Innovative Ways to Use GIS in Local Government

Data can be as complex as the communities and information they represent. With a geographic information system (GIS), people and organizations can filter that data to find the answer to a particular question. Administrators can use GIS capabilities for numerous applications when it comes to local government, from crime prevention to urban planning. As data becomes increasingly important in everyday life, GIS implementation is essential.

Often referred to as "smart cities," cities that use tools like GIS aim to use technology to improve their citizens' quality of life. These cities are found all over the world. A couple of examples in the United States include Boston, Massachusetts, which uses GIS to measure potential impacts of future development, and Yerington, Nevada, which has digitized its data across municipal departments.

If your local government is thinking about following suit, you can learn more about five ways to use GIS in local government below.

1. Streamline Public Reporting

When a citizen wants to report a non-emergency situation, like a flooded area or a parking violation, they may call 311 or another designated hotline. While it's helpful for residents to report issues in a way that leaves emergency services clear, public reporting hotlines take a significant amount of resources to maintain. Municipalities can use GIS to streamline public reporting, saving time and money.

As citizens use the system to make reports, they can pinpoint corresponding geographic locations and upload relevant photos. The appropriate government office will receive the reports and use the information from the GIS to resolve the issues. 

This system also serves as a handy resource beyond when residents need to make reports. For example, they can plan commutes and trips around large potholes and downed powerlines.

Offering a GIS-based website and app specifically for public reporting makes sense for all parties involved. Using GIS makes it easier for offices to filter through requests and organize them by the most legitimate and important. It can be challenging to figure out how to submit a service request or lookup useful reports on the citizen end. With GIS, updates for public reports can occur in real-time, residents become more knowledgeable about what's happening in their communities.

2. Create Accessible Open Data for the Public

For many years, residents have been able to access a range of public data, from property records to bus routes. However, public data is challenging for the public to access in numerous communities. While residents have the right to access and request certain data, it can sometimes take administrators days or weeks to dig through filing cabinets and spreadsheets to find the information they need.

GIS implementation can increase accessibility to open data for the public. By compiling relevant data in a single, comprehensive system, citizens can quickly review the data they want to access. If a resident wants to compare public schools to see which one is most convenient for their child, they can use a map enhanced by GIS data layers to pinpoint the schools' locations and read relevant information. A GIS strategy makes open data more accessible than ever.

3. Optimize Crime Prevention and Reporting

For obvious reasons, crime reporting is crucial for keeping communities safe. Emergency services rely on citizens to report crimes, and citizens' ability to track crimes in their area is vital. Employing GIS can ensure towns and cities have a proper way to manage emergencies. As a result, crime prevention becomes more achievable.

As part of implementing GIS for public safety information, municipalities can create maps that update with information about criminal reports. For instance, someone may call 911 to report a stolen vehicle. As the appropriate law enforcement responds to the incident, the GIS map will update with the stolen vehicle's last known location, along with the time it was reported and other relevant details.

This technology allows citizens and emergency services to work together to identify and prevent crimes. With more sets of eyes in the community to help locate incidents, law enforcement can work toward creating a safer community. On the other side of the equation, residents have more information at their disposal to help them stay safe.

4. Receive Feedback From Citizens

Without public input on how communities can improve, local governments struggle to meet their citizens' needs. Through GIS, residents have a way to directly alert their municipalities of public issues that they need to address. The result is a collection of data that government administrators can use to make their communities more accessible, safer, and more pleasant.

You can use GIS to gather data on public opinion regarding specific issues. For instance, you could ask citizens to use the system to provide data regarding bike lanes. Maybe a resident knows the perfect spot for a new bike lane, or a group of citizens wants to report maintenance issues with an existing bike lane. Using GIS, they can ensure the right people see their reports. Those reports let the municipality know how to better allocate resources and satisfy its residents.

Overall, receiving feedback from residents is crucial to creating and maintaining a livable community, and GIS can help.

5. Streamline Urban Planning and Zoning

Because GIS specifically uses data for geographic applications, it's the perfect way to identify locations for construction. By utilizing topographical information and survey data, local governments can create data-enhanced maps using GIS to reference during the initial urban planning stages. These maps can help inform professionals of the most viable places to construct new roadways and buildings.

Imagine you're planning a new streetcar system to serve several neighborhoods in your city's downtown area. You can use GIS to ensure you create the most efficient route possible without overly impacting traffic flow. Input different variables such as lane widths, speed limits, and foot traffic, then analyze the data. The results will provide you with suggestions for streetcar stops so more residents have better access to public transportation.

Utilizing GIS for urban zoning can also help municipalities consider public input. When you make urban construction a more public affair, you can keep citizens engaged with what's happening in their neighborhood. With GIS, residents can see when and where their municipality is planning to build a park or intersection. As a result, citizens and governments can communicate more effectively.

Work With GeoDecisions to Use GIS to Improve Your Community

There are several ways to pioneer GIS implementation in local government, and GeoDecisions is here to help. Through our array of geospatial solutions, you can capitalize on location data for numerous applications, whether you want to streamline access to open data or find the best areas to start construction. GeoDecisions' team of experts has decades of experience. Let us put our expertise to work for your local government.

Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you build a better community.