ESRI SERUG Conference 2008

Using GIS Tools to Develop Preliminary Highway Corridors

Carl Furney, GISPAndy Belcher

IntroductionUS 17 Corridor Project

New Location Roadway

Environmentally Sensitive

75 Mile Study Area

Developing Area

Multiple Alternatives

Multiple Agency Input

Solution: ESRI ArcGIS SoftwareSpatial Analyst Tools

Project BackgroundThe National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires federal agencies to integrate

environmental values into their decision making processes by considering the environmental impacts of their proposed actions and reasonable alternatives to those actions. To meet this requirement, federal agencies prepare a detailed statement known as an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).

Project Plan

MethodologyCollect Data for Study Area

Weigh and Overlay Data

Convert to Raster

Generate Suitability Surfaces

Run Least Cost Paths and Corridors

Roadway Design

Natural Environment

Wetlands Natural Heritage

Streams

Floodplains

Endangered Species

Surface Water

Topography *

Human Environment

Schools

Recreation (Parks)

Churches

Other Features

Cemetery Residential

Golf Course Community

Layer Weighting

7Areas Where Environmental Features Overlay to Equal a Total Weight/Score > 6

1Land Not Affected by Natural Environment Features

6500’ Buffer Along Existing US 17

2Water Boundaries(4)

2100 – year floodplains(4)

6Nature Preserves and Registered Heritage Areas(3)

6Managed Areas(3)

6Anadromous Fish Spawning Areas(2)

6Significant Natural Heritage Areas(3)

63

Natural Heritage Occurrences (buffered points) (3)

-All Federal Endangered Species, ¼ mile buffer-Red Cockaded Woodpecker, ½ mile buffer

6High Quality Water Zones(2)

62-5 (depending on type)

Division of Coastal Management Wetlands(1)

-Pristine-Non-Pristine

Weight/ScoreLayer

7Areas Where Human Features Overlay to Equal a Total Weight/Score > 6(2)

1Vacant

6500’ Buffer Along Existing US 17

1Limited Land Use > 50 Acres(1)

3Power Line Easement

2Transportation/General Utilities/R-O-W

3Water (Entire Parcel)

654

Residential-Less than 5 Acres-Platted Subdivision Lot, Vacant Less than 5 Acres-Greater than 5 Acres

65

Recreation-Public-Private

54

Commercial-Office-Industrial -Less than 50 Acres-Greater than 50 Acres

6

Emergency Management-Police Station-Fire Station-EMS Station-Medical Facility

6

Government-Post Office-Blueberry Research Station-Federal Aviation Administration Radar Facility-Department of Motor Vehicles

6

Community Features-Cemetery-Church-Day Care Center-Historic Property-School

Weight/ScoreLayer

Suitability Layers

Vector 250’ Grid Representation

Weighted Overlay

Reclassify

Suitability Layers

TerminiMultiple Project Termini

Least Cost PathsLeast Cost Paths

CorridorsCorridors

Corridor ModelCorridor Model: Allowed Multiple Scenarios

Output and DesignOutput Delivered to Roadway Design Staff

Curve RadiusIntersecting Roadways

Overview

ArcReader Demo

& Discussion

Output and Design

Questions