing data to this initiative, you ill t l b fit i ti b t l th id it If

in return

will not only benefit your own organization but also the wider community. If you are in agreement, we would be happy to send you a permissions form to be filled out, signed, and returned. We will be using the standardized Public Domain Dedication and License (PDDL) for this new and evolving dataset. Only in rare instances and for very large data collections will we accommodate other open access licensed contributions and these will be only on a temporary basis until such time as the data has been replaced through the distributed upgrading process ”through the distributed upgrading process.

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NASA-SERVIR Project (Ethiopia)NASA SERVIR Project (Ethiopia)

Pilot tested a semi-automated road extraction Pilot tested a semi automated road extraction tool developed by the Center for Spatial Information Science at University of Tokyo

Target was ASTER imagery for Ethiopia The alpha version of the software was p

comparable to manual digitizing line following algorithm underperforms due to similar

t l i t f d d di l dspectral signature for roads and surrounding land covers

Average time per scene ~8hrs (depending on rural vs urban and number of roads)rural vs. urban and number of roads)

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NASA-SERVIR project detailsNASA SERVIR project details

Global Road Mapping Tool Data cleaning and development for East Africa

Google MapAster

index

Aster imageSeed points are inserted in:

1 ASTER i1.ASTER image2.Google map image

14Similar to RoadTracker Commercial softwareSee: www.youtube.com/watch?v=azq0ZIIr6hI

AGCommons project (Ethiopia)AGCommons project (Ethiopia) Output 1: A UNSDI-T compliant roads data set from

GPS tracks along with agricultural features of interestGPS tracks, along with agricultural features of interest Output 2: Software for a PDA tool that includes all fields

of the UNSDI-T data model (based on Cybertracker) P j t b h f f l IMMAP j t Project borrows approach of successful IMMAP projects

in South Sudan and Liberia: Incidental data collection: Engage third parties who are

conducting missions to hard-to-reach places to collect dataconducting missions to hard-to-reach places to collect data Active data collection: Conduct field campaigns to collect data

for regions that are missing Incorporate data from third part so rces here possible Incorporate data from third party sources where possible

RCMRD is collaborating on field campaigns and will disseminate the tool among member countries in East Africa

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CIESIN is undertaking data cleaning and compilation

Customized Cybertracker ToolCustomized Cybertracker Tool

Road Condition

Transport Point

Obstacle

Agricultural Point

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Agricultural Point

WFP FDP

Strategy moving forwardStrategy moving forward Release gROADS v.1 with Web site including full documentation, FAQ,

and explanation of the CC0 licenseand explanation of the CC0 license Solicit and evaluate inputs to a gROADS v.2 (2011-2012), and release

gROADS v.2 (target: Winter 2013) Develop a non-commercial distribution global roads data set (gRDS) Develop a non-commercial distribution global roads data set (gRDS)

that includes data sets restricted to non commercial distribution (target: Spring 2012)

Develop a gROADS Catalog v.2 which includes additional national andDevelop a gROADS Catalog v.2 which includes additional national and regional roads data sets (target: Fall 2012).

Promote road data development activities, including development of fruitful research approaches (e.g., extraction from radar data or pp ( gmapping teams with GPS/PDA units)

Continue interactions with OSM, GRIP, Google Mapmakers, GISCorps, World Resources Institute, and other groups interested in the development of improved roads data for applications and research

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Want to learn more or help out?Want to learn more or help out?

Visit www.groads.org Visit www.groads.org Sign up for the ROADSDATA discussion list to

exchange information on data setsg Send us your data!Contact Alex de Sherbinin at amd155@columbia.edu@

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