- Font Size:
- Default font size
- Larger font size
BY JERRY DAVICH
jdavich@nwitimes.com
219.933.3376 | Thursday, November 17, 2005 | (No comments posted.)
School bus routes. Neighborhood crime patterns. Internet map searches. Ethnic population spurts. Emergency response plans. Critical infrastructure protection. Population growth predictions.
What do these all have in common? Geographic Information Systems, or GIS to those in the know.
GIS is a computer-based mapping tool taking roomfuls of old paper files and reams of new electronic data -- like population trends, economic indicators, even crime statistics -- to turn average everyday maps into visual layers of highly useful knowledge for local decision-makers.
It's like going from Kansas to Oz, local experts say.
"GIS technology is everywhere. And it's always in progress," said Martin Brown, GIS manager for the city of Gary. "Its uses are truly boundless, way beyond something like MapQuest."
Remember those multi-layered images of the human body from middle school science class, showing the body's skeletal system, nervous system and so on? GIS is similar, by layering 20th century geographical maps -- of streets, buildings, neighborhoods, even subterranean infrastructure -- with 21st century technology and data.
On Wednesday, tucked away amid quiet stacks of books, periodicals and wall maps, a small group of local GIS experts met on the second floor of Indiana University Northwest's library to celebrate, albeit in hushed tones, national GIS Day.
GIS Day showcases the daily practice of GIS wizardry for city planners, vendors and residents, most who know little about its capabilities.
"All the data is public domain. It should be used for the public," said Lauren Rhein, data services coordinator for NIRPC, the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission.
Rhein and other members of the NWI GIS Forum, a grassroots group of 100, offered visual presentations of everyday GIS examples, including the importance of metadata, which is essentially "data about data."
Coming from various sectors in the region -- an East Chicago city planner, a Hobart firefighter, a Hammond sanitary district worker -- members discussed lingo like polygons, geospatial technology and traffic analysis zones.
But simply put, their data-driven mapping research is focused on helping make your life easier.
For example, Hammond's Tree Street neighborhood experienced serious crime issues a few years back. Members of the GIS Forum joined forces to help map the area for possible solutions.
In 2003, the group created a GIS-layered map using crime data, streetlight locations, 911 service calls, even the shagginess of trees.
"It offered a layered snapshot of all this data to look for patterns," said Joseph Alamillo, Jr., of Hammond's Department of Planning and Development.
The group suggested that streetlights use 250-watt bulbs instead of 100-watt, that the tree canopy be cut, and that police presence be heightened on certain streets, among other things.
"Crime was cut by one third," said Rebecca McKinley, GIS manager for the Sanitary District of Hammond.
The group also suggested decorative lighting along Hoffman Ave. to accommodate economic growth.
"Economic growth helps with public safety," Alamillo said.
Such growth is the new buzzword in this region, with the new Regional Development Association, and Lake County now in its third year of a five-year plan to implement GIS.
McKinley said GIS can provide out-of-state businesses with attractive visual data, including mapped amenities otherwise buried in black and white text, like railway access, water hook-ups, zoning restrictions, and even competitors, all layered together over traditional maps.
Another key aspect of GIS is the ability to predict the future, sort of, by using metadata -- remember, data about data -- to estimate employment growth, business booms, and population changes. Current GIS data showed that the three-county population here of 741,000 will swell to 785,000 by 2030, graphically showing where residents may move to and from.
Martin, of Gary, said his city, on a range of 1 to 10, is probably at a 5 with using GIS technology.
Timothy Sutherland, director of IUN's Library Data Center and cohost of the event, said he believes the rest of the region as a whole is behind Gary.
GIS Day and Geography Awareness Week
The National Geographic Society's Geography Awareness Week is a global event celebrating Geographic Information System (GIS) technology, a computer-based mapping tool that takes information from a database about a location, such as streets, buildings, water features and terrain, and turns it into visual layers.
For more info, visit www.iun.edu/~gisnw/, or www.gisday.com, or call (219) 981-5612.
GIS vs. GPS
GIS, Geographic Information Systems, catalog and inventory geospatial locations of streets, buildings and infrastructure, for example, with specific corresponding data to create a layered computer-based mapping tool.
GPS, Global Positioning System, is a worldwide satellite navigational system formed by 24 satellites orbiting the earth, used for cartography, forestry, mineral exploration, wildlife habitation management, and monitoring the movement of people and things.
Indiana communities to receive high-tech maps
Beginning this week, Indiana communities will receive high-tech aerial photographs and land elevation maps to better serve in economic development, agriculture, planning and homeland security, state officials announced Wednesday.
As part of the statewide orthophotography program, planes flew overhead last spring taking pictures for a pioneering mapping project, providing vital information for improved citizen services such as public safety and infrastructure management.
Indiana Lt. Governor Becky Skillman said in a news release, "From emergency response to city planning there are a number of ways to use the maps as a resource."
Timothy Sutherland, director of the Library Data Center at Indiana University Northwest, said he believes GIS, Geographic Information Systems, mapping technology will explode in this region by using the new high-resolution aerial photos. "It will be a jump-start," he said.
In all, nearly 70,000 digital pictures were processed to provide high quality images for a detailed map, known as "orthophotography." Over the coming months the maps will be publicly available over the Internet.
Components of Geographic Information System
Computer Hardware - refers to the computer components - the physical frame work that includes devices for:
storing data
displaying analysis
creating output
Computer Software - in addition to readily available software, there are several public domain software systems as well as university designed systems.
Data - the old GIGO (Garbage In Garbage Out) principle - Geographic Information System tools account for only a fraction of the total costs. The most expensive part of a Geographic Information System is the collection and processing of the data. The cost factor underscores the vital importance of creating or accessing the reliable spatial data. Every detail seen or observed may be convertible to a digital form and become an intelligent input to a GIS. The costs associated with data (capture, index, storage) can be enormous. Hence the data must be multipurpose in nature. It should be able to be used by any unrelated independent users to justify its price. It is a good policy to set Data consistency standards - for data exchange to unrelated users and data transfer to other systems.
People / Liveware / Wetware - may be expensive. GIS education may be required. At least the person overseeing the entire operation and whose responsibility it is to make the decision must be professionally trained.
Source: Indiana University Northwest
Back to story No comments posted.
- It wasn't clear, concise or focused on the topic in the story.
- It was a personal attack, vulgar, explicit or degrading, used actual or implied profanity or contained potentially libelous statements.
- It accused someone of being guilty of a crime.
- It promoted violence or illegal acts.
- It contained telephone numbers or street addresses, or e-mail addresses and links to Web sites other than nwi.com or government agencies.
In no way do these comments represent the views of The Times or Lee Enterprises.
Passionate views, pointed criticism and critical thinking are welcome. Name-calling, crude and profane language and personal abuse are not welcome.
Reader comments will not be edited - they will be approved or declined. They may be used in the print edition of the newspaper.
If you feel a posted comment has violated these guidelines, please email our New Media team the commenter's name, the comment and a link to the article.
For more information please read our Terms of Service.