Journal of Geographic Information System, 2010, 2, 215-219
doi:10.4236/jgis.2010.24030 Published Online October 2010 (http://www.SciRP.org/journal/jgis)
Managing Road Maintenance Using Geographic
Information System Application
Mohd Zulkifli B. Mohd Yunus, Hamidah Bt. Hassan
School of Professional and Continuing Education (SPACE), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai Johor, Malaysia
Received July 31, 2010; revised September 2, 2010; accepted September 8, 2010
Abstract
The development and economic growth of a nation is closely related to its available transportation system.
Good and efficient road transport infrastructure facilities will promote industrial and socio-economic devel-
opment. To provide safety and comfort to road users, a comprehensive road maintenance schedule must be
formulated and adopted to ensure those roads are in good condition at all times. Preventive maintenance
works, such as road rehabilitation will help to reduce the major road repairs and expenditure. Prior to this, a
good database, gathered through GIS will be necessary in order to ensure maintenance is done effectively.
Geographic Information System (GIS) is said to be one of the useful tools that can be utilized to manage da-
tabase in road maintenance engineering. This system is capable of storing, managing, analyzing, computing
and displaying all forms of geographical data for road maintenance works. In this study, the author has
adopted GIS application software – ArcView, and has reviewed and analyzed its effectiveness in managing
road database. These data are then used to assist the management to ensure effective and systematic road
maintenance. A typical model of roads in Penang, Malaysia is used as a case study to further clarify the ap-
plication of GIS in road maintenance.
Keywords: Road Management, Geographic Information System, Database, ArcView
1. Introduction
Geographic Information System (GIS) is a system for
mapping and analyzing any object on earth. It is a way of
gathering, storing, and managing any type of data with
spatial components. GIS data are usually stored in more
than one layer. This is the fundamental aspect of GIS, and
working with layers of geographical information is gen-
erally known as data integration. GIS technology inte-
grates powerful database capabilities with unique visual
perspective of a good old fashioned-map. This makes
GIS unique among various information collection sys-
tems.
Basically, this system utilizes hardware, software, user,
and effective management to collect, store, analyze and
present the related information of a given area on the
earth. Even more, it has the capability to overlap map
and provide an information inquiry facility that can indi-
rectly create a whole new set of information. Here, data
output can be obtained in the form of tables, maps, graph
or combination of this three. The other powerful aspect
of GIS is its flexibility in modeling spatial objects to suit
the particular needs of the user or application. GIS pro-
vides a set of tools or computer programs that allow user
to perform specific operation on the map, assisted by set
of attribute data.
This study is conducted in Seberang Perai Selatan, Pe-
nang with the objective to explore the potential of GIS in
capturing, storing, updating, retrieving, displaying and pr-
inting data to facilitate road database management. Road
maintenance is monitored effectively within the district
by using the application of ArcView software. This case
study area is shown in Figure 1 [1].
1.1. GIS Capabilities
GIS consists of four subsystems, namely data acquisition,
data management, analysis of data and information out-
put [2]. Some of the GIS advantages are listed as fol-
lows:
1) Consists of a central database storing all data re-
lated, available and useable to users when required;
2) Promotes data sharing culture and enhances team
spirit;

M. Z. B. M. YUNUS ET AL.
216
Figure 1. Study area.
3) Improves data currency, accuracy and consistency
of data maintained;
4) Minimizes data duplication;
5) Performs analyses on spatial and non-spatial com-
ponents;
6) Has a more effective presentation of data;
7) Data are managed more efficiently; and
8) Increases work productivity particularly in planning
and managing infrastructures, to produce results from
numerous combinations of data sets [3].
2. Methodology
This section will mainly focus on the methodology that
involves handling and managing data. Within the process
of data collection, two sets of data are classified; namely
spatial and attribute data. Spatial data are achieved from
the output of Global Positioning System (GPS) equip-
ment. Processes involved in this research are illustrated
in Figure 2.
2.1. Spatial Data Input
All data must be in digital format before they can be in-
serted into ArcView software. These data namely spatial
data, mainly focus on the federal routes, state roads and
other road assets, such as bridges, culverts, kilometer
posts and signage. To meet the scope of the study, data
obtained from the Department of Public Work Head-
quarters in Kuala Lumpur and Penang GIS (PEGIS) in
Pulau Pinang were edited to enable spatial data to be
arranged efficiently.
2.2. Attribute Data Input
In this study, softwares used to construct the attributes are
the Microsoft Excel and ArcView. Attribute are mainly
for database feature displayed [4]. Essentially, attribute
tables are constructed in each segment and they consist
of construction of road centre lines, kilometer posts, sig-
nage, bridges and culverts. All field data collection is
attach in Table 1.
3. Application and Result
ArcView software provides an interactive map display
which contains many themes or groups of similar fea-
tures [5]. Thus, by activating those related theme, informa-
tion on the study area can be simply obtained. All theme
legends are displayed in the form of table content, as in
Figure 3. Even so, every feature in these themes has one
Problem Statement
Research Objectives
Data Collection
Spatial
Data
Attribute
Data
Integrate Spatial
&
Manipulation
& Analysis
Management of Road
Maintenance Database
Yes
No
Figure 2. Road maintenance flowchart.
Table 1. Attribute table.
DatabaseRoad Km Posts Signage
Bridges/
Culverts
Seg_id
Route_No
Road_Name
Lane_Length
Lane_Width
No_ Lane
Rd_Class
Pav_Type
Status
District
State
Image
Seg_id
Route_No
Section_No
Primary_Dest
Distance
Sec_ Destination
Distance
Status
District
State
Image
Seg_id
Route No
Type
Date _Instll
Sign_Code
Sign_Desc
Status
District
State
Image
Seg_id
Struc_No
Struc_Type
Location
Route_No
Yr_Built
Length
Width
Status
District
State
Image

M. Z. B. M. YUNUS ET AL.
217
unique record that describes the feature’s characteristics
in the form of theme table format [6]. Then, creating
hotlink on theme features will allow users to click on the
related theme to display additional data as attached in
Figures 4-6. This data can be an image, a text file or a
document.
Figure 3. Activation of menu screen theme.
Figure 4. Geometric and identification Fields-Kilometer post.

M. Z. B. M. YUNUS ET AL.
218
Figure 5. Geometric and identification Fields-Bridge.
Figure 6. Geometric and identification Fields-Signage.
4. Conclusions
The adoption of GIS will lead to a more organized mana-
gement of digital data especially those related to road
data. Particularly, this system application will also incre-
ase work productivity in managing road maintenance.
Generally, this study has achieved its objectives as defin-
ed. Thus, the conclusions that can be drawn from this
study on GIS system are as follows;
1) It has a capability for a fast data recall with relative
ease of use,
2) It minimizes wasteful duplication of effort in the
collection of geospatial information,
3) It can improve data currency, accuracy and consis-

M. Z. B. M. YUNUS ET AL.
219
tency of data maintained [7],
4) It promotes data sharing culture and enhances team
spirit,
5) Map data obtained is more secure and better organ-
ized [8].
5. Recommendations
It is recommended that this study be pursued particularly
in the development and analysis of road assets manage-
ment system. To improve the management of the road
maintenance, additional data such as black spot areas,
road side development and other features related to road
maintenance should be collected to assist in planning,
cost reduction and better decision making.
6. Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank the Dean of School of Professi-
onal and Continuing Education (UTMSPACE), and Dean
of the Faculty of Civil Engineering for their support of
this study.
7. References
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Manual On Traffic Control Devices, Public Work Depart-
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