One of the things Liveable City is most proud to present Map My City. The Map My City services allows anyone the ability to contribute to a growing data set of information on a host of traffic and transport related items affecting the ‘liveability’ of our cities.
At the outset, Map My City showcases important data such as:
- Number of pedestrian, cycling, and motor vehicle related traffic incidents
- Location and information on poorly designed / unsafe road infrastructure affecting all road users.
- Highlight ongoing infrastructure development projects, with a view to monitoring impact on mobility and safety.
- Showcase key landmarks such as schools and hospital to put road design and traffic management initiatives into perspective
- Show results of traffic surveys of including numbers of vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists on major mobility routes within the city.
Traffic Incidents
Map My City will capture and map data relating to traffic incidents, especially those relating to pedestrians and cyclists. Incidents involving cyclists and pedestrians are severely under-reported. Very often, when cyclists are knocked down, or a crash occurs due to a pot-hole, or a pedestrian is mugged, these incidents are not reported. Map My City will focus on making sure these events are recorded. By allowing members of the public to log such events, we will not only gain a better picture of where problems are occurring the most, but what types of incidents are happening, what the contributing factors are, and generally gain much deeper insight into traffic incidents affecting vulnerable road users than ever before. Armed with this information, compelling arguments can be made to local municipalities and other stakeholders in infrastructure design to ensure that things improve.
Identify Poorly Designed Infrastructure
Very often the reasons for traffic incidents are not bad or drunk driving, but the design of our roadways themselves. Efficient infrastructure design improves safety, accessibility, and efficiency of travel for all road users. Pot holes in our streets cause cars to swerve putting other motorists and pedestrians at risk. Damaged or non-existents sidewalks mean pedestrians are forced into busy streets. A lack of adequate cycling infrastructure results in conflict between cyclists and motorists. Even aspects such as a lack of street lighting can be included, as poor lighting is directly linked to elevated occurrences of muggings and other petty crimes.
Map My City will allow for members of the public to identify poorly designed or dangerous infrastructure. Through a concerted effort to identify poorly designed infrastructure we can improve accessibility and safety for all road users, and hopefully prevent fatal traffic incidents before they take place.
Highlight Key Infrastructure Projects
Map My City will allow for the monitoring of new transport infrastructure projects, and renovation projects. By collecting sufficient data on road traffic incidents, and user perceptions of safety and accessibility, Liveable City can determine if infrastructure projects are having the desired effects on urban mobility and general quality of life. Most often only road traffic is taken into consideration when designing road infrastructure, and when monitoring its impact. Map My City will ensure that a complete picture of the impact of new road projects are recorded.
Showcase Key Landmarks
Designing efficient transport systems is not all about reducing the travel time for motorists. Ensuring the safety of pedestrians and cyclists, and providing accessible infrastructure for the most vulnerable road users is critical to building a liveable city. Nowhere is this more evident than around schools, hospitals, places of worship etc. Effective road designs don’t just account for pedestrians by providing crossing points or speed-bumps, but take a holistic approach to infrastructure design. This includes the width of the roadway, designing with the goal of reduced speed, improving visibility, providing accessible parking, and ensuing accessibility for the elderly and disabled.
Map My City will aim to draw attention to these important hotspots for pedestrian traffic, making it clear just how many points there are in our cities where road design should be carefully considered, and where road infrastructure upgrade projects are required.
Traffic Survey
Liveable City will be active in collecting data on the pedestrian and cycling traffic in our cities especially in high risk areas. Map My City will display this data for anyone to see. As traditionally only motor traffic data is considered, this data will allow for municipalities to have a more holistic view when designing road traffic infrastructure. This will ensure that all road users are considered when designing and upgrading transport infrastructure and public spaces. Furthermore, Liveable City’s traffic surveys will monitor the impact of changes in our built environment to assess the success of new infrastructure projects.
Key to the success of the Map My City initiative is input from the general public. By working together we can gather data at an incredible rate and quickly identify problems. The goal of Liveable City is to use this information as a powerful communication tool to lobby for key role-players in urban-design and transport infrastructure to design, upgrade, and construct better infrastructure to make our city a safer and more enjoyable place to live.
Map My City is in live beta right now! Go to map.liveablecity.co.za
For more information on Map My City or other initiatives of Liveable City, please visit our website at www.liveablecity.co.za