IBM Gets Contract To Update Texas SystemIBM Gets Contract To Update Texas System

There's a 2.5-year backlog of data and maps that dates back to 1992 in the State of Texas that's tying up traffic and the state's record-keeping, too. That will come to a crawl soon.

In a joint effort with the Texas Department of Public Safety and Texas Department of Transportation, the state has awarded IBM Business Consulting Services a $9.9 million contract to be the primary integrator in the implementation of a new business-intelligence Crash Records Information System (CRIS), which is a leading-edge, Web-based application that will capture accident data, document images of accidents, allow for locating accidents on an online GIS map and facilitate the analysis/reporting of accident data, according to the company.

"When the [new] system is done, we will have everything from document-imaging to Web portals, eliminating the need for local law-enforcement agencies to send paper reports," says Catherine Cioffi, CRIS project manager. "It will show me a section of I-35 through Austin, and it will show how many accidents and fatalities there have been along that stretch of highway."

IBM will leverage its middleware software and its management-consulting and integration services. CRIS also will help Texas get federal highway funding.