A van outfitted with cameras, lasers and other high-tech gear is driving throughout Nanaimo over the next week surveying area roads. (City of Nanaimo)

By Alex Rawnsley

a closer look

High-tech, laser-outfitted van surveying Nanaimo road conditions

Nov 18, 2022 | 4:24 PM

NANAIMO — It looks like something out of a sci-fi movie, but one vehicle making its way through the city is instead collecting valuable information.

The van, operated by a contracted company called Stantec, uses lasers, cameras and high accuracy GPS devices to help monitor the condition of Nanaimo’s roadways.

City manager of roads and traffic services David Thompson said it’s a process they undertake every three to five years.

“It allows us to calibrate our asset management plans for our road network to make sure we’re applying our maintenance and replacement plans in the best way possible.”

The van arrived earlier in November and is due to remain on city streets for roughly another week, weather dependant, Thompson said.

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When its time in Nanaimo is complete, it will have driven the City’s approximately 560 kilometres worth of streets.

Thompson said the process of driving and using high-tech instruments to survey roads is significantly more efficient and cheaper than in-person surveys.

“It allows us to automate the data collection process for those assessments. We’ve got a lot of roadways to cover so having an individual go out and visually assess and take measurements would be rather labour intensive.”

Information collected then guides asset management plans and helps determine what roads need replacing when.

It also lets various City departments team up on projects, replacing underground infrastructure and resurfacing aging roads at the same time.

“[The survey] gives us a really good view of the overall conditions of Nanaimo’s road network, which I will say is pretty good,” Thompson added. “We have challenges here and there but it really guides our capital planning decisions.”

Stantec provides similar services for a variety of municipalities on Vancouver Island and across North America.

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