Truck outfitted with lasers, cameras maps streets, sidewalks for potential hazards
FORT LAUDERDALE - Outfitted with lasers and cameras a truck may look like it's mapping streets but it's actually after a lot more. On Friday, we found it surveying the Rio Vista Neighborhood.
"Where are the potholes, where are the swales that are not working properly? Where are the sidewalks that may have some trip hazards?" asked Elkin Diaz, who is the project manager with Fort Lauderdale Public Works.
The truck is driving around the city, about 50 miles a day, mapping out conditions on and around streets.
It collects not only pictures but more specific information, thanks to the lasers and LiDAR technology.
"Google Maps is just imagery, pictures. This has, every point will have an elevation, width, we'll be able to get measurements out of it," Diaz said.
Once collected, all the information will be analyzed and will map out where the problems are.
"Instead of going and hearing a complaint from a resident, 'Hey, there's a pothole in my road,' with this project we're going to be able to identify all the locations where the potholes are in our city," Diaz said.
George Butler has lived in Fort Lauderdale since the 70's. He saw the truck in his Rio Vista neighborhood and came to check it out.
"It sounds like a great idea, being proactive," Butler said. "If there's something that's going to be the matter, they have the capacity to take care of it before it really happens and how to go about it," he added.
In all this truck will travel on 715 miles of streets and alleyways. Down the road, it could also analyze the pavement, bridges, signs and sea walls.
"I think it's good the city is looking ahead seeing, identifying the problems before they appear," Diaz said.
Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis said, "I'm proud that our City is looking to new technology and innovative ways to improve our infrastructure. Using this process not only saves money but will allow us to address issues and get people moving through Fort Lauderdale more efficiently and identify the most critical needs of our growing community."
The city told us this technology is in use in just two Florida cities, Fort Lauderdale and The Villages.
Diaz said it will take until February or March for the mapping to be complete. The data should be analyzed and ready for use in early Summer 2023.