Current Research Projects

The Center for Geospatial Information Technology (CGIT) at Virginia Tech develops secure, data-driven systems that transform complex information into operational insight. From broadband mapping and transportation safety to environmental analytics and education, CGIT’s partnerships with state and federal agencies strengthen data integrity, infrastructure resilience, and informed decision-making across the Commonwealth and beyond.

Department of Motor Vehicles & Virginia State Police

DMV Vehicle Crash Geolocation Project

In collaboration with the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Highway Safety Office, CGIT developed the DMV Vehicle Crash Geolocation Project to improve the spatial accuracy of police-reported vehicle crashes across Virginia. Each crash is precisely geolocated and validated using authoritative datasets from the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and the Virginia Geographic Information Network (VGIN). These enhanced records feed directly into Virginia’s Traffic Records Electronic Data System (TREDS) and Crash Analysis Dashboard, enabling state and local agencies to identify high-risk corridors, target infrastructure investments, and make data-driven roadway safety decisions.

Virginia State Police Crash Analysis Dashboard

Developed in partnership with the Virginia Department of State Police (VSP), the Crash Analysis Dashboard provides a secure, interactive platform for analyzing crash data across the Commonwealth. Designed and implemented by CGIT, the tool visualizes trends and patterns in roadway incidents—helping law enforcement, transportation planners, and policymakers evaluate safety initiatives and deploy targeted interventions. The dashboard exemplifies CGIT’s ability to transform complex, statewide datasets into intuitive, actionable decision-support systems that strengthen public safety and data transparency.

Improving Virginians' Lives

Commonwealth Connection (Virginia Broadband Availability Map)

Commonwealth Connection is a partnership between the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) and Virginia Tech’s CGIT to deliver the Commonwealth’s most accurate and transparent broadband availability map. Created in response to 2021 General Assembly legislation, the platform collects and visualizes broadband coverage data from Internet Service Providers statewide. CGIT continues to collaborate with DHCD and ISPs to maintain and enhance the platform.
UPDATE (October 2025): Commonwealth Connection 2.0 is in development, introducing new mapping tools, advanced data validation workflows, and expanded accessibility to support Virginia’s broadband planning and digital equity initiatives.

Rural Virginia Opportunity Dashboard

Developed in partnership with the Virginia Rural Center, the Rural Virginia Opportunity Dashboard empowers rural communities with accessible, data-driven insights across sectors including education, housing, broadband, and workforce development. Designed and built by CGIT, the dashboard integrates public datasets into a unified mapping platform that helps local leaders and policymakers identify regional strengths, challenges, and opportunities—advancing data-informed community and economic development across the Commonwealth.

4-H & Virginia Cooperative Extension

4-H Virtual Forest (4HVF)

The 4-H Virtual Forest (4HVF) revitalization project restores a beloved Virginia Cooperative Extension educational tool for modern use. Led by CGIT, this effort updates seven interactive forest-management modules—originally developed in Adobe Flash—into a new, accessible HTML5/JavaScript platform that aligns with current Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL). Through interactive lessons in ecology, forestry, and sustainability, 4HVF continues its mission to inspire young learners to explore the natural world through science and technology.

SHARP Logger

In collaboration with Virginia Cooperative Extension, CGIT is modernizing the SHARP Logger Program website and database to create a mobile-friendly, fully integrated learning management system for Virginia’s sustainable forestry workforce. The new system streamlines registration, online training, and certification tracking while automating credit and renewal processes. Built within Virginia Tech’s Ensemble CMS using an open-source Django framework, the SHARP platform enhances accessibility, simplifies administration, and ensures Virginia’s loggers can easily maintain credentials that support safe and environmentally responsible forestry practices.

See Our Previous Projects →