Vast distances have always been a challenge when working in Western Australia, with a land area of over 2.5 million square kilometres and a road network which covers some 180,000 kilometres – almost half of the distance to the moon!
To overcome these daunting geographical challenges when trying to maintain and manage such a vast road network, Main Roads Western Australia have recently leveraged an existing investment in GIS technology to transform the field-based capture of road asset information.
As part of the agency’s responsibility to be prepared for emergency response activities such as the mitigation of possible chemical or pollutant spills on the road network, Main Roads Western Australia is using field data collection apps in ArcGIS to rapidly capture drainage related information.
This is generating considerable savings in the form of lower inspection costs and time saved, allowing Main Roads Western Australia to increase its inspection visits where needed while keeping a cap on costs.
The information captured indicates the direction a spill may travel and therefore can inform emergency response personnel of what may be affected and where – enabling the most appropriate response to a potentially harmful incident.
Through the application’s smart-mapping, real-time technology, Main Roads Western Australia can collect and update data, integrate photographs and information recorded on-site into a central location, and synchronise inspection efforts to avoid duplications.
Not only has the application cut costs and increased efficiencies, but due to its simple functionality, it is now being used by Main Roads Western Australia field staff and consultants without the need to resort to a software engineer or specialist for assistance or data migration.
We look forward to the next innovative application of technology within Main Roads Western Australia to help connect people and places now and into the future.
To find out how mobile apps could help your organisation become more agile, call 1800 870 750 or send us an email.
