DOT’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), a part of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration, recently released the 2012 edition of the National Transportation Atlas Databases (NTAD), featuring updated datasets from last year’s NTAD.

NTAD 2012 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 information for these features. Metadata documentation, as prescribed by the International Organization of Standards (ISO), is also provided for each database.

These datasets support research, analysis, and decision-making across all modes of transportation. They have applications at the national, regional, state, and local levels throughout the transportation community.

The data used to compile NTAD 2012 came from BTS’ partners within DOT and other federal agencies. BTS performs structured quality evaluations on these data before they are included in the NTAD.

This year’s NTAD consists of 32 datasets, 16 of which were updated for the 2012 release, including intermodal terminals, national railway crossings, nonattainment areas, and public transit rail lines and stations, among other data layers. It also incorporates substantial revisions to datasets for national parks, ports, National Bridge Inventory, and railways.

NTAD 2012 is provided in shapefile format, which is compatible with most Geographical
Information Systems software. It is provided with International Organization for Standards formatted metadata for all shapefiles for
the first time this year.

The document is free. Copies of the NTAD can be downloaded or ordered in DVD format.

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