City Launches Interactive Mobile Maps

Staying on top of Johns Creek’s road conditions, finding that fancy dog park you keep hearing about, or checking out what schools your kids would go to before you buy a house just got easier thanks to the city’s new suite of interactive maps. 

The result of seven months collaboration between GIS (Geographic Information System) and Communications, the maps are a unique blend of visually appealing, easy-to-use, up-to-date information. 

“Unlike big name providers like Google,” says Nick O’Day, GIS manager, “our focus is only on Johns Creek. We can drill down to the most useful information for our citizens and visitors, while making use of Google driving directions through our toolbars.” 

One map that should prove useful to commuters is “Road Work.” Covering the city’s 1,369 streets, it highlights road projects or disruptive conditions at a given time and place. 

“If it has the potential to affect traffic flow in our city, it gets put on the map,” says O’Day, who developed both mobile and desktop versions of “Road Work.”

The information comes directly from public works staff or technicians doing road maintenance (i.e., sidewalk improvements, lane widening, signal outages).  During severe weather, road and bridge closures would also be noted.

“The updates get on the map quickly, as the flow of information comes from field technicians or city hall staff that know what upcoming work is scheduled to be done,” said O’Day.

Road Work is just one in a suite of new live maps using the city's most recent GIS data that do not require any special GIS software. Mobile and desktop versions of popular maps to city offices, community amenities, parks, recreation, sidewalks and trails, neighborhoods, schools, zip codes and post offices are also available.