Skip to main content

City of Toronto to use traffic data to get Toronto moving

The City of Toronto is investing in the power of data to help understand how, where and when people travel and how the City can use this information to better assist the public in moving around Toronto. The city is creating a Big Data Innovation Team which will build on some of the current big data work of Transportation Services, including: developing a Big Travel Data strategy for Transportation Services to determine ways to make this type of information available; partnering with McMaster University
April 9, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
The City of Toronto is investing in the power of data to help understand how, where and when people travel and how the City can use this information to better assist the public in moving around Toronto.

The city is creating a Big Data Innovation Team which will build on some of the current big data work of Transportation Services, including: developing a Big Travel Data strategy for Transportation Services to determine ways to make this type of information available; partnering with McMaster University to analyse historical travel data on city expressways and streets; working with the TTC to closely analyse surface transit data to identify operational improvements to further improve streetcar service; and releasing a report from the Cycling Unit of Transportation Services evaluating cycling travel patterns based on data collected from its cycling tracking app, showing the impacts of Cycletracks.

Mayor John Tory says the availability of travel data has improved dramatically over the past few years and is at a point where the City can, and should, be using it to better understand travel patterns, evaluate the City’s investments and monitor performance. “With this information, we can get Toronto moving smarter," he said. "This will be a game changer and will establish Toronto as a leader in running a truly smart city."

Related Content

  • Tallinn maps urban bike use
    April 20, 2022
    Estonian capital's citizen data collection drive is part of European Bicification project
  • Amey: Mobility must focus on collaboration
    November 26, 2019
    Traditional modes of transport are being disrupted by new technologies and private sector businesses. Amey says that sustainability and the need to forge partnerships will be key going forward.
  • IBM Big Data helps Dublin improve transport operations
    May 17, 2013
    The city of Dublin is using IBM Big Data identify and solve the root causes of traffic congestion in its public transport network throughout the city, which means improved traffic flow and better mobility for commuters. Integrating data from a citywide network of sensors with geospatial data means that city officials are able to better monitor and manage traffic in real time. To keep the city moving, the council’s traffic control centre works together with local transport operators to manage an extensive ne
  • Cloud computing technology benefits GIS
    July 17, 2012
    Geographic Information Systems are a relatively late adopter of cloud computing,but the benefits of host services for geospatial data and analysis are becoming clear. Jason Barnes reports Both the concept and the reality of cloud computing have been around for some time. More and more industry sectors are entrusting external service providers with the provision of their computing services via the internet. However, the Geographic Information System (GIS) industry has been slow to embrace the trend. This is