ArcGIS Powers Public Works Success in 2025

It is time to turn the page to 2026, but before we do, here is a quick review of Public Works GIS for 2025.

This year we completed the first in-person Esri Public Works GIS Seminars, visiting six cities across the U.S. and meeting with almost 500 public works professionals. The theme was Next Generation Public Works is Powered by ArcGIS. Be on the lookout for more of these seminars in 2026.

Key Takeaways from 2025

ArcGIS is a mission-critical, enterprise IT business system that is scalable and supports the entire spectrum of Public Works.
ArcGIS is a gateway to integrate advanced technologies into your business.
The most sustainable way to expand your GIS is with ArcGIS Solutions.

ArcGIS Solutions is a collection of industry-specific configurations of ArcGIS that align with your business needs, transform your use of ArcGIS, and help you maximize the investment you are making in location-based data and technology.

The ArcGIS Solutions team’s mission is to build high-value solutions that reduce the time it takes you to deploy geo-enabled solutions in your organization. This is the fastest and most sustainable way to expand support for public works operations with GIS.

Of the 148 currently available solutions, 56 support public works.

Looking Ahead to 2026

There will be 16 new solutions and 18 solution updates. Here are the Top Five Public Works ArcGIS Solutions coming in 2026:

CCTV Program Management
Impervious Surface Data Management
Pavement Assessments
Water Distribution Valve Exercising & Inspections
Water Operations Tasks

For more detailed information on the future of ArcGIS Solutions, check out the current roadmap:

Events and Engagement

We attended many events in 2025, including:

APWA AI Summit
Esri Partner Conference
North Carolina GIS Conference
APWA North Carolina Leadership and Management Conference
Esri International User Conference
APWA Public Works Expo (PWX)
NRPA Conference
GPN GIS Pro Conference
Trimble Innovate Conference
Salem & Marion County, Oregon GIS Day

Look for us at various events in 2026, including Esri International User Conference, PWX, NRPA, and GIS Pro.

Industry Leadership

I served on the APWA Technology Committee, APWA North Carolina Connect Committee, and the GPN Board of Directors and Conference Committee. I was chosen to join the APWA Foundation Board of Trustees and look forward to working with this important group, and continuing my roles on the other groups mentioned above.

We authored a lot of content like blogs and articles on Esri channels, as well as APWA Reporter magazine, Parks & Recreation magazine, and GovLoop. We will continue to deliver thoughtful and valuable content next year in a variety of forms and channels to show that Next Generation Public Works is Powered by ArcGIS.

Thank You

Thanks to all the dedicated public works professionals out there providing and maintaining the infrastructure and services that are essential to our welfare and quality of life, and those who participated in the events, read our content, and deployed GIS-based public works solutions.

We look forward to 2026 and our further support for the public works community. Happy Holidays to all!

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Adam Carnow

Adam Carnow is the Public Works Industry Marketing Specialist at Esri, the global market leader in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). He is a keynote speaker and thought leader. He collaborates with his colleagues, Esri Partners, customers, and the public works community to lead the successful application of GIS across the public works disciplines. Mr. Carnow has over 30 years of experience as a GIS practitioner in the public and private sectors, as well as academia. During his 16-year career at Esri he has previously served as a Local Government Account Manager and a Community Evangelist. Prior to joining Esri, he practiced as a GIS consultant and planner in the AEC industry. He has taught undergraduate and graduate GIS courses at the University of South Florida. He holds a BA in Geography, and a MA in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Florida and has achieved certification as an Urban Planner (AICP) and GIS Professional (GISP). He is a member of the APWA Technology Committee and Industry Advisory Council. He is a member of the Geospatial Professional Network (fka URISA) Board of Directors and a graduate of, and instructor for, the URISA GIS Leadership Academy.