Roadworks obstruct traffic flow and result in increased air pollution. The aim of the iPlanB project is to minimise congestion in Hamburg, Germany by using big data and forecasting algorithms. With iPlanB, road construction companies and utilities can work better together and identify congestion as early as the planning phase. This approach will shorten the construction phase, minimise road closures, improve traffic flows and air quality.
iPlanB: Harnessing big data to coordinate road works in Hamburg
- 05 February 2020
Instead of working consecutively, companies should work in parallel, thus blocking a road only once. We aim to reduce traffic jams by up to 8 %, saving up to EUR 3.5 million in related economic costs and up to 1 291 tonnes of CO2 in Hamburg per annum.
The iPlanB team collected huge amounts of historical and real traffic data provided by partners like Tom Tom, Inrix and HERE. This was analysed to find links between construction sites and congestion, to identify weak points in previous planning.
iPlanB is based on the roadwork coordination software Roadwork Administration and Decision System (ROADS), which Hamburg’s traffic authorities use. The software was extended with modules based on the results of the project.
Traffic Forecast
City planners can use the information provided through iPlanB to learn from planning errors and make improvements when managing new roadworks. The project developed forecasts and instructions for planners to identify potential problems early on.
iPlanB’s package of support allows for changes in traffic flow, possible delays and emissions to be visualised over time. Many of the results are expected to be implemented in follow-up projects in Hamburg, which should lead to the following estimated benefits over the next five years:
A reduction in ‘traffic jam hours’ of between 54 to 135 minutes per driver per year, which corresponds to 2 % to 5 % less congestion in Hamburg;Saving between EUR 1.4 million and EUR 3.5 million in economic costs annually;Reducing outputs of CO2 by between 516 and 1 219 tonnes/year;Cutting emissions violations by two to four days annually. In the past, Hamburg has violated particulate matter limits by up to 35 days every year.Reducing costs
In addition, reducing planning times cuts costs for taxpayers. Moreover, by integrating archived data, the city of Hamburg’s planning horizon can be expanded by 12 to 18 months, and up to four to five years in the long term.
In the future, the project’s work and the ROADS software system could be deployed in other German regions. To this end, negotiations are underway with authorities in Lübeck, Dortmund, Harburg County, Brandenburg State and Mulheim an der Ruhr.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “iPlanB: Interactive Big-Data-Analysis For The Planning Of Construction Measures” is EUR 975 274, with the EU’s European Regional Development Fund contributing EUR 339 772 through the “Hamburg ERDF” Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period. The investment falls under the priority “Research and Innovation”.