README for “Automatic Traffic Recorder (ATR) Stations 2006-2012” dataset. U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), Federal Highway Administration; U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) [distributor] 2025-05-20 ---------------------------------------------------------------- LINKS TO DATASET ---------------------------------------------------------------- A. Dataset archive link: https://doi.org/10.21949/1520827 ---------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY OF DATASET ---------------------------------------------------------------- The Automatic Traffic Recorder (ATR) Stations 2006-2012 dataset is from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT)/Bureau of Transportation Statistics’s (BTS's) National Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD). The data included in the GIS Automatic Traffic Recorder Version database have been assimilated from station description files provided by FHWA for Weigh-in-Motion (atr), and Automatic Traffic Counters (ATR). Location referencing information was derived from the National Highway Planning Network version 4.0. and State offices of Transportation. The attributes on the point elements of the database have come from two primary sources, the Station Description Records and the National Highway Planning Network's Linear Referencing System. The attributes for these databases have been intentionally limited to location referencing attributes since the core station description attribute data are contained within the Station Description Tables (SDT). There is a separate Station Description Table (SDT) for each of the different station types; atr, and ATR. The attributes in the Station Description Table correspond with the Station Description Record found in Chapter 6 of the latest Traffic Monitoring Guide. The SDT contains the most recent stations available for each state and station type. This table was derived from files provided UTCTR by FHWA. The Station Description Table can be linked to the station shapefile via the STNNKEY field . A single exception table containing records for those stations that could not be located is provided for atr, and ATR stations. Generally, this table contains records where location descriptions were not clear enough to locate a station. It is hoped that FHWA will be able to contact the States for a more detailed description. ---------------------------------------------------------------- TABLE OF CONTENTS ---------------------------------------------------------------- A. General Information B. Sharing/Access & Policies Information C. Data and Related File Overview D. Methodological Information E. Data-Specific Information for: Automatic Traffic Recorder (ATR) Stations 2006-2012 [datasets] F. Update Log ---------------------------------------------------------------- A. GENERAL INFORMATION ---------------------------------------------------------------- 0. Title of Dataset: Automatic Traffic Recorder (ATR) Stations 2006-2012 [dataset] 1. Description of Dataset: The Automatic Traffic Recorder (ATR) Stations 2006-2012 dataset is from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT)/Bureau of Transportation Statistics’ (BTS's) National Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD). The data included in the GIS Automatic Traffic Recorder Version database have been assimilated from station description files provided by FHWA for Weigh-in-Motion (atr), and Automatic Traffic Counters (ATR). Location referencing information was derived from the National Highway Planning Network version 4.0. and State offices of Transportation. The attributes on the point elements of the database have come from two primary sources, the Station Description Records and the National Highway Planning Network's Linear Referencing System. The attributes for these databases have been intentionally limited to location referencing attributes since the core station description attribute data are contained within the Station Description Tables (SDT). There is a separate Station Description Table (SDT) for each of the different station types; atr, and ATR. The attributes in the Station Description Table correspond with the Station Description Record found in Chapter 6 of the latest Traffic Monitoring Guide. The SDT contains the most recent stations available for each state and station type. This table was derived from files provided UTCTR by FHWA. The Station Description Table can be linked to the station shapefile via the STNNKEY field . A single exception table containing records for those stations that could not be located is provided for atr, and ATR stations. Generally, this table contains records where location descriptions were not clear enough to locate a station. It is hoped that FHWA will be able to contact the States for a more detailed description. 