Geospatial Data Development for Rural Roads Planning, Construction and Management: Case Study of ADRAMP-2 Project

Abstract

Geospatial data describe objects and things with relation to geographic space often with location coordinate in a spatial referenced system. Rural roads are geospatial entities which can be captured and stored using geographic information system techniques. Therefore, a geographic information system is an essential tool to be placed on comprehending the information of spatial and non-spatial data over a space and time. Data required for this article include high resolution satellite imageries (QuickBird, SPOTS, IKONOS), Landsat (EOI Hyperion, DEM); local, state, and international boundaries; all Edges of transport routes connecting all settlements in the state, settlement data, stream network data, and terrain data. Roads associated attributes include location of potholes, bumps, drainages, drainage direction, and last date of road repaired, highest point, lowest point, mean elevation, maximum slope, average slope, road tears and wears which is expressed as roads condition. Road geometry data involve length of each road edge, width, and referential measurement. Data on nature of surfacing such as tar, asphalt, concrete, and laterite. Other data on roads are name, type, classification, and Geotagged pictures and video of all roads in Adamawa state. The field survey involves trailing the whole length of the roads from a referenced baseline at a vehicle speed using GPS Waypoint Navigators, handheld GPSs, and RoadLab application in iPad. These devices were used in collecting data on roads roughness index expressed as good, bad, excellent; visual assessment of road condition and drainages were carried out during the field survey. When navigating the roads records taking of roads data, geotagged pictures, videos, and coordinates of event areas were captured. However, the use of RoadLab in assessing road condition was only limited to Trunk A, B AND C roads across the state since they are the most tarred roads in regional road classification. Therefore, rigorous physical/visual surveys and assessment on all other rural roads were conducted. The result of the research indicate that truck B, C and feeder roads are in bad shape and geospatial database of all road network in Adamawa State was developed.