(Norcross, Ga., 28 August 2007) Leica Geosystems announced today that it is supplying a Global Positioning System (GPS) system to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) for monitoring the Mercer Slough bridge interchange.  The system will be used for proactive monitoring of this key infrastructure outside of the Seattle metropolitan area. 

"The automated Leica GPS monitoring system provides a cost-effective method for WSDOT to maintain public safety and develop effective bridge repair plans" said George Comstock, Regional Bridge Inspection Engineer.  "This continuous monitoring system provides highly accurate and timely information that significantly contributes to meeting our mission".

Mercer Slough interchange consists of several bridges dating from the 1940s through the 1990s that carry the I-90 mainline and ramps in Bellevue, Washington.  These structures were built over the Mercer Slough, a broad, flat, peat-filled wetland.  Over the past four decades, ongoing lateral movement of the 60-ft-thick peat deposit has resulted in damaging deflections to the pile supported structures and a major waterline that runs parallel to I-90.  In order to develop a permanent, long-term repair to the existing bridges, and to aid in the design of new structures, WSDOT determined that accurate, quantitative data were needed.

Leica Geosystems' monitoring system provides this valuable data, and consists of field-proven technology that delivers millimeter level motion detection.  "We are extremely pleased to be providing this advanced bridge monitoring technology to WSDOT", stated Gerard Manley, vice president of engineered solutions for Leica Geosystems. "Our system offers the marketplace an attractive and efficient solution for real-time bridge monitoring".

The technology deployed precisely measures superstructure deflections in real-time, and provides automated alarms when movement exceeds pre-determined thresholds.  The GPS monitoring system, combined with the close working relationship between WSDOT and Leica Geosystems, illustrates the importance of collecting accurate quantitative data to aid in transportation infrastructure management decisions.

About Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT)
The Washington State Department of Transportation's mission is to keep people and business moving by operating and improving Washington's transportation systems.  More information on WSDOT can be found at www.wsdot.wa.gov.

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Those who use Leica products every day trust them for their dependability, the value they deliver, and the superior customer support. Based in Heerbrugg, Switzerland, Leica Geosystems is a global company with tens of thousands of customers supported by more than 2,400 employees in 22 countries and hundreds of partners located in more than 120 countries around the world. Leica Geosystems is part of the Hexagon Group, Sweden.