CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS – State coordinate zone designs built in collaboration with the Texas Spatial Reference Center (TSRC) at the Conrad Blucher Institute for Surveying and Science (CBI) at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi have received approval from the National Geodetic Survey (NGS). The approved designs are part of a larger effort by NGS to transition from the current National Geodetic Reference System (NGRS) to the National Spatial Reference System (NSRS).

“This is great news for TSRC and Texas’ surveying community,” said Dr. Rick Smith, CBI Executive Director. “The approval of these designs underscores CBI’s commitment to collecting high quality geodetic data.”

As part of the NSRS rollout, each state has been given the opportunity to update their State Plane Coordinate System to a low distortion projection (LDP) and submit it for NGS approval. TSRC, along with the Texas Department of Transportation and other key stakeholders, has been working to build Texas’ new coordinate zones to aid in the transition and meet spatial control requirements.

“We’re excited to play a role in the NSRS transition,” said Randall Kircher, an RPLS in Texas and District Surveyor for the Corpus Christi District of the Texas Department of Transportation. “The new system leaves less room for error and eliminates the need for certain components often included in the meta data. This can make operations more cost-effective and efficient because it minimizes the need for adjustments or revisions and allows large projects to fit together more seamlessly.”

NGS will provide complete preliminary designs to all states for review before zone definitions are finalized later this year.

“We want legislators and the public to understand how funding these efforts can aid in the creation of accurate data and maps for infrastructure development,” added Smith. “With more accurate data in hand, we can build safer, stronger, more resilient communities.”