Recent events have again highlighted the need for multiple roading authorities across the Group to collaborate on a system for integrated road status information - not just to emergency services but to the travelling public. A recent service offerd by the Police goes some way to solving this...
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The New Zealand Transport Agency (formerly Transit New Zealand) also provides information about State Highway status.
As a road user what I would really like is to view a map that clearly represents where roads are open, marginal or closed with an indication of delays or time to reinstate. During the recent storm event all roads in Horowhenua could have been considered marginal. I'd like to plan my route by zooming in and out of the map to look at detour options.
As an emergency manager I'd like this level of road information to be available within our GIS so that I might compare it with other information, such as flood plains, evacuated areas, welfare centres, emergency service locations etc. As a decision tool, knowledge of road status is essential. The current manual processes slow down the integration of this information and with the cooperation of roading authorities can be accelerated.
At upcoming Lifelines Advisory Group meetings I would like to address standards that can be adopted to facilitate information exchange and display. I'm sure many will agree that it is an area we can improve upon.
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