Louisiana Transportation Engineering Conference Monday, February 12, 2007
Agenda Project Background Goal of EIS Why Use GIS? What is GIS? How used on this Project Other site selection tools
I-69 Corridor Mexico to Canada SIU No. 13 to North SIU No. 15 to South SIU No. 14 is Subject Study SIU No. 14 Began April 2003 DEIS March 2005
Spring 2003 Summer 2003 Fall 2003 Spring 2004 Summer 2007 Fall 2007 Project Schedule Project Phase Project Scoping Corridor Selection Alignment Refinement Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) Record of Decision (ROD) Range of Alternatives
Proposed Action Build Alternatives 4-lane divided interstate highway Logical termini at SIU 13 and 15 termini Each SIU has independent transportation use that does not rely on abutting SIUs
Alternatives Development 1. Identify Study Area 2. Identify Considerations/Constraints to Alternatives Development 3. Identification of 2-Mile Wide Corridors 4. Select Corridor with Best Potential 5. Develop 300-footwide Highway Alternatives 6. Select Preferred Alternative
Proposed Action El Dorado 7 Shreveport
11 31 Preliminary Corridors
12 Common Corridors
18 1d
25 2a
Alternatives Development Following 2-mile-wide Corridor Preference, 300-foot-wide alternatives developed Identify Alignment Segments within the Corridor Develop Composite Alignment Alternatives Screen Alternatives with data
June 2004 Alternatives
Draft EIS Alternatives No Action Alternative: Assumes that all projects presently scheduled for construction would proceed; however, SIU 14 would not constructed. Alternative 5 represents best portions of Alternatives 1, 2, and 3 from June 2004 Alignment Study. Option 1: Alternate crossing of Bayou Dorcheat adjacent to LA 160 bridge Option 2: Alternate crossing of Cornie Bayou adjacent to pipeline Alternative 4: Retained from June 2004 Alignment Study Option 3: Alternate alignment east of Bayou Dorcheat crossing to avoid residential impacts along LA 3008.
June EIS Build 2004 Alternatives
Why use GIS? DATA, DATA, DATA Everyone has DATA! Location Data How Many What Kind Where Data Presentation Words, Charts, Graphs, Tables, or Maps Exploring data using GIS turns data into information into knowledge
GIS A Definition Geographic Information System (GIS) is a System of computer software, hardware and data, and personnel to help manipulate, analyze and present information that is tied to a spatial location spatial location usually a geographic location information visualization of analysis of data system linking software, hardware, data personnel a thinking explorer who is key to the power of GIS
What GIS is NOT GPS Global Positioning System A static map paper or digital Maps are often a product of a GIS A way to visualize the analysis A software package
Spatial Data Estimates are that 80% of all data has a spatial component Data from most fields can be analyzed spatially
What is GIS? A method to visualize, manipulate, analyze, and display spatial data Smart Maps linking a database to the map
Databases -Not easy to Interpret
Visualization Worth 1000 Words!
Data Input Two Mapping Sources Raster Grid pixels a location and value Satellite images and aerial photos are already in this format Real world Vector Linear Points, lines & polygons Features (house, lake, etc.) Attributes size, type, length, etc.
Combining Data - Many Sources
Sources of Data Digitized and Scanned Maps purchased, donated, free (Internet) created by user Data Bases Tables of data GPS Global Positioning System accurate locations Field Sampling of Attributes Remote Sensing & Aerial Photography
Use of GIS for I-69 SIU 14 Initial Project Phase Paper Study, existing databases Data Analysis Phase Additional Database Field verification of information Digitizing Additional Information Final Refinement Phase GPS location of boundaries (wetlands)
Sources of Data Color Infrared Imagery 1998 Black & White Aerial Photography Color Infrared Imagery 2004
Sources of Data USGS Digital Elevation Models Topographic Visualization
Data Layers for Initial Inventory 2 Mile Buffers Aquifers Cities and Towns Counties Geology GNIS Soils Archeology Point, Polylines, and Polygons Selected Alternatives Businesses_Employer Census Blocks CERCLA Federal Lands Hydrography Initial Corridor Oil and Gas Wells Railroads Major Water bodies Mineral Resources Pipelines Q3 Flood Roads Rural Renewal Streams Sparta Aquifer Threatened and Endangered Species Habitat Tip2001 Urban Areas Wetlands
Federal Lands
Federal Lands + 100 Year Flood Zone
Federal Lands + 100 Year Flood Zone + Aquifer Recharge Area + Rivers
Preliminary Environmental Analysis
12 Common Corridors
The combination of Corridor 1d and 2a show that the corridors are virtually the same except for the Bayou Dorcheat crossing.
Use of GIS for I-69 SIU 14 Environmental Inventory Storehouse of various datasets Engineering common datum Data Exchange between Engineering/Environmental Public and Agency Coordination Property Ownership Records Field Maps Reconnaissance Data Refinement Prudent use of resources Data Queries acreage or count impacts Website
Through the use of linear algebra and Integral calculus these programs are able to determine location affects, linear distances, and area calculations to name just a few. URS employs the use of ArcGIS software and scripts for Road alignment affects analysis
Here is a simple area calculation to give An example of how one such GIS analysis is done In this example we want to determine the amount of wetlands adversely affected by a proposed roadway. Wetlands Roadway All GIS is connected to databases which represent there geometry in a tabular format this information is referred to as attributes. In our example our wetlands are designated wetlands in the database and our roadway is designated as Alignment A
The script generates a new file which delineates the exact area of overlap. The area highlighted in yellow is the place where wetlands are affected by the roadway. Now that we know which layers we want to test we use a script to merge the layers creating an area of overlap. Since GIS is not only graphical but an integrated information system we can now see that the database has changed as well. (the row that shows both Wetlands and Alignment A represent the area of overlap)
Now that we have isolated our area of overlap we can use another script to calculate area. URS uses 2 area calculating scripts and a manual QA/QC process to ensure validity of results. Area Calculating Script Area of Overlap Acreage of Affected Wetlands
Data Layers for Final Evaluation Noise Barriers Electrical Transmission Lines Petroleum Pipelines Railroads Local Road Interstate US Highways State Highways Alternatives (ROW, LOC, Centerlines, Buffers) State Boundary Parish County Line Scenic Streams North Hills Project Federal Lands Minority Census Data Poverty Census Data Architectural Sites (SHPO, NRHP) High Points Grade Separations No Grade Separations Communication Towers Water Wells created vector acquired/updated - vector acquired/updated - vector acquired - vector acquired/updated - vector acquired/updated - vector acquired/updated - vector acquired/updated - vector created vector acquired - vector acquired - vector acquired - vector created vector acquired/updated - vector acquired/made some calcs vector acquired/made some calcs - vector created vector w/sub created vector created vector created vector acquired - vector acquired - vector
Project MetaData Helps to Keep Track of Data
Web Site Features ArcIMS interactive mapping tool Meeting Dates Selected Documents in *.pdf format Static maps for viewing Progress / news on study Links to abutting sections Web Sites
Other GIS related Tools Quantm automated corridor selection tool Uses algorithms to generate random alignments Evaluates Impacts (spatial analysis) Prioritizes Corridors based on total cost User supplies cost of impact
Pilot Study Results Quantm effectiveness directly related to quality and comprehensiveness of data input. Quantm exhaustively evaluated multiple alignments (encourages out of the box alternative development). Quantm provided alignment (cut/fill quantities) in a fraction of the time. Coordination time required to assess cost penalties for various impacts. Pilot study estimated a 16% cost savings. Typical Cost - $10k / mile Other pricing schedules available on website www.quantm.net