VERMONT TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH COLLABORATIVE (V-TRC) RESEARCH PROBLEM STATEMENT Contact Name: Brian Voigt

VERMONT TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH COLLABORATIVE (V-TRC)
RESEARCH PROBLEM STATEMENT
Contact Name: Brian Voigt
Position: Research Assistant Professor
Organization: University of Vermont
Email: [email protected]
Additional Contributors:
Position:
Judith Ehrlich
VTrans Historic Preservation Officer
Jen Russell
VTrans Archaeology Officer
Brennan Gauthier
VTrans Archaeologist
Jarlath O’Neil Dunne
Director, UVM Spatial Analysis Lab
I.
TITLE: Developing An Inventory and Assessment Methodology for
Monitoring Vermont’s Historic Rail Resources
II.
RESEARCH PROBLEM STATEMENT
Railroad infrastructure provides an affordable, efficient method for moving people and
freight around the region, and serves as an invaluable asset in Vermont’s transportation
infrastructure portfolio. Within the rail corridors of the state, ongoing maintenance,
network expansion and improvement and the threat posed by natural hazards, particularly
flooding, present unique challenges for the Agency of Transportation. In addition, federal
involvement in a transportation project requires VTrans to consider the potential effects
on historic rail corridor features (Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act).
This proposal is focused on applying emerging technology, unmanned aircraft systems
(UAS), for mapping rail corridors (including gray and green infrastructure), inventorying
green, grey and historic assets within rail corridors (e.g. buildings, tunnels), informing the
planning process and facilitating improved management of the state’s rail infrastructure.
III.
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
 Develop a plan for utilizing UAS to survey a rail corridor and support VTrans
planning and permitting functions by: 1) documenting a data processing,
management, interpretation, storage and distribution protocol; and 2) identifying a
pilot project to test the approach – from data collection through the planning process.
 Evaluate the potential for initiating a statewide rail corridor inventory and monitoring
program, including cost, staff time and possible partnerships (e.g. UVM) to maintain
an accurate inventory of the extent and condition of Vermont’s rail infrastructure.
 Explore the possibility for using this technology for post-storm assessment of green,
grey and historic assets within rail corridor.
IV.
URGENCY AND PAYOFF POTENTIAL
A lack of readily accessible (digital) data detailing the suite of assets within Vermont’s
rail corridors makes it difficult to project impacts to historic assets from proposed
infrastructure projects. This proposal seeks to establish a data collection protocol that
meets agency needs (e.g. linkages to asset management system) and satisfies diverse data
requirements within VTrans. The project builds on past successes using UAS to survey
post-event infrastructure damage, extends the approach to rail and bridge infrastructure
and opens this technology to broader adoption at the agency level. Finally, this approach
could lead to a cost-effective strategy for monitoring and maintaining rail infrastructure
by prioritizing the location(s) of ground surveys and limit the time, expense and potential
for service interruptions associated with more traditional terrestrial based survey
approaches.