CARL: Crash Attribute and Reference Locator

Customizable tools that extend the functionality and enhance existing features within a software system are the keys to continued innovation. Depending on complexity, current and proposed projects tend to push the limits of existing functionality and require new tools to perform unique processes. Fortunately, software engineers and designers have taken this paradigm to heart and have created software systems with extensible architectures and frameworks. This paper presents one such customization for Esri ArcGIS that addresses the unique concerns and requirements of an ongoing project at the Center for Geospatial Information Technology involved with geo locating police reported vehicle crashes in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The tool takes advantage of theories and concepts from both computer science and geographic information systems to assist geocoders with evaluating, locating, and attributing crash data. Additionally, the tool provides a centralized web-based administrative portal for project managers.