Using GIS on Road Network

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GIS APPLICATIONS FOR ROAD NETWORK OF THE PHILIPPINES: A NEW

TECHNOLOGY IN ROAD MANAGEMENT

Engr. Luz V. LAGUNZAD, MEngSci Mr. Kevin MCPHERSON

Engineer IV ConsultantPlanning Service Scott Wilson Kirkpatrick & Co. Ltd.Department of Public Works and Highways Road Information Management Support System

Bonifacio Drive, Port Area Department of Public Works and HighwaysMetro Manila, Philippines Bonifacio Drive, Port Area

Telephone No. (632) 304-3470 Metro Manila, Philippines

Fax No. (632) 304-3484 Telephone No. (632) 304-3087

Email :[email protected] Email: [email protected]

Abstract: Two years ago the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) started

implementing a Geographic Information System (GIS) using the Global Positioning System

(GPS) to survey the 29,000 kilometers of national road network and established anEnvironmental Scientific Research Institute (ESRI) shapefiles describing that network.

Significant time and much effort was spent on the verification and validation of the GIS data.This is a fundamental data set that will be made available internally within the Department

for different purposes. This paper describes how GPS, GIS and the traditional database

applications will help in the management of the highway network using a common

Locational Referencing System (LRS) that will integrate all data on road and bridge

inventories. The LRS centerline survey uses a comprehensive GPS and video for the

collection of road data. Once the centerline survey is undertaken, it will establish an accurate

location for the identified nodes and sections to determine the exact length of our national

road network. The data gathered from this survey will serve as the backbone to develop theDPWHs GIS and other related applications.

1. INTRODUCTION

Background

The original methods of locational referencing used by the DPWH were not suitable for

comprehensive computerization of highway information. Many discrepancies were noted as

to the exact position of the same feature as recorded by the different offices in the DPWH.

This is because different organizational units within the DPWH had carried out independentsurvey activities with little attempt at coordination. This led to extensive collection andduplication of the same data for different purposes. To solve this problem, the Locational

Referencing System (LRS) was used as the primary method to relate various types of road

data.

Before the actual LRS centerline survey started, a series of workshops was conducted by the

DPWH Central Office/Road Information and Management Support System (RIMSS) project

for the regional/district level engineers on how to properly identify nodes at road

intersections, administrative boundaries, and sections which are the lengths of roadmeasured along the centerline between nodes. In other words, a road section is a linear

representation of a roads centerline and has a defined length and direction.

Journal of the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies, Vol.5, October, 2003

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The DPWH under the RIMSS project conducted a nationwide Locational Referencing

System centerline survey for 29,000 km. of road network (see Figure 1). It combined Global

Positioning System (GPS) and video for collection of data. The centerline survey was

undertaken to establish an accurate location for the identified nodes and sections. There were

9,000 unique sections and 8,000 nodes. In addition, locations and digital photographs of

around 20,000 kilometer posts were captured, along with video and roughness data for pavedroads. The data collected was used to establish the exact length of the national road network.These data serve as the backbone for development of DPWHs GIS and related applications.

Figure 1. Sample of Philippine National Road Network

With the completion of the LRS, DPWH has begun the establishment of an enterprise-wide

Geographic Information System (GIS). The LRS serves as the backbone of data for this GIS.

It will enable implementation of embedded GIS, where the GIS and traditional databases

combine to produce truly integrated applications. The same spatial representation of the road

network is being used by all applications and will be used to manage various data on roads

and bridge infrastructure, including condition, inventory, traffic, right-of-way and locations.

This information is then made available to planning, construction and maintenance processeswithin the DPWH through GIS-enabled client applications. Internet-based mapping services

can also be made available to external stakeholders in future.

2. ROAD NETWORK ANALYSIS

Locational Referencing System

The operational and planning analysis which accurately identify the National Road Networkof the Philippines is the Locational Referencing System. It is defined as anything associated


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with the road network through the use of nodes and sections. Nodes are defined as

points in the road network. Typically these are intersections or administrative boundaries.

Sections represent the roads centerline between two nodes. A sections limits and location

are defined by the nodes that represent the end of the sections. (See Figure 2)

3. GIS DEVELOPMENT

A GPS centerline survey data was conducted to address the spatial data referencing needs forDPWH. This was used as a foundation for referencing all data collected and for displaying

road data in the GIS format. This enhanced the Departments ability to display data in an

easily understood format and facilitate the interpretation of these data. The GPS centerline

survey data supports and strengthen planning and decision support purposes. The survey also

established the position of Locational Referencing Points (see Figure 5). These points are

generally the existing kilometer posts along the road. The survey also collected video data of

the road network and roughness data of the paved roads. The video data (see Figure 6)

facilitated the verification of existing data and assists in the gathering of future data by theCentral and Regional Office staff for identifying inventory features on or along a roadway.

