Geospatial insights support major motorway construction and monitoring
At a glance
GHD Digital supported the New Zealand government in monitoring the construction of the Ara Tūhono – Pūhoi to Warkworth motorway through a custom geographic information system (GIS). This solution enabled the project team to record a large volume of geospatial data over a multi-year construction period, resulting in precise data collection, enhanced data visibility and visualisation, and improved access to the large dataset. It facilitated improved information sharing, activity coordination and decision-making, contributing to a safer and future-ready motorway.
The challenge
The NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) is responsible for building and maintaining the national land transport system to connect people, products and places for a thriving New Zealand. The Pūhoi to Warkworth motorway project is the second state highway to be delivered through a public-private partnership (PPP).
NZTA partnered with a private consortium for the motorway’s design, construction, finance and maintenance for a 25-year period. This project involved the construction of 18.5 kilometres of highway with four lanes between Pūhoi and Warkworth. It is the first stage of the Ara Tūhono – Pūhoi to Wellsford Road of National Significance (RoNS).
Traditionally, monitoring of construction activities relied on paper-based or non-spatial documentation systems. Engineers would go to a site to take photos, record events and file such material in physical or electronic folders. This historical approach made it difficult to rapidly access and locate relevant observational records based on both physical locations and different points in time, despite what would otherwise be considered rigorous data recording. The approach was further complicated when someone unfamiliar with a project sought to access historical records.
Our response
NZTA engaged GHD Digital for technical support in creating a custom GIS-based tool for field data collection. Geospatial data allowed the capture of the date and location of observation, as well as the ability to record detailed information about each observation.
Our Location Intelligence team leveraged the capabilities of Esri Survey 123, which allowed real-time syncing of data to the GIS web portal. This technology enabled engineers to collect data on-site by taking photos using mobile devices and loading them into the system, which synchronised the data in real-time with each new entry. Project stakeholders could then view the live and historical data and locate the necessary information wherever they were using an easy to access graphical user interface. The tool was compatible with any device, enhancing access and convenience.
The GIS database served as a “source of truth,” providing comprehensive records from the field engineers. It included project status and observations made along the stretch of the motorway, enabling the tracking and recording of construction activities. Embedded aerial imagery enhanced data visualisation and helped understand geospatially what records were available at specific points in time, which could be accessed in the future.
The impact
The Ara Tūhono – Pūhoi to Warkworth motorway is now open. The GIS-based solution supported the successful completion of the physical works and ultimately NZTA's vision of a land transport system connecting people, products and places for a thriving New Zealand.
The custom GIS-based tool, Survey123, for mobile field data collection empowered NZTA to leverage real-time and historical insights into the construction activities and gain visibility of project progress. An organised digital record of inspections and observations standardised the data for more accurate and efficient reporting.
The database helped streamline workflows and reduced the risks of siloed information. Its synchronised view provided stakeholders with a deeper understanding of on-site activities, enhancing coordination and decision-making. Additionally, it provided a reliable record of construction observation data that could be accessed years later should questions, concerns or a need for an accurate “source of truth” arise.