Northwest Arkansas in 3D

Anyone looking for a location for a new business, planning to build a house, or wanting to take a virtual tour of northwest Arkansas can now log on to the free Google Earth Web site to view high-resolution, color images of Benton and Washington counties. Google Earth’s 3D technology provides an unparalleled way to see the area. Visitors to the Web site at http://www.cast.uark.edu/new_sources.htm must first download the free 3D map viewer to their desktop computers, and then they can automatically connect to the Google servers and view satellite imagery or aerial photography anywhere in the world. The aerial photography for northwest Arkansas, some of the highest resolution data in Google Earth’s database, was taken in 2004 as part of an innovative effort that brought together governments from around the region in a collaborative project to acquire the information at a low cost.
The Center for Advanced Spatial Technologies worked with the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission to coordinate the aerial project in conjunction with the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department and virtually every government entity in Benton and Washington counties.