City of Toronto studying new technologies to reduce gridlock

Mayor John Tory wants to modernize the way the City of Toronto collects traffic data.

Right now, the city has government workers going out and manually counting traffic flow at intersections. Tory says he wants to harness the power of big data to help bring the process into the 21st century.

“We can’t afford to have a city that is way behind on these sorts of things,” he told media at an event at Ryerson university Tuesday morning.

“We are going to take the brain power that exists in the city and lead from the front. Unlocking this information and unlocking it through applications and the smart companies that exist in this city will make a big difference in fighting gridlock.”

One avenue the city is exploring is using GPS based apps to collect accurate, real time information to optimize traffic flow. Cities such as Amsterdam and Barcelona have seen ten percent reductions in volume thanks to the technology.

"Learning about how we can better use travel data – by all modes – is a huge step forward," Councillor and Chair of Public Works Jaye Robinson said in a press release.

"We need to be investing in projects that tap into the power of big data. This type of work will serve as a foundation for improving commutes for all Torontonians, whether you travel by transit, bike or car."

Toronto Transportation services will be partnering with several organizations on the project including McMaster University and the TTC.

Tory says he expects the cost of the new initiative will remain on par with current methods.

"Probably it will cost no more than having people stand on streets with clipboards and clickers and putting sensors in the ground that get worn out over time and are frankly utterly useless."

Source: CP24, City of Toronto
Image by Floydian, via Wikipdia under CC license