KS Engineers, P.C. (KSE) provided comprehensive GIS data collection, stormwater infrastructure inventory, visual inspection, geospatial mapping, data processing, and project management services for approximately 5,400 stormwater outfalls located along 250 miles of roadway on the New Jersey Turnpike and Garden State Parkway. KSE’s work supported the client’s compliance with New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection stormwater regulations issued in 2004, which required public agencies and highway authorities to map, document, and assess stormwater outfalls discharging from drainage systems into state waterways. The assignment required accurate field data collection, rigorous safety planning, coordinated scheduling, and efficient data management across a heavily traveled, high-speed highway network.
KSE deployed four field teams simultaneously to collect location data, physical attributes, condition information, and digital photographs for each outfall. Field personnel used Leica Geosystems GS20 Professional Data Mapper handheld GPS/GIS collectors equipped with external antennas and wireless real-time correction systems to improve positional accuracy. Because field locations varied widely across the Turnpike and Parkway systems, crews were strategically stationed near active work segments to reduce travel time, improve productivity, and maintain schedule efficiency. Each evening, field teams transferred collected data to KSE’s Newark office servers through a secure FTP site, allowing office personnel to review, process, and manage incoming information continuously.
In the office, KSE processed GIS and attribute data using Leica GIS DataPro software and developed mapping deliverables using ArcGIS tools. Digital photographs of each outfall were linked to corresponding shapefiles, creating a practical geospatial database that allowed maintenance personnel to identify outfall locations quickly and review physical characteristics before mobilizing to the field. KSE also prepared as-built maps with aerial imagery overlays, improving the client’s ability to locate and maintain drainage assets along busy highway corridors. Based on field experience using the Leica equipment, KSE recommended hardware improvements to the manufacturer, reflecting the firm’s practical knowledge of large-scale mobile GIS data collection in demanding transportation environments.
The completed inventory provided the client with a defensible regulatory compliance tool, reduced exposure to potential NJDEP penalties, and improved long-term maintenance efficiency and regulatory reporting accountability. The project was completed within the required schedule and under budget despite substantial logistical, safety, and operational challenges. In recognition of the project’s technical quality and innovation, KSE received the 2007 National Recognition Award from ACEC National, the 2007 Diamond Award for Engineering Excellence from ACEC New York, and the 2007 Honor Award for Engineering Excellence from ACEC New Jersey.
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