Initiatives

BostonMaps

Share, Create, Explore


BostonMaps is the City's new mapping platform for everyone.  It's a place where you can go to find authoritative city data, make maps and collaborate with your teams.  BostonMaps provides information and tools to support your work and help us all improve city operations. Visit BostonMaps to see how maps can help you do things like:

 

SAM (Street and Address Management)

The GIS team developed SAM, the Street and Address Management system, as a master repository for all addresses in the city. SAM has 356,000 addresses in its system. SAM also includes a set of tools to manage the address data so it is continuously maintained. Previously departments used different address databases, which caused duplication and confusion. SAM enables all departments to use a common language when referring to an address. SAM is now integrated with the city's enterprise permitting system, the enterprise asset management system and constituent services.

 

GIS Basemap Development

The GIS team has taken final delivery of a new set of basemap data layers based on Spring 2011 aerial  digital photography.  One hundred square miles was flown to gather the imagery.  Planimetric or basemap features collected include street and sidewalk centerlines, building footprints, street furniture, vegetation and open space, and hydrography.  Over 125 separate data layers have been collected.  A GIS data project of this size has not been done since 1995 and the City has seen much change over the past 16 years.  This data will be used to fuel many of the data requirements necessary for both our CAD (Computer Aided Dispatch) and Asset Management.  All of this data is available to the public.    
 

Enterprise Asset Management (EAM)

EAM delivers a comprehensive view of all asset types across the enterprise. This holistic perspective will allow us to see all of our assets, as well as identify all of the untapped potential within them. The City will gain the knowledge and control needed to closely align its organization's goals with the overall goals of its business. To help maximize return on assets, EAM will enable us to develop comprehensive programs for preventive, predictive, routine and unplanned maintenance.

The City hopes to realize the following advantages from deployment of EAM:

  • Improve return on assets
  • Decrease costs and risk
  • Increase productivity
  • Improve asset-related decision making
  • Increase asset service delivery responsiveness and revenue
  • Facilitate regulatory compliance efforts
  • Lower total cost of ownership


The initial phase was the implementation of EAM in the Boston Fire Department and the Street Lighting Division of the PublicWorks Department(PWD). An interface to CRM has also been included to leverage the existing capacity of Lagan for receiving external service requests for street light related issues.  The next phases of implementation will be with Boston Public Schools , the Boston Center for Youth and Families and Property Management.

 

Video & Multimedia

  • City Officials Impress with Maps at 2011 ESRI Conference

    At the 2011 ESRI International User Conference, representatives from the City of Boston demonstrated the City's use of GIS applications to attendees, highlighting how the applications are being used to engage citizens and improve the City's efficiency and effectiveness.

    Watch The Boston Way with GIS

    Watch GIS Engaging Citizens

    Watch GIS Strategy

Awards

  • Storytelling with Maps Award 2015

    Esri Grand Prize winner, for Boston Snow Journal

    More information

  • Technology Solutions Award 2014

    Public Technology Institute, GIS category for BostonMaps

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  • Significant Achievement Award 2011

    Public Technology Institute for SAM, Street and Address Management

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  • Technology Solutions Award 2010

    Public Technology Institute, GIS category for the GIS Data Hub

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  • Special Achievement Award 2009

    Esri for significant achievement in GIS

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