IBM put some of their expert engineers on loan for three weeks to the city of Boston to analyze current traffic data feeds (yes, this includes Twitter), resulting in new tools to help curb congestion.
We may soon have access to a new kind of traffic app on our mobile devices that will provide more innovative real-time traffic data, writes Barb Darrow. Recently, the city of Boston won the "Smart Cities Challenge", a competition which awards its winners with $50 million worth in technological services to offer new solutions to manage growth and efficiency.
IBM staff submitted their findings to Boston City Hall, and presented the idea of creating a new app that would utilize various sources of traffic data to assist commuters in making more informed travel decisions from moment to moment. "There are literally millions of data points per second - from GPS and cellphone technology - that can be analyzed and made intelligent," Steve Wysmuller, an IBM Global Services exec, told the Globe.
Ranking tenth on IBM's list of the "most-car-choked U.S. cities," Boston is a clear candidate for improved traffic management services. This new app, which is slated for review and testing in the near future, could be a highly effective tool for planners to lead the way to more efficient traffic calming.
FULL STORY: Can IBM eggheads slay Boston’s traffic woes?
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Analysis: Cybertruck Fatality Rate Far Exceeds That of Ford Pinto
The Tesla Cybertruck was recalled seven times last year.
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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
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Planetizen
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Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service