Track: Transportation
Plain English Referencing and Transportation Data Integration on a Complex Road Network in Maricopa County, Arizona
Bo QuoAn up-to-date and accurate referencing methodology capable of locating transportation-related events is paramount in any successful GIS-based transportation information system. The Maricopa County (Phoenix, Arizona) road network, which spans twenty-five municipalities and is comparable in size to that of some state DOTs, faced many challenges in the construction of a practical linear referencing system. Through the use of sound business analysis and system design, the Maricopa County Department of Transportation answered the challenges associated with the size and complexity of the street network: network QA/QC difficulties, event data integrity, limitations of the GIS data engine, and history tracking. This paper explores the multiplatform system architecture that incorporated ArcInfo, Sybase, PowerBuilder, MapObjects, and ODBC connectivity. Also addressed are the processes and tools involved in the creation of unique, plain-English references in intersection tables that are the core of the linear referencing system design. The authors will discuss solutions to duplicate road names, ambiguous intersections, looping and circular routes, and other network problems, and will present a typical user interface that allows interactive, spatial analysis of department data through the use of PowerBuilder and MapObjects.
Bo Quo
Maricopa County Department of Transportation
Phoenix, AZ
USA
Telephone: 602-506-7185
Fax: 602-506-8594
E-mail: boguo@mail.maricopa.gov