CLEVELAND, Dec. 22, 2004 (PRNewswire) -- Setting the example for interdepartmental cooperation, the city of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County and the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District will begin the final phase of developing shared Geographical Information System (GIS) maps and data for all of Cuyahoga County.
Essentially, GIS maps and data combine layers of information about a geographical region using computer software. Information may consist of streets, parcel numbers, sewer pipe locations and population density. Various entities can access any configuration of this information for a number of purposes. For example, the District may use the system to quickly pinpoint a sewer line break while a real estate company might use the data to track where certain properties are selling in the region. The number of uses for GIS maps and data is nearly unlimited.
Surdex Corporation of St. Louis, Missouri and Smart Data Designs of Franklin Tennessee completed Phase I of this work in late 2003. Managed by the County Engineer, Phase I cost $400,000 to which the District contributed $80,000. Phase I produced aerial photographs of Cuyahoga County as well as District and Cleveland Water Department areas outside Cuyahoga County. Consultants also conducted an 8,000 parcel pilot project to estimate the cost of converting existing parcel maps into a countywide parcel map.
Phase II builds upon the pilot project of Phase I by actually converting all existing parcel maps into a complete countywide seamless parcel map. The city of Cleveland will manage and perform the County parcel map conversion at their facility. The cost for Phase II is estimated at $5 million. As partners, the city of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County and the District will share in the cost, however. The city of Cleveland will contribute $2.13 million, while Cuyahoga County and the District will contribute $1.61 million and $1.25 million, respectively. Cleveland expects to the have the map completed by April 2006.
The Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (www.neorsd.org/internet/do/viewhome.do) operates three wastewater treatment plants and related water pollution control facilities on Lake Erie, the Cuyahoga River and Rocky River. The district serves 59 suburban communities and the city of Cleveland and employs about 580 people.
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