Toronto using new travel-time system to manage its traffic

The City of Toronto us now using real-time and historical traffic data to support traffic management and address congestion on the city’s roads.

The real-time data provides the City with “24/7” information on travel times and traffic conditions across all of Toronto’s major roads seven days a week without requiring the deployment of extensive traffic sensors, according to the City.

City is using Big Data to help fight congestion. We’ll use data to measure traffic, evaluate congestion & respond quickly to incidents. pic.twitter.com/G1MSaxd4tN

— John Tory (@JohnTory) May 11, 2017

“The addition of this data will help us better understand how traffic congestion is affecting our streets, better evaluate the impact of congestion management initiatives and better monitor the performance of our transportation system,” said Mayor John Tory in a press release. “This is exactly the kind of technology support we need to help make traffic flow more effectively.”

The City says that information collected will be used to support traffic management activities at the Traffic Operations Centre, providing key real-time information about all of Toronto’s major streets.

“By better using the travel data information available, we can take positive steps toward improving travel for all road users – whether they travel by transit, bike or car,” said Councillor Jaye Robinson (Ward 25 Don Valley West), Chair of the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee.

A traffic-services company called Here, which works with mapping and big data analytics, has contracted to provide the data to the City.

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