Model Inventory of Roadway Elements (MIRE) and MIRE Fundamental Data Elements (FDE)

Traffic safety data has three components: collisions, inventory of roadway elements and volumes. All three components of safety data enable data driven safety analysis.

MIRE, the Model Inventory of Roadway Elements, is a federally recommended listing of roadway inventory and traffic elements critical to safety management. MIRE is intended as a guideline to help transportation agencies improve their roadway and traffic data inventories.

As defined in 23 CFR § 924.3, “MIRE Fundamental Data Elements (MIRE FDE)” means the minimum subset of the roadway and traffic data elements from the FHWA's Model Inventory of Roadway Elements (MIRE) that are used to support a State's data-driven safety program. 23 CFR § 924.11 requires that States shall have access to a complete collection of the MIRE fundamental data elements on all public roads by September 30, 2026.

Caltrans is underway in developing a data warehouse for California’s public roadways and upgrading to a new Transportation System Network Replacement (TSNR) which will allow for geospatial capability to link all safety data (collision, roadway, and traffic volume).

California has one of the largest roadway networks in the U.S. with approximately 160,000 local road centerline miles and 15,000 State Highway System (SHS) centerline miles. The non-SHS is owned and maintained by more than 500 local and tribal entities, so data integration with all large and small agencies will be a challenge for California.

Please view the below links/documents to learn more about the MIRE FDE. More information will be posted here when available. 

• MIRE FDE –Quick Facts (pdf)
• WEBINAR: MIRE and TSNR - Local Agency (January 14, 2020)
• Model Inventory Of Roadway Elements (MIRE) (pdf, January, 2020 Presentation)
• TSNR Overview (pdf, January, 2020)

UC Berkeley SafeTREC has been contracted to work with Caltrans, as well as tribal, regional and local agencies to develop a pilot plan for how these MIRE FDE will be collected, maintained, and shared. Below are some of the reports completed by UC Berkeley SafeTREC.

• Data Standards and Definitions and MIRE FDE Crosswalk Tables (2022)
• Pilot Uniform Data Model (2022)
• Safety Analysis Methods and Preliminary Gap Analysis Report (2022)
• Introduction to MIRE FDE and Summary of CA Planning Efforts (2022, YouTube)

FHWA Resources

• Roadway Safety Data Program - MIRE
• Model Inventory of Roadway Elements - MIRE 2.0 (July 2017) 
• Fundamental Data Elements (MIRE FDE): Example Illustrations (May 2022)
• Data collection
  • MIRE Element Collection Mechanisms and Gap Analysis (FHWA-SA-11-49)
  • MIRE Management Information System Lead Agency Data Collection Report (FHWA-SA-13-008)
  • White Paper: The Exploration of the Application of Collective Information to Transportation Data for Safety (FHWA-SA-13-006)
  • MIRE Data Collection Guidebook (FHWA-SA-13-009)
• Data Handling, Storage and File Structure
• Development of a Structure for a MIRE Management Information System (FHWA-SA-13-007)
• Data Quality Performance Measures
• Performance Measures for Roadway Inventory Data (FHWA-SA-12-036)
• Safety Data Analysis & Tools – MIRE & FDE
• MIRE Data Collection Guidebook
• MIRE Element Collection Mechanisms and Gap Analysis
• MIRE MIS Lead Agency Data Collection Report
• MIRE FDE Graphic
• MIRE and MIRE FDE Technical Assistance: Final Report
• Market Analysis of Collecting Fundamental Roadway Data Elements to Support the Highway Safety Improvement
• Guide for State Department of Transportation Safety Data Business Planning
• 23 CFR § 924.11 – Implementation
• MIRE Fundamental Data Elements Cost Benefit Estimation