Improving Urban Mobility Using Big Data Analytics

Project Summary:

Traffic congestion plagues many East Asian Pacific cities, degrading the environment and quality of life and limiting economic opportunities for the urban poor, who are more reliant on public transportation. In many developing countries, traffic management agencies do not have the necessary tools to mitigate that congestion. This green growth implementation program will help them use crowd-sourced, web-based data from a mobile taxi application to generate real-time traffic flow information and support more efficient traffic monitoring and planning. The expected result—more effective fixed and adaptive traffic signal timing and lower cost traffic management—has the potential to boost economic growth while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. After initial trials in Cebu City in the Philippines, similar data analysis would be applied to Manila and, pending budget availability, Jakarta and Ho Chi Minh City.

List of Activities:

• Upkeep of existing proof-of-concept (POC) system
• Establish centralized ingest pipeline and system architecture
• Development and testing of web service API
• Diversity and review of iterations
• Development of processing pipeline using map-matching algorithm
• Implement additional traffic statistics
• Revision of Open Traffic front-end graphical user interface
• Traffic-influenced routing in Valhalla routing engine
• Data privacy review and release of public data sets
• Document and improve ingest process for data contributors

Outcomes:

Output 1:

• Literature review report

Output 2:

• Algorithm development and field testing on travel time
• Pilot expansion on travel time

Output 3:

• Algorithm development and field testing on GHG emissions
• Pilot expansion on GHG emissions

Output 4:

• Algorithm development and field testing on fuel consumption
• Pilot expansion on fuel consumption

Outcomes:

The project team aims to quantifiably reduce travel times, vehicle emissions, and increase fuel efficiency. The project team proposed working with environment colleagues to demonstrate the project’s impact on greenhouse gas emissions through development of a standardized methodology. The program led to new ICT lending and RAS engagements throughout the EAP and other regions where the Bank is engaged in urban transport work.

Collaboration with K-Partners and Others:

WBG internal partners:

• World Bank Institute (LLI) – staff and financial contribution as part of the Big Data Challenge
• Philippines Country Office (confirmed) – staff time
• Indonesia Country Office (confirmed) – staff time
• Vietnam Country Office (confirmed) – staff time

External partners from Korea:

• KOTI – advisory, review terms of references and project outputs, workshops. The team specifically requests technical support in the areas of big data analytics and area traffic control systems.
• Korea National Information Agency (Big Data Planning Department)

Other external partners:

• Government Counterparts (confirmed; staff time)
• Department of Transportation and Communications  
• DKI Jakarta Transport Agency
• Manila Metro Development Authority
• Cebu Integrated Transportation Operations Management