The video data also provides a historical record of visual features which can be used at alater date if needed. The data set obtained from the above survey is very large. It includes

approximately 9,000 road sections, 8,000 nodes, 20,000 digital photographs, and 3,000 video

files, as well as numerous database files. GIS provided the best mechanism for integrating all

of the above data into a single environment and to enable spatial querying and analysis of that

data.

Figure 2. Sample of Nodes and Sections on Philippine National Road Network


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Figure 3 shows attributes of each road section as stored in the GIS. These include the unique

Section Id, Start and End Node Ids, the DPWH Engineering District that is responsible for

maintenance, a Road Id and Road Name, Functional Classification, and total length of

section.

Figure 3 Section Attributes

Figure 4 shows attributes of each node stored in the GIS. These include the unique Node Id,and references to digital photographs sketch maps where appropriate.

Figure 4 Node Attributes


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Figure 5. Sample of Locational Reference Points on Philippine National Road Network

Figure 6 Sample Video Data for Philippine National Road Network


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4. INTEGRATING GIS IN APPLICATIONS

In DPWH, GIS supports many applications and functions. One of them is the management of

the road network definition with associated inventory and condition data. Other major

applications include the long and medium term planning of the national highway network,

bridge management, environmental impact assessment and monitoring the exact locations ofon-going road construction and maintenance projects.

The Department is implementing off-the-shelf applications that use ESRI Map Objectstechnology to integrate the spatial and tabular data sources. The DPWH Road and Bridge

Information Application (see Figure 7) will enable accurate mapping of road and bridge

inventory through dynamic segmentation.

Figure 7. DPWH Road and Bridge Information Application with Embedded GIS


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It also allows integration of all Road and Bridge data within a single database for use by other

applications in future (see Figure 8).

Figure 8. Integrating Data through Databases and GIS

Figure 8. Integrating Data through Database and GIS

5. ENTERPRISE GIS

The Department is also implementing its enterprise GIS using ESRI ArcIMS on its internal

network. It is using a combination of ArcGIS, ArcIMS and ArcSDE to provide internal GIS

web services. These GIS services are being made available thru the Departments Wide Area

Network to its Central, Regional and District Offices. Recent developments in internet map

service technology have made the deployment of GIS services and its applications relativelyeasy within large organizations like DPWH.

A web-based front end is being established to make data available to a wide number of users

in Central and Regional Offices, including those in Planning, Design, Construction and

Maintenance functions. (See Figure 9).


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Figure 9. DPWH Enterprise GIS on the Internal Web

It also makes extensive use of ESRIs metadata descriptions in XML (eXtensible Markup

Language) to make the metadata easily available to users. (Please see Figure 10).

Figure 10 Metadata Available on the Internal Web


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This makes it simple for the GIS administrators to communicate easily with end users

regarding timeliness and accuracy of the data. Also included are known data problems, and

timetables for future update.

A number of ArcIMS map services have been established, based on functional areas within

the Department, including: (see Figure 10)

Administrative

Land ClassificationRoad Network

Socio-Environmental

Transportation (Other)

ArcIMS greatly eases the ability to make all of the Departments spatial data available to staff

who need to use it.

The long-term intention is to make selected map services available on the internet toDPWHs customers, however there are no immediate plans to do this.

6. CONCLUSION

An accurate Locational Referencing System (LRS) is fundamental to the storage of all data

for the Philippine National Road Network. The sustainability of all aspects of the new data

collection methods are critically dependent upon keeping the centerline survey up to date at

all times. Nevertheless, survey updates are still very important, and responsibilities and

updates procedures must be defined and managed to ensure that the centerline survey isalways complete and also up to date.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are key to making this data available to all end users

who need access to it. Recent developments in GIS data integration and internet map service

technology are making deployment of these applications relatively straightforward.

REFERENCES

a. Reports and Manuals

RIMSS (1999) Locational Referencing System (LRS) and Data Collection Report

RIMSS, Africon Coffey (2000) Procedures and Validation Report: Philippine Road

Centerline Survey.

RIMSS (2000) LRS and Highway Infrastructure Data Report.

RIMSS (2000) Implementation Plan for Specialized Surveys: LRS/Data Collection

BIIP.

b. Other document

GIS Day 2000, Department-Wide GIS for DPWH


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Using GIS on Road Network

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