Aerial Cartographics of America providing high-resolution mapping for Florida rail projects

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ORLANDO, FLA. — Aerial Cartographics of America (ACA) has been selected to provide high-resolution mapping services for two of the largest high-speed rail projects currently underway in the United States as well as a major light rail project. All three rail projects are located in Central Florida.

ACA has already begun acquiring high-resolution aerial imagery producing design-grade digital terrain models and orthorectified maps for two of the major rail corridors. One of the high-speed rail projects covers 85 miles from Orlando to Tampa, while the other will span 230 miles between Orlando and Miami. The light rail, known as SunRail, will serve as a commuter line extending 61 miles from Deland to Poinciana Industrial Park and will eventually connect to the Central Florida high-speed rail.

ACA was contracted by HNTB and PB World to provide 3D mapping products to support the planning and design phases for the two high-speed rail projects. One corridor will connect the Orlando and Tampa International Airports, and the second will link Orlando and the Miami Intermodal Center near the Miami International Airport. These advanced rail networks could have speeds exceeding 200 miles per hour.

For the Orlando-Tampa corridor, mapping products are being created from fixed wing and low-altitude mapping helicopter imagery incorporating ground surveys. This will produce the 3D digital terrain model with vertical accuracies better than +/- 0.5 inch. To map the Orlando-to-Miami stretch, fixed wing orthorectified imagery will be used to determine the preliminary alignment and environmental assessment for the 230-mile corridor covering major interstates and turnpikes.

ACA, contracted by AECOM, is also acquiring fixed wing imagery for the 200-foot-wide corridor and cross road intersections for the SunRail light-rail project. This commuter rail has three intermodal centers in the Orlando area and uses existing CSXT freight rails. SunRail trains will travel at speeds of 79 mph and will eventually connect commuters north of Orlando to the Florida high-speed rail. Ten station sites will also be mapped. Merging the ground survey, ACA developed new 3D digital terrain models with 1-foot contours and 3D breaklines. Planimetric maps were created showing all rights-of-way assets, intersection details, and tree locations within a +/- 6 inch accuracy.