Australia recently presented the results of it’s infrastructure priority list. Rail investment rated high on that list, reports The Age. The ‘Strategic Infrastructure Plan for South Australia‘ for the southern part of the country was first presented in 2005. That plan was a success with over 80% of the projects completed or underway. Many of these projects from road-to-waterways included geospatial technologies for planning, construction and operation. 

China’s 11th 5-year Plan, initiated in 2008 also included several infrastructure investments. Totalling $730 billion over 5 years, that plan included rail, utility, roads and other infrastructure additions. 

The Singapore Land Authority has been clear on the topic of geospatial development running in parallel to infrastructure development – and the results have been excellent. That government reports that, “The Singapore Land Authority (SLA) has developed a Survey and Mapping Infrastructure Strategy Map for Singapore after conducting its first public e-consultation on the five-year master plan (2007 – 2011). This master plan covers the integrated survey network, differential GPS positioning network (also known as SiReNT ), a precise levelling benchmark network and the Geoid Model. It also sets the directions and priorities for both the private and public sectors in their geospatial initiatives and activities.”

Without doubt this has to be one of the world’s leadership efforts in terms of putting geospatial technology into public benefits. if other countries follow a similar approach, linking high technology to infrastructure development, it will most likely achieve more than efficiency – it will set the course for future projects all over the world.