{"id":773160,"date":"2026-05-11T10:50:36","date_gmt":"2026-05-11T17:50:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/?post_type=arcuser&#038;p=773160"},"modified":"2026-05-11T10:50:36","modified_gmt":"2026-05-11T17:50:36","slug":"keeping-utah-moving-with-a-solid-geospatial-foundation","status":"publish","type":"arcuser","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/arcuser\/keeping-utah-moving-with-a-solid-geospatial-foundation","title":{"rendered":"Keeping Utah Moving with a Solid Geospatial Foundation"},"author":6921,"featured_media":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"sync_status":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"","transcript_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","castos_file_data":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[25012],"tags":[170542,163382,491582,17202,493488],"arcuser_issues":[493467],"class_list":["post-773160","arcuser","type-arcuser","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-managers-corner","tag-arcgis-enterprise","tag-arcgis-online","tag-geospatial-excellence","tag-lidar","tag-udot","arcuser_issues-spring-2026"],"acf":{"short_description":"Explore the Utah Department of Transportation\u2019s holistic approach to the business of GIS.","pdf":{"host_remotely":false,"file":"","file_url":""},"flexible_content":[{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"In 2011, the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) began developing a comprehensive inventory of its roadway assets to address the serious transportation challenges presented by the landscape. With Utah\u2019s high mountain passes and deep valleys, the state\u2019s rapidly growing population is concentrated in a confined area. Winters bring heavy snow to major highways, while summer heat stresses infrastructure. Traveling along state roads, UDOT vehicles equipped with lidar and photogrammetry equipment captured everything from signs and barriers to rumble strips and striping.\r\n\r\nWhen UDOT\u2019s planning division sought a way to share this unprecedented collection of data across the organization, ArcGIS Online was the solution, enabling users to create maps and manage their own data. What started as a platform called\u00a0UPlan\u00a0for sharing roadway assets eventually became the foundation for an enterprise-wide geospatial program.\r\n\r\nWhat distinguishes UDOT\u2019s program is not any single technology deployment, but rather a deliberate, holistic approach to the business of GIS\u2014transforming scattered data and static maps into an integrated digital foundation that keeps people in Utah moving safely and efficiently through challenging terrain and often harsh weather conditions.\r\n\r\nMoreover, UDOT exemplifies the five components of Esri\u2019s Path to Geospatial Excellence framework: aligning business strategy with organizational goals,\u00a0establishing\u00a0robust governance frameworks, architecting flexible systems, driving broad engagement, and building organizational capacity through training and career development. This makes the department a textbook example for other agencies or organizations that aim to go down the same road.\r\n<h2>Business: Aligning Technology with Organizational Strategy<\/h2>"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":773162,"image_position":"left","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"Building a strong geospatial foundation requires alignment with organizational mission and vision. For UDOT, this meant\u00a0establishing\u00a0a geospatial strategy with specific business goals and\u00a0objectives\u00a0that ensured that GIS would support core departmental functions tied to the linear referencing system that anchors a wide variety of projects and more than 500,000 assets.\r\n\r\n\u201cBy having this live picture, we\u2019re better able to get people where they\u2019re going safely,\u201d said Corey Unger, GIS program manager at UDOT. The department\u2019s strategic direction emphasizes innovation and collaboration, with geospatial technology providing the spatial context needed to\u00a0optimize\u00a0processes and support data-driven decisions across planning, design, construction, and maintenance operations. This directly contributes to the organization\u2019s overall success.\r\n<h2>Governance:\u00a0Establishing\u00a0Frameworks for Quality and Trust<\/h2>\r\nEarly success with ArcGIS Online brought unexpected challenges as it freed users to create maps and manage their own data.\r\n\r\n\u201cIt started to become a victim of its own success,\u201d Unger explained. ArcGIS Online became so popular at UDOT that it evolved into what he described as a chaotic mess. \u201cIt became a dumping ground where we had copies and copies of data and a lot of it was old and out-of-date,\u201d he recalled.\r\n\r\nUDOT\u2019s response was to\u00a0establish\u00a0a formal approach to decision-making consisting of policies and procedures that enabled positive change. The UDOT Central GIS Group implemented robust governance frameworks with administrators across each system along with coordinators who could share content at certain levels, addressing leadership, authority, decision-making, and accountability. To ensure that public-facing content met quality standards, UDOT implemented a formal review process tied to department policy.\r\n\r\n\u201cAnything that\u2019s shared publicly needs to fit certain standards,\u201d Unger explained. Governance requirements now specify that content must meet metadata standards, have configured pop-ups, and follow proper theming guidelines before administrators approve it for public sharing. This has dramatically increased content quality and reinforced senior leadership\u2019s trust in the geospatial program through effective governance and holistic business alignment.\r\n<h2>Systems: Building a Flexible, Well-Positioned Architecture<\/h2>\r\nUDOT\u2019s GIS technology evolved from a single server to what Unger calls a \u201csystem of systems,\u201d which consists of four distinct ArcGIS Enterprise environments supported by ArcGIS Online as the central system of reference and presentation. This architecture reflects a systematic mindset\u2014multiple purpose-built ArcGIS Enterprise environments\u00a0operate\u00a0independently yet are integrated through ArcGIS Online to support scalability, resilience, and diverse business needs.