Automation for Transportation—More Than Data Processing

Years ago, when the word automation was mentioned, transportation officials immediately visualized large computers generating piles of meaningless printouts that would take weeks to read and provide little or no benefits. Not so today! Present‐day transportation agencies depend on state‐of‐the‐art automation technology to achieve their mission of providing a safe, efficient, cost‐effective highway transportation network for the convenience and use of the people and communities. This statement is certainly true for the Texas State Department of Highways and Public Transportation, which will be the case study for this paper. The use of automation begins with the very earliest stage of planning, and continues through the life cycle of the facility including the use of satellite technology for surveys, automated mapping and terrain measurements, statewide distribution of computer resident graphics data over sophisticated telecommunication networks, engineering programs running on desktop computer graphics terminals, instant hardcopy graphics for plan preparation on electrostatic plotters, automated construction letting procedures, and maintenance management programs.