Leveraging GIS for Public Infrastructure Projects

Public infrastructure projects often have limited budgets and resources. Not only that, community development directors and planners must keep the public happy and stakeholders informed. 

They have to do all this while navigating the complexities of a public project: collaborating with other public departments, coordinating with contractors, adhering to regulatory standards, and keeping the project on time and on budget.

Fortunately, GIS technology can help.

As a planner, you’re probably familiar with asset management solutions. Your department may even have one. But do you know about GIS technology and its many benefits? In this article, we’ll explore how GIS technology can help you plan and manage public sector infrastructure projects more effectively.

What is GIS Technology?

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology gathers, manages and analyzes data based on geographic locations. It uses maps to visualize spatial information, which lets users see patterns and relationships in data related to specific places. It’s used in infrastructure planning, community development, enterprise asset management and much more.

The Role of GIS Technology in Infrastructure

GIS plays an important role in infrastructure planning and development, helping community planners and development directors in several key ways.  

GIS helps visualize and analyze the geography of potential project sites. With an understanding of terrain, existing infrastructure and land use patterns, you can make data-informed decisions more easily. Use these maps and data points to optimize planning and design.

You can also use GIS to assess environmental impact. Leverage data on natural disasters like floods or earthquakes to mitigate the risks of your infrastructure project. 

GIS helps planners manage assets like roads, bridges, water pipes, and electricity lines. It stores data on the condition, maintenance history, and repair needs of these assets, which helps your team manage and schedule maintenance work.

Limited resources must be used wisely. GIS technology can help. By mapping demographic and geographic data, GIS can help you allocate resources strategically across different areas to ensure community needs are met.

This technology can also be used to create public buy-in. It’s hard to buy into something you can’t imagine or visualize. GIS can generate easy-to-understand maps that can be used in public meetings or town halls to help citizens understand infrastructure projects and their impact.

Benefits of GIS in Infrastructure Planning and Development

Improved Efficiency

Buzzwords like “improving efficiency” and “optimizing processes” sound great, but what do they mean in the context of planning and development?

GIS streamlines the lifecycle of infrastructure projects. By automating processes such as data collection, analysis and mapping, it reduces the time and labor required for manual tasks. 

For example, using GIS to conduct preliminary site assessments can cut down on the need for extensive field surveys, allowing planners to assess multiple potential sites quickly and accurately from their desks. This speeds up project planning and decision-making so projects can move forward without unnecessary delays.

With the right GIS solution, you can also view and update information and tasks on your mobile device. Not to mention getting automatic notifications anytime, anywhere, so you’re always in the loop and the project continues smoothly.

Project Visualization and Planning

One of the most powerful features of GIS technology is its ability to create detailed visualizations. Planners and engineers can use GIS to produce accurate 3D models and simulations of proposed projects, allowing them to visualize the final outcome. This leads to better layout designs, site selection, land use and communication with stakeholders. 

By presenting these visualizations during stakeholder meetings, developers can provide a clear picture of how projects will impact the surrounding area, which is invaluable for gaining public and regulatory approval.

The precise mapping and analysis capabilities of GIS technology ensure a higher level of accuracy in planning. This reduces the number of errors and corrective actions needed during the construction phase, saving time and money.

Comprehensive Analysis

GIS excels in its ability to integrate various types of data, be it demographic, environmental or structural. Data integration allows for a more comprehensive analysis, which supports more informed decision-making and planning.

By overlaying traffic flow data with weather patterns and population density maps, planners can determine the most effective locations for new roads or upgrades to existing infrastructure. 

Furthermore, GIS can help identify areas of concern (i.e. flood plains) so that new infrastructure is designed with resilience in mind. Another use case? Leverage GIS to analyze drainage patterns and design stormwater systems that comply with local regulations.

Real-Time Monitoring and Maintenance

Beyond the planning and construction phases, GIS helps with the maintenance of infrastructure assets. With GIS, authorities can keep a real-time tab on the status and performance of different infrastructure elements. 

For example, sensors embedded in roads or bridges can feed data back to a GIS system, alerting maintenance teams to issues like structural weaknesses or wear and tear. This level of proactive maintenance extends the life of your community assets and helps prevent catastrophic failures that could result in costly repairs and safety hazards.

Increased Compliance

Planners must navigate a myriad of compliance and regulatory standards during an infrastructure project. Failure to do so can result in legal penalties, costly project delays, environmental damage and public safety hazards. With non-compliance, you also risk losing public trust and facing increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies, which can impact future project approvals.

Here are several ways GIS technology can help you maintain compliance:

Environmental Protection

• Assess the environmental impact of projects.
• Monitor sensitive ecological areas.
• Identify potential environmental hazards.

Zoning Laws

• Overlay project plans with zoning maps in GIS to identify and prevent potential land use conflicts.
• Verify that every element meets specified zoning requirements (building height, property setback, etc.)

Construction Permitting

• Monitor construction sites for compliance with building codes. 
• Identify potential hazards during construction.

Historic Preservation: Map and protect historic sites and culturally significant landscapes.

Public Safety: Design evacuation routes and emergency access points that comply with public safety protocols.

Accessibility Standards

• Make sure public facilities and pedestrian routes meet ADA standards.
• Map public transportation networks to improve public access to new infrastructure.

GIS technology allows you to integrate these compliance considerations into your planning and development, so your projects proceed legally, safely and sustainably.

Getting Started with GIS and EAM

What enterprise asset management (EAM) system does your organization use? Does it include GIS functionality?

GIS technology improves EAMs by providing spatial context to asset data. By choosing an EAM with GIS, you get all the benefits listed above – including precise mapping of infrastructure projects, real-time monitoring of assets, and comprehensive analysis for data-driven planning.

CentralSquare’s Enterprise Asset Management solution includes GIS technology and, therefore, many of the benefits listed in this article. Schedule a discovery call today to learn how our industry-leading EAM can benefit your next infrastructure project.