\r\n\r\nThe four enterprise environments serve specific functions. The Linear Reference System environment, supporting about five users, manages routes and reference posts\u00a0that form the backbone of departmental data. The Business Support System serves central office functions including right-of-way management, server automation, and workflow management. The Digital Construction System handles everything from preconstruction planning through construction execution. The Project Support System serves UDOT\u2019s four regional offices, which manage day-to-day operations and projects with needs that are distinct from central office or construction groups.\r\n\r\n\u201cBy developing this architecture where we have these separate systems, we\u2019re able to cater them to support the specific needs of these programs and groups,\u201d Unger said. This flexible approach ensures a well-positioned system designed to meet diverse organizational needs.\r\n<h2>Engagement: Driving Adoption Across the Organization<\/h2>\r\nThe department gained adoption across all areas that could make the most of a geographic approach by clearly articulating benefits and highlighting ways GIS improves processes and decision-making in focused areas."},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":773163,"image_position":"right","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"\u201cWe look at GIS as providing not just a map but a solution,\u201d Unger said.\r\n\r\nThis engagement strategy led to innovative use cases across divisions. UDOT\u2019s legislative tracking solution, which\u00a0monitors\u00a0potential laws affecting transportation, is one example where GIS technology solved a problem with minimal spatial components. This streamlined processes for the entire department and boosted the GIS program\u2019s reputation for innovation.\r\n\r\n\u201cUDOT gives out innovation awards every year,\u201d Unger said. \u201cLast year, three out of four of those awards were for GIS-based solutions.\u201d This widespread adoption\u00a0demonstrates\u00a0truly successful\u00a0use of GIS across the organization.\r\n<h2>Capacity: Training Requirements and Career Development<\/h2>\r\nUDOT recognized early that technology alone\u00a0wouldn\u2019t\u00a0drive adoption; instead, people needed the skills and motivation to use GIS effectively. The department now requires training\u2014frequently\u00a0from Esri Academy\u2014before granting system access to staff, assessing their current\u00a0proficiency\u00a0levels and tailoring development opportunities to meet specific needs.\r\n\r\n\u201cWhen people request accounts to our systems, we require that they take certain training so that we know that they at least have this basic level of competency before they are allowed access,\u201d Unger explained.\r\n\r\nTraining varies by role, whether the user is a GIS analyst or a maintenance worker. For example, staff using the Mobile Worker user type must complete training modules for ArcGIS Field Maps, ArcGIS Survey123, and ArcGIS Online editing, while those with a Creator user type are\u00a0required\u00a0to take courses on ArcGIS Experience Builder, ArcGIS Dashboards, and other ArcGIS applications.\r\n\r\nBeyond\u00a0initial\u00a0training, UDOT also\u00a0established\u00a0a career ladder that provides GIS analysts with a clear path for advancement. This capacity-building approach helps UDOT retain trained staff,\u00a0maintaining\u00a0institutional knowledge and supporting quality standards. This enables teams to execute projects, better leverage technology, and make valuable contributions.\r\n<h2>Delivering Measurable Impact Through Geospatial Excellence<\/h2>\r\nIntegrating all five components of the Path to Geospatial Excellence has given UDOT a strategic edge and a proven framework that drives exceptional effectiveness and sustained success. Asset tracking is one example. The department can now assess the condition of road signs,\u00a0identify\u00a0those in poor condition,\u00a0determine\u00a0their locations, and estimate replacement costs.\r\n\r\nIn addition, a winter weather dashboard shows the benefits of integrated data analysis. By combining automated vehicle location data from\u00a0snowplows\u00a0with maintenance information and weather data, UDOT can estimate storm-related costs such as personnel time, salt usage, and equipment. This helps the department plan for future storms, Unger said."},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":773164,"image_position":"left","orientation":"vertical","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"UDOT\u2019s digital data delivery initiative continues expanding to more projects, driving the need for proactive infrastructure scaling. A planned migration to Linux will reduce costs and improve scalability, Unger said. Collaboration with Utah\u2019s Department of Technology Services and Esri Professional Services\u00a0remains\u00a0central to the strategy, with annual planning meetings that\u00a0establish\u00a0goals such as digital twins, cloud migrations, and infrastructure optimization.\r\n\r\n\u201cIt has taken a while to set it all up this way,\u201d Unger reflected, noting that the evolution from enthusiastic adoption to structured enterprise system required patience, strategic planning, and consistent focus on geospatial excellence.\r\n\r\nUDOT\u2019s experience\u00a0demonstrates\u00a0that building a strong geospatial foundation requires balancing all five components of the Path to Geospatial Excellence. Together, these elements create what Unger describes as sustained trust that \u201callows innovation to flourish at organizational speed,\u201d making UDOT a model for organizations\u00a0seeking\u00a0to maximize the impact of their GIS programs."}],"references":null},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.9 (Yoast SEO v25.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Keeping Utah Moving | Spring 2026 | ArcUser<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Explore the Utah Department of Transportation\u2019s holistic approach to the business of GIS.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/arcuser\/keeping-utah-moving-with-a-solid-geospatial-foundation\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta 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