Work
U.S. Department of Transportation - Permitting Dashboard
Overview
Led an 11-month engagement (May 2019 - March 2020) as Senior Consultant and Lead Backend Developer, modernizing the Office of the Secretary (OST) permitting dashboard. The project combined platform migration, GIS visualization, and complex multi-API orchestration to create an interactive view of 500+ infrastructure projects across the United States.
The Challenge
DOT needed to modernize their permitting dashboard to:
- Migrate from legacy platform - Drupal 7 codebase needed upgrade to Drupal 8
- Visualize project data geographically - 500+ infrastructure projects needed map-based interface
- Integrate multiple data sources - Project data lived in multiple external systems (Socrata, ARCGIS, internal)
- Support multiple DOT websites - Site building across various DOT properties
The existing system couldn't provide the geographic visualization stakeholders needed to understand infrastructure investment patterns across the country.
Blacksky's Approach
Drupal 7 to Drupal 8 Migration
- Code modernization upgrading custom modules to Drupal 8 patterns
- Content migration moving existing permit and project data
- Theme conversion to Drupal 8 theming system
- Implemented proper config export/import workflow
ARCGIS Integration
- Interactive maps displaying 500+ infrastructure projects geographically
- Project clustering for readability at different zoom levels
- Toggleable layers for different project types
- Click-through details linking markers to full project information
- Geographic filtering by state, region, or custom boundaries
Multi-API Orchestration Built integration layer connecting multiple external data sources:
- Socrata - Open data platform (JSON)
- ARCGIS - Geographic services (GeoJSON, WMS)
- Internal Systems - Permit data (CSV, JSON)
Orchestration challenges solved:
- Data normalization from different sources into unified schema
- Caching strategy reducing API calls while maintaining freshness
- Graceful degradation when upstream APIs fail
- Rate limiting respecting API quotas across all sources
Key Accomplishments
- Platform migration - Drupal 7 to Drupal 8 with custom modules
- 500+ infrastructure projects visualized on interactive ARCGIS maps
- 3+ external APIs orchestrated into unified data layer
- Multiple data formats normalized (JSON, GeoJSON, WMS, CSV)
- Multiple DOT websites built and maintained
- Geographic insights - transformed tabular data into interactive maps
Technologies
| Component | Technology | |-----------|------------| | CMS | Drupal 7 → Drupal 8 | | Language | PHP, JavaScript | | GIS | ARCGIS | | Data Formats | JSON, GeoJSON, WMS, CSV | | External APIs | Socrata, ARCGIS Services | | Hosting | Acquia Cloud |
Why This Project Matters
This project demonstrates Blacksky's ability to:
- Execute platform migrations - Drupal 7 to Drupal 8 with custom modules
- Integrate GIS visualization - ARCGIS maps with 500+ data points
- Orchestrate multiple APIs - Socrata, ARCGIS, internal systems unified
- Handle diverse data formats - JSON, GeoJSON, WMS, CSV normalized
- Build for federal scale - DOT-level security and performance requirements
- Deliver geographic insights - Transform tabular data into interactive maps
Client: U.S. Department of Transportation (Office of the Secretary) Industry: Federal Government / Transportation Role: Senior Consultant / Lead Backend Developer Timeline: May 2019 - March 2020 (11 months) Status: Completed