Topographic and Satellite Information for Preliminary Route Location

Topographic information from maps and geographical information systems (GIS) has been combined with satellite data (SPOT Panchromatic, SPOT Multispectral and Landsat Thematic Mapper) to derive a product that may be valuable in preliminary route location studies. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the classification accuracy of this combined product, to compare levels of ground detail obtainable from different types of satellite imagery against aerial photography, and to present an example application on the use of the combined product.
The classification accuracy of the combined product was dependent on the type of land cover and was 83 to 100 per cent successful, with accuracy exceeding 95 per cent for most land cover types. The overall accuracy of the product was almost 95 per cent, with accuracy based on KHAT statistics of 92 per cent. Varying levels of ground detail were attainable from different types of satellite imagery. This detail may be adequate for preliminary route selection, especially in the absence of aerial photographs and GIS. The combined product presented in this study was applied successfully in selecting the optimal route for the Greater Amman ring road.