Smarter Cities

Front cover

Smarter Cities Series: Understanding the IBM Approach to Traffic Management

Redguides
for Business Leaders

Steffen Schaefer Colin Harrison Naveen Lamba Vishwanath Srikanth

Learn how traffic-related data analysis gives insight into traffic management Understand how products and technology can optimize and maintain transportation assets See how IBM has implemented solutionsto real-world traffic management challenges

Introduction
Traffic is all about the movement of people and goods from one point to another. Traffic is a crucial element of the daily operations of any community or city. As commuters, we all travel by using private transportation, public transportation, or a combination of the two, such as vehicles, buses, boats, and rail systems. Current citytransportation systems and associated infrastructures are strained. In the future, these systems and infrastructures will become even more burdened due to a growing population and increased demands for mobility. IBM® Smarter Traffic™ integrates technology and intelligence into the city transportation infrastructure. With this approach, transportation authorities can improve capacity, enhancetravelers’ experiences, and make transportation systems and infrastructure more efficient, safer, and more secure. Smarter Traffic relies on these information technology (IT) concepts: gathering and visualizing data, managing assets, monitoring sensors, optimizing centralized analytics, and distributing control. With Smarter Traffic, cities can gain an understanding of the current transportationinfrastructure and traffic issues. This understanding is accomplished by capturing relevant data, analyzing that data, and providing insight. With real-time data and the use of appropriate tools and technology (such as automation, control systems, and analytics optimization), cities can improve their traffic flow and make smarter traffic a reality. This IBM Redguide™ publication is for city officialsand their IT architects who are looking for solutions to urban traffic-related challenges. This guide highlights the IBM Smarter Traffic vision that enhances the operation of urban traffic by predicting demand and optimizing capacity, assets, and infrastructure. The vision identifies ways to improve the end-to-end travel experience, by reducing the environmental impact of traffic and by ensuring thesafety and security of travelers. It introduces the IBM Intelligent Transportation Version 1 Release 0 and Traffic Prediction Tool solutions and provides high-level architectures for these two solutions, including key components and capabilities. This guide also provides information about the asset management software provided in the IBM Maximo® offerings through which a city’s transportationorganizations can maintain and manage their assets. This guide provides a sampling of city case studies that show IBM solutions to various traffic-related challenges.

© Copyright IBM Corp. 2011. All rights reserved.

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Long-distance transportation: Long-distance transportation modes, such as intercity, interregional, and international transportation, are outside of the scope of this guide.To understand the broader picture of IBM Smarter Cities™, see the following Redguide publications: Smarter Cities Series: A Foundation for Understanding IBM Smarter Cities, REDP-4733 Smarter Cities Series: Introducing the IBM City Operations and