Using Geospatial Imaging

Technology for Environmental

Surveys of Transportation

Projects

Jeffrey L. Bushur

Environmental Specialist

Hanson Professional Services Inc.

Presentation Overview

Geospatial Imaging Technology

Need for Environmental Surveys

Example Projects

– I-90 Tollway

– MCORE Project

Advantages & Disadvantages

Future Applications

Introduction to Hanson

Established in 1954, we’re an employee-owned, full-

service engineering, planning and allied services firm.

Organized into seven markets:

– Energy & Industry

– Telecommunications

– Government

– Railways

– Aviation

– Department of Defense

– Infrastructure

Geospatial Imaging Unit

Vehicle-mounted mobile spatial imaging system

Economical, Accurate, Safe

– Data acquisition at highway speed

– Survey mapping grade accuracy

– Keeps workers off pavement

– One pass approach to projects

Mobile Data Collection Summary

Digital photo extracted and linked for each position

Data delivered and extracted in GIS database

Change detection for multiple year inventories

Speed of inventory far greater than conventional survey

Mobile Data Collection Process

Route driven adjacent to inventory items

Coordinates, heading, vehicle pitch and roll, photos

Processed in office manually by technicians

Locations of items triangulated using digital photos

Collected info stored in database file

Users and Uses

Geared towards survey, GIS, and infrastructure

managers, as well as spatial data collection service

providers (transportation, utilities, energy)

Possible Areas of Focus

Roadway Corridors

– Pavement History

– Lighting & Striping

– Road Surface Inventory

– Sign Inventory

– Water, Gas, Power, Sewer Inventories

– Design and Location Studies

Utilities and Energy Transmission

– Asset Inventory (location, heights, condition)

– Database Preparation

– Digital Photos of Assets

– Photo Log of Site Conditions

IDOT Outdoor Advertising Control

Support Services

Illinois Outdoor Advertising Project

Acquire inventory

Permit application evaluation

Records review & scanning

Review of illegal signs

Related sign control tasks

Illinois controlled routes = 16,000 miles

Estimated 19,000 signs next to controlled routes

Data Collection Software

Real-time

image

QA/QC

Data

management

Real-time

GNSS

QA/QC

Data Extraction

Location (X,Y,Z) extraction from user interaction

Measurements from user interaction

Attribute logging (types, conditions, etc.)

For GIS, points, polylines and polygons supported

Extraction Screen View

Sign Processing

Before and After Photo Log

Environmental Surveys

Surveys for Transportation Projects

Water resources - wetlands, streams, rivers, lakes

Cultural resources – historic structures & archaeology

Sensitive noise receptors

Natural resources – T&E species, trees & natural areas

Public parks and recreational areas

Agricultural lands

Hazardous waste / contaminated property

Example Project – I-90 Tollway

Reconstruction of Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90)

16.8 miles

Addition of one mainline in each direction

Bridge widening over Mosquito Creek and Coon Creek

Overpass roadway bridge work at 10 cross roads

Example Project – I-90 Tollway

Example Project – I-90 Tollway

Example Project – I-90 Tollway

Example Project – MCORE

MCORE (Multimodal Corridor Enhancement)

Cities of Champaign and Urbana, University of Illinois

Urbana-Champaign, Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit

District

3.0 miles of streetscape improvements

Create a more balanced and complete street network

Example Project – MCORE

Multimodal Corridor Enhancement Project

Example Project – MCORE

Example Project – MCORE

Example Project – MCORE

Video – Armory Avenue eastbound from Fourth Street to

Wright Street

Example Project – MCORE

Example Project – MCORE

Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages

– Saves time vs. conventional

– Safety

– Accuracy

– Permanent record

Disadvantages

– Limited to existing roads

– Requires manual extraction

& processing

– Initial high cost

Future Applications

New technology (LIDAR, off-road capability)

Habitat surveys

Feasibility studies & Phase I planning

Noise receptor selection & modeling

Public involvement / engagement

Thank You!