The West Oakland Corridor Study for the Road Commission for Oakland County is an outgrowth of an innovative, cooperative effort begun in 1992 by communities in west Oakland County to evaluate potential solutions to improve area mobility. The primary focus is on the development of a north-south trunkline corridor between I-96 and M-59 through an area known for its natural beauty, abundant lakes and parks. GIS staff assisted in this project by producing a series of large format maps used for public meetings and overall analysis. The data used was from the Oakland County GIS Utility and private contractors displaying a number of different proposed corridors. The existing land use could be easily evaluated through the integration of aerial photography, right-of-ways and parcel boundaries.

HRC responsibilities included:

• Collect and analyze traffic data, crash data, school bus routes and walking plans.
• Evaluate public transit and non-motorized options.
• Determine if there are any rail/road conflicts.
• Public participation process, during community information meetings.
• Develop potential illustrative alternatives.
• Provide input and support for the Steering Committee meetings and the Community Resource Council.
• Create maps of alternatives by links and right-of-way available by corridor.