With funds flowing for infrastructure projects, there’s the potential for more geospatial work, but mostly if the money goes toward new projects. Geospatial work is largely pre-engineering work, done prior to any design and engineering plans. The geospatial community provides base map layers and environmental assessments that form the basis for infrastructure designs. There won’t be a big boost of work if the projects are already in place, and if the moneys mostly go to resurfacing roadways.
Canada just moved to streamline environmental assessments in order to speed the spending of $12-billion in infrastructure funds. The new environmental review process cuts out federal assessments where provincial assessments are in place, and where certain categories of projects haven’t had a history of environmental impacts. I wonder if similar moves to streamline planning will take place here in the United States, given the mandate to spend quickly.
States are scrambling to meet the requirement to allocate funds 50% of funds within 120 days, and to allocate the remainder of funds within one year. This rapid timeline doesn’t seem to bode well for the in-depth assessments that are the bread and butter of geospatial analysis.
