Creating new highway mapping data? Help!

Question

I'm hoping somebody may be able to help or at least point me in the right direction, with a GIS/Mapping query that is a little unusual.

I have been tasked at work with looking at how we create a Google Maps style system for our internal roadway system - this roadway covers around 45 miles and the level of detail exceeds that supplied by any available mapping data (OS, Google Maps, OSM) source. I've looked at most the available data and its sources and its just not an option - therefore we need to have maps drawn/created to our specific requirements, which may seem OTT, but its the only way. Also this is not detail that can be done as an overlay on existing map data, the 'bosses' have already ruled that option out.

In the main that is easily done in a variety of software. However, the company want it available, link to GPS data for junctions, signposts etc, and available in an online Google Maps style interface, which means that once created, the map needs to be rendered into tiles. My first thoughts was a combination of CloudMade and the Leafletjs javascript library, but the former does not appear to allow you to import your own mapping data.

I've searched extensively on the net and can find numerous options for overlaying additional information on existing data, but nothing on how maps can be drawn and rendered, then tiled and displayed. Leafletjs solves the latter issue re-displaying, but can anyone point me to software that can create maps, link specific points to GPS co-ordinates, and export the whole thing through tiles etc..?

Are maps drawn for this purpose, or do you start with a GPS 'track' of the roadway and covert it/update/render it to a map?

I'd welcome any thoughts/suggestions as to how the project could proceed as its not my field of expertise. Help!

Answer 1

I would recomnmend the following based on my experience

Use a program called GPSMapedit to create your map. We have used it to make our own GPS Routeable map of the entire Philippines

Buy a simple Garmin Nuvi GPS that save's tracks. Drive your entire site, stop and add POIS with details as you need

Upload the tracks into GpsMapedit as gpx files. You can overlay these on a Google Maps, Bing map if that helps as well

Trace your route and draw the roads, pois, etc in GPSMapedit

Export the work you have done as a shape file (You can actually load it as a map into your Garmin device for just your site, if you wanted to)

Set up Geoserver on a computer (can be windows or Linux) even your desktop Pc will do

Publish the Shape File in GeoServer

Style your layer as much as you like

Use OpenLayers as your Client interface to GeoServer.

Enjoy the efforts of your labor.

I just re-read your question and want to clarify that GpsMapedit will let you create whatever you want, Fire Hydrants, Pipes, Water Mains, Buildings, Walkways, Traffic Lights and so on. You can add them as either POI's, poly-lines, polygons and each of these can be styled in Geoserver SLD Styles to look just how you want them to.

What you are doing is not that unusual, perhaps the level of detail is a bit more than normally required, but Geoserver will handle the delivery and styling with ease.