Geographic Information Systems-Based Pavement Management System: A Case Study

A case study in which the researchers developed a prototype low-volume roads pavement management system (PMS) using a geographic information system (GIS) platform for Fountain Hills, Arizona, is described. The approach used and the problems faced are discussed. The first stage of the study entailed the collection of all information available from the city. City engineers provided a database with inventory and condition data, and an AutoCAD map of the city streets. The research team then evaluated several software packages. They selected the Road Surface Management System (RSMS) package developed at Arizona State University for the PMS portion. This program was developed to help local Arizona agencies systematically manage low-volume road and street pavements. The researchers evaluated two GIS packages for the study, based on the software’s capabilities and the city’s needs. They selected Maplnfo because it was less expensive and easier to learn. A menu-driven MapInfo application that runs the RSMS software, imports the pavement maintenance and rehabilitation program, and interactively prepares and displays colored maps with the analysis results was finally prepared. The combination of RSMS and MapInfo significantly reduced the effort required to develop the prototype system. It allowed the development and implementation of a GIS-PMS for the city, based on the existing digital data. City engineers were very impressed with the prototype system’s capabilities.