Enabling fast data capture without disrupting traffic

PROJECT: Providing detailed topographical surveys of 119 sites on behalf of Highways England Area 3
CUSTOMER: Sun Hill Surveying & Engineering Ltd
SOLUTION: Leica Pegasus:Two, Leica MapFactory
OBJECTIVE: 119 sites were surveyed in only 12 days, ahead of the final deadline, allowing traffic flow as usual. The network was not disrupted and no traffic management was required.

Area 3 is Highways England’s second largest network carrying around 10 per cent of the country’s overall traffic flows. It includes the M27, M3, M4, A3, A303 and the Hindhead Tunnel. The network provides the main link routes between several major towns and cities including Oxford, London, Reading and Swindon in the north, and Bournemouth, Southampton and Portsmouth in the south.

In 2015 Sun Hill Surveying and Engineering was approached and commissioned by Kier to survey 119 sites on behalf of Highways England Area 3. The large-scale project required detailed topographical surveys of the carriageway and verges, each survey measuring 600 metres long for the design and future replacement and installation of road signage for clearer visibility across the gradients on the road.

Leica Pegasus:Two and the mobile mapping process have revolutionised the world of surveying. Using the mobile mapping process and Leica Geosystems’ technology provided huge benefits to the Area 3 Highways England project. Access to all sites was left clear with no road closures required as the Pegasus:Two acts in the same way as any other public vehicle when collecting the 3D geospatial data.

In total, the surveyors travelled more than 6,000 kilometres in only 12 days using the Pegasus:Two to collect millions of points per second.