Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/35322
as the ability to plan with both groups to make sure there’s no production downtime. This is a unique position that doesn’t come with a standard job description. Sure, there are many differ- ent descriptions for IT and GIS, but each organization values different things and has different priorities, so having a well-defi ned list of duties is a must. It’s also imperative to help make this individual successful in his or her new position. List the com- pany’s values and have a clear path—with short- and long-term goals and objectives—to achieve those values. This is a position that can easily fail, and without proper understanding of group and company needs, this person will be doomed. Having technical ability is great, but if the individual can’t communicate both sides of the GIS/IT language, you’ll be back to having two divided technical groups that seem to run in opposite directions. If the individual can’t communicate both sides of the GIS/IT language, you’ll be back to having two divided technical groups that seem to run in opposite directions. Maximize the positive press from your feature in THE ESSENTI A L V OICE O F T H E INDUS TR Y MAY 20 1 1 Reprints Maximize the marketing power of your feature. Eprint Give your feature a presence on the World Wide Web. Custom Plaques Showcase your great press in a public area for all to admire. BY CATHY CHATFIELD-TAYLOR Modern Design, Classic Look Replacement Bridge Retains Aesthetic of Historic Streetscape Life-like renderings allow community stakeholders to visualize new infrastructure in context. downtown has hometown appeal, with continuous storefronts, ample sidewalks, interesting architecture, tree-lined streets and on-street parking. But there also are post-industrial signs of tough times, such as vacant or underutilized properties and buildings in need of upkeep or renovation. The Pottstown Economic Development Advisory I Board prepared a revitalization plan with the primary goal of strengthening the city as a center for business and employment. To that end, several “opportunity sites” have been targeted for redevelopment, including the commercial district’s west end where High Street crosses Manatawny Creek. That also is the loca- tion of a Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) bridge-replacement project, which will remove a structurally deficient three-span steel-girder bridge that’s in deteriorated condition, along with an adjacent masonry-stone-arch culvert. This highly visible location is frequented by resi- dents, commuters and college students on their way to downtown, Montgomery County Community College (MCCC) and Memorial Park. The bridge sees average daily traffic volumes of 7,658 vehicles, plus pedestri- ans on the dangerously narrow sidewalks and bikes interspersed with traffic in the absence of bike lanes. With safety a key concern, all agreed that a replace- ment bridge was overdue, but the community had con- cerns about how a new structure would blend in at the gateway to the distinctive downtown corridor. “Everyone in town thought the replacement was a good thing,” says Todd Lanphear, CADD Manager for Traffic Planning & Design (TPD), the consulting- engineering firm retained to design the replacement bridge. “The existing bridge was an eyesore. But the community and stakeholders were interested in aes- thetics. They wanted to match the historic feel of the adjacent area.” Nearby historic attractions include Pottsgrove Manor, a Georgian-style house built in 1752 for Pottstown founder John Potts; the former Vaughan Knitting Mill, which was recently annexed to the MCCC West Campus; and the old Metal Weld Building, which will 14 G E O W O R L D / M A Y 2 O 1 1 Is What You See, What You Get? Geospatial Visualizations Address Scale and Usability lTraffic Planning & Design was tasked with designing a new bridge to replace a structurally deficient three-span steel-girder bridge in deteriorated condition (top). The planned structure (bottom) matches the aesthetics of surrounding buildings and fulfills current design requirements for vehicular and pedestrian loading. M A Y 2 O 1 1 /W W W . G E O P L A C E .C O M 15 26 n Pottstown, Pa., the Main Street commercial district is bookended by two riverfront industrial parks paralleling the Schuylkill River. The historic house a restored 1905 all-wood grand carousel to be operated by the Carousel at Pottstown. TPD was challenged to design a cost-effective struc- ture that matches the aesthetics of these surrounding buildings and, at the same time, fulfills current design requirements for vehicular and pedestrian loading. The new bridge also has to address hydraulic conditions that cause pooling, scouring and silt buildup in the creek bed due to flooding during heavy storms. Where Am I? Where Is That? Meet Operational Needs through Geocontext Visualization 18 Modern Design, Classic Look Replacement Bridge Retains Aesthetic of Historic Streetscape Pipeline Route Selection A GIS Jumpstart for International Growth 22 14 (01) Cover GEO0511.indd 1 For custom reprints contact us today! Call (866) 879-9144 x131 or email us at reprints@m2media360.com JUL Y 2O11 / WWW . GEOPLA CE . COM 13 Now offering short-run reprints! Order 100 copies or less. Community Visualization