2. Dataset archive link: https://doi.org/10.21949/1520827 3. Authorship Information: Principal Data Creator or Data Manager Contact Information Institution: U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Address: 1200 New Jersey Ave SE, Washington D.C. 20590 Contact: ExecSecretariat.FHWA@dot.gov Data Distributor Contact Information Name: National Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD) Institution: U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), Office of Spatial Analysis and Visualization (OSAV) Address: 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE, Washington D.C. 20590 Email: ntad@dot.gov 4. Date of data collection and update interval: This dataset is not receiving updates. 5. Geographic location of data collection: United States of America 6. Information about funding sources that supported the collection of the data: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) ---------------------------------------------------------------- B. SHARING/ACCESS & POLICIES INFORMATION ---------------------------------------------------------------- 0. Recommended citation for the data: U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) [distributor]. Automatic Traffic Recorder (ATR) Stations 2006-2012 [datasets]. https://doi.org/10.21949/1520827 1. Licenses/restrictions placed on the data: These data are in the Public Domain. 2. Was data derived from another source?: Yes. The data is submitted to FHWA from state DOT to Federal Highway Administration. 3.This document was created to meet the requirements enumerated in the U.S. Department of Transportation's 'Plan to Increase Public Access to the Results of Federally-Funded Scientific Research' Version 1.1 << https://doi.org/10.21949/1520559 >> and guidelines suggested by the DOT Public Access website << https://doi.org/10.21949/1503647 >>, in effect and current as of December 03, 2020. ---------------------------------------------------------------- C. DATA & RELATED FILE OVERVIEW ---------------------------------------------------------------- 1. File List for the bts_ATR_Stations_20250520.zip collection A. Filename: ATR_Stations_NTAD2006_NTAD2012.zip Short description: Compressed file folders containing the geospatial data for Automatic Traffic Recorder (ATR) Stations 2006-2012 dataset. File folders are classified by NTAD publication year and data vintage year or date respectively. B. Filename: bts_NTAD_ATR_Stations_DMP_20250520.pdf Short description: A PDF file containing the Data Management Plan that was created for current and future management of the data and associated files. C. Filename: bts_NTAD_ATR_Stations_README_20250520.txt Short description: The README.txt file that includes human-readable information about the data, variable definitions, contact information, and other contextual information. The file you are reading now. 2. File List for the ATR_Stations_NTAD2006_NTAD2012.zip collection. A. Filename: NTADXXXX_SHP_Final_ATR_Stations_XXXX.zip Short description: Compressed file folders containing the geospatial data for Automatic Traffic Recorder (ATR) Stations 2006-2012 dataset. File folders are classified by NTAD publication year and data vintage year respectively. 3. File List for the NTADXXXX_SHP_Final_ATR_Stations_XXXX.zip collection. A. Filename: atr.shp Short description: A shapefile containing the geospatial data for Automatic Traffic Recorder (ATR) Stations 2006-2012 dataset. This includes associated files with extensions .prj, .dbf, .sbn, .sbx, .shx. B. Filename: atr.txt, atr.htm, and atr.shp.xml Short description: Text files containing key metadata and documentation information such as methodology, procedures, data dictionary, etc. ---------------------------------------------------------------- D. METHODOLOGICAL INFORMATION ---------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Description of methods used for collection/generation of data: The station location description for each station type WIM, ATR, and Classification was used to manually adjust a station to the National Highway Planning Network (NHPN) v4.0. Any stations that could not be located on the NHPN were located on TIGER 99. Any stations that could not be located due to poor location descriptions are contained in the exception data table delivered with the GIS Traffic Stations. 2. Instrument- or software-specific information needed to interpret the data: The data and documentation files can be opened with Esri ArcMap and any GIS software package. ---------------------------------------------------------------- E. DATA-SPECIFIC INFORMATION ---------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Automatic Traffic Recorder (ATR) Stations data table This dataset is not receiving updates. A. Number of variables (columns): The data dictionary found in (PDF documentation) provides definitions for the variables B. Data Dictionary/Variable List: Because of the large number of variables, please refer to the Data Dictionary found within the file atr.txt for names, definitions, and formats of variables. C. Missing data codes: None ---------------------------------------------------------------- F. UPDATE LOG ---------------------------------------------------------------- This bts_ATR_Stations_20250520_README.txt file was originally created on 2025-05-20 by Dominic Menegus, Geographer, dominic.menegus@dot.gov 2021-04-12: Original file created 2025-05-20: File revision, including data descriptions and file organization