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Description
The project aims to develop data collection, analysis, and visualization of an interactive tool prototype for mobility planning to help to reduce CO2 pollution caused by transport flows by up to 40%. The potential customers of the product are municipalities and private companies that need location evaluation based on mobility data (more on the market in the TEP section). Ultimately, because the municipality uses this product and gets the opportunity to plan its resources better, the citizen gets the most value. The time he spends in traffic is reduced, new ways of moving and new routes are found. Tourists who come to visit the municipality also benefit.
Summary of project results
Small municipalities lack the budget for complicated urban planning tools; however, it doesn’t mean they don’t face problems similar to those in large cities, such as increased traffic and a lack of safe pedestrian infrastructures. In addition, a decreasing population means fewer resources for accessible services, less funding, and more compromises are needed during the planning process.
Ageing society—a significant factor in most regions in Latvia—faces the problem of lack of mobility and isolation, which affects mental and physical health; we hope to help battle these issues with better and more accessible urban planning.
To help with the decision-making, we developed a planning platform for Kuldiga municipality that helps them to identify where to invest for the best results for the benefit of the larger group of inhabitants. It is also done in accordance with their planning goals and overall legislative framework, especially since the town in question is a part of UNESCO heritage.
The platform uses open-source data combined with the data provided by the municipality and traffic data from virtual sensors as well as a research-based weighted indicator system to analyze mobility factors, urban complexity, and quality of living environment and visualize it on a WEB map.
Indicators are developed together with the municipality based on their priorities, so it addresses the issues where the municipality will most likely follow the advice. Additionally, it shows various data layers on the map that allow one to see all information in the same place without switching programs.
It is easily adjustable to other municipalities thus decreasing the potential costs for anyone who will use this service in the future.
The innovative part is integrating data into automated algorithms. While it is possible to achieve the same result with other methods, it requires more human supervision and urban planning knowledge from the end customer.
Kuldiga municipality will keep access to the tool and will be able to use it for decision-making in the future. Additionally, development of the tool will continue, and it will be offered as a service to other municipalities.