Abstract

Using GIS and LiDAR to Reduce Costs in Monroe County
Track: Surveying
Authors: Justin Cole

In 2006, Monroe County flew a LiDAR elevation model for various utility or transportation improvement projects. Until a few years ago, most of this data was only available to the GIS group. The problem is, while ArcGIS can handle the size of the data, most of our consultants could not, so we came up with a workflow to help them use the data. This workflow was created to use the full five foot per pixel LiDAR elevation model and the guidelines that the different survey consultants required. The workflow was then turned into a toolbox with different geoproccessing tools. Now a base study, which used to take days or weeks, now takes under an hour, and at a sizable cost savings. This allows the survey teams to focus on trouble areas inherent in the LiDAR, such as tree cover, or at the bottom of stream channels.