Smart City Leap: Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality’s GIS Transformation

Balıkesir is one of the largest provinces in Türkiye, covering an area of 14,315 square kilometers. Managing a city over such a vast geography is highly complex, increasing the need for locational understanding with technologies like geographic information system (GIS) software. The production and management of geographic data not only facilitates efficient city management but also enables the planning of public services within a sustainable framework based on scientific principles. GIS, with its holistic approach to solving complex and multifaceted issues, allows city management to become more proactive and effective.

The earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş in 2023 painfully demonstrated the extent to which cities can be affected by disasters. This experience highlighted the importance of geographic data management in disaster and emergency scenarios. However, the lack of human resources with an adequate understanding of GIS led to shortcomings in the production and management of geographic data.

Changing long-standing habits has always been a challenge for humanity, and the situation is no different in municipalities. GIS, the cornerstone of digital transformation in municipalities, requires the consolidation and management of all necessary data in a centralized manner. With the potential for disasters and emergency situations in mind, Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality officials sought a solution to standardize the management and storage of geographic data, which is crucial to their operations.

In April 2023, Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality officials started implementing GIS solutions. They created a road map that aligns with the responsibilities and duties of the municipality regarding GIS technology. The difficulties experienced with the old system were thoroughly analyzed, and a consensus was reached to transition to a new method. In this context, Türkiye’s first-ever geographic data regulation was prepared in compliance with national legislation and data standards. It was approved and enacted by the Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality Council on October 24, 2023. The regulation aims to effectively, economically, and efficiently manage geographic information within Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality. It ensures that spatial-based decisions are made accurately by defining the standards, duties, and responsibilities of municipal units.

To mine data across 26 municipal departments, unit-based applications were created using the ArcGIS Enterprise infrastructure, grounded in GIS regulations. This enabled the generation of data in areas where geographic data could not previously be produced using GIS technology. Dispersed and complex data within the institution were standardized and transferred to ArcGIS Server, centralizing spatial data within a unified database.

These efforts accelerated further, especially in preparation for disaster response efforts. For example, initial GIS efforts focused on the needs of the Fire Department and Disaster Coordination Center (BAKOM) based on past disaster incidents. Data from Excel and various mapping and reporting software was transformed into spatial data, resulting in the creation of records for over 30,000 fire incidents, more than 20,000 events, and around 5,000 floods. The work was completed using the ArcGIS Enterprise infrastructure, developing custom applications for each department and situation. One of the most significant achievements was integrating real-time fire data into the municipal system via a web application.

Subsequent efforts included integrating zoning data into ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Enterprise structures. Municipal employees also developed custom applications for specific topics and statuses. For earthquake analysis, they compiled and developed a custom database. It includes approximately 10,000 seismic data points, VS30 data (the average seismic shear-wave velocity from the surface to a depth of 30 meters), and raster datasets, resulting in a generalized database.

License data from before 2007, obtained from 20 district municipalities, was spatially matched by municipal staff using ArcGIS Pro and MAKS [the Spatial Address Registration System Project] integration. These processes are monitored through developed dashboards.

Registered buildings, natural sites, protected areas, and other cultural heritage assets across the province were previously stored on various platforms and in file archives. These assets have now been digitally documented using ArcGIS Enterprise within the TAMBİS application, accessible via web, mobile, and desktop applications. This digital documentation ensures the protection of these assets against potential disasters.

In addition to the existing applications, new public applications were developed for web and mobile platforms to aid in emergency situations. These applications include a needs map application, a quick building screening tool, and a building status reporting system.

Transportation data, which was previously maintained without standards on various platforms, has been consolidated into a centralized transportation database. Municipal staff, in collaboration with the transportation department, developed several web and mobile applications. This included the Transportation Data Production application, Public Transportation Route application, Junction Information System, Transportation Structure application, Bus Stop Maintenance application, and Road Inspection application. These applications are now operational. Additionally, a dashboard has been implemented to track the maintenance and monitoring processes for all bus stops across the province.

The GIS-based transportation systems integrated within the ArcGIS Enterprise infrastructure help optimize sustainable, smart transportation systems by using live data for spatial analysis and SUMO (Simulation of Urban Mobility) Türkiye software for junction simulation models. Data collected from the field through the Junction Information System is modeled using SUMO Türkiye.

For the first time in Türkiye, a local government has prepared a geographic data regulation and implemented it after municipal council approval. All Balıkesir Metropolitan municipal departments have adopted this regulation, achieving the desired levels of geographic data production and management through the power of GIS.

The infrastructure has been developed to ensure seamless integration with all web and mobile applications used in GIS systems across the country. This creates a sustainable framework that facilitates continuous updates and thematic training. More than 500 personnel have received GIS awareness training, and around 100 technical personnel have been provided with ongoing training as part of the projects. Over 30 applications have been developed within a year, and application work targeting all departments within the ArcGIS Enterprise infrastructure is planned.

Looking forward, Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality is focused on utilizing the full capabilities of GIS to streamline the business processes of the district municipalities and enhance the quality of life for all residents of Balıkesir. The goal is to integrate the most critical components for digital transformation and become a smart city. This effort has made it possible for municipal officials to make the most logical decisions based on scientific and data-driven analysis.