Guidelines and Best Practices for Road Features Inventories

A road features inventory (RFI) is the process of collecting information on road features and attributes in terms of physical characteristics (such as length, condition, location, etc.) by using a variety of data collection methods, and storing the collected data in ways to ensure data availability for inventory purposes, statistical reporting and decision-making processes. These national guidelines are meant to assist practitioners in the design, development, implementation and maintenance of road inventory systems. This document covers the entire road features inventory process and emphasizes that the development of a RFI should be carefully thought out, involve input from all stakeholders, and include well-documented methodologies and procedures. The document contains ten chapters that introduce the reader to basic and more complex aspects of RFI, including the RFI inception, development, structuring and use. The key chapters conclude with a summary of guidelines and best practices. A primer is also included to provide users with a comprehensive methodology for the development of the road features inventories. (A)