MDOT - Statewide Bridge Signs Inventory

Statewide GIS-Based Bridge Connection and Sign Inventory Streamlines Agency Functions

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) engaged OHM Advisors to develop a GIS-based inventory for all bridge connections and related signs throughout the entire state trunk line system. Our GIS team worked over an extended period to physically visit and inventory each bridge site, collecting information specified by MDOT in an interactive data form we created for use on tablets in the field. In the compiled inventory, each bridge’s data field includes its GPS location with attributes collected and logged, a digital photo of the bridge connection, and a separate digital photo of its corresponding signage.

The ongoing project will include control section and physical reference mile points for each bridge data field. MDOT will use all of the inventory data, presented in an ArcMap v10.x layer, to develop future signing plans and bridge connection inspections. The full inventory collection will be available via MDOT’s ArcGIS Online Data Portal at any time in the field for immediate use, significantly streamlining agency functions and providing substantial annual cost savings.

Project Highlights: GIS, GPS, bridge, DOT, transportation, data collection