Perth launches collaborative map for public works

The City of Perth and ESRI Australia have launched a new mapping-based system designed to reduce the traffic congestion, time and costs associated with infrastructure developments across the city.

The Smarter Planning Perth (SPP) initiative will help government agencies and utilities involved in infrastructure works better collaborate and share costs.

Users will be able to upload works data such as timelines, equipment needed and locations affected. The system will then analyse this information and automatically identify areas where different parties involved can work together.

Initial partners in the system include the city itself, ATCO Gas Australia, Main Roads Western Australia, Water Corporation and Western Power. Other stakeholders may be included in the future.

Smart city expert Martin O’Malley, the former governor of the US state of Maryland who is in Australia to advise governments on smart city developments, said the system is one of the best government-industry collaboration tools he has seen.

“Around the world we’re seeing innovators rethinking how infrastructure development is undertaken to reduce the impact works have on economic and social growth,” he said.

“By providing an automated platform that streamlines and synchronises collaboration between government and industry, SPP is truly at the cutting edge of this approach.”

City of Perth CEO Martin Mileham said the system is already helping to reduce works congestion and project timelines.

“This is already benefiting the city’s road users, utilities customers and ratepayers. This will strengthen community confidence in government and industry to develop the city faster, more efficiently, as well as encouraging more people to contribute to the local economy,” he said.

Mileham said the project has the potential to virtually eliminate frustrating consumer issues such as repeated excavations of the same road for multiple works projects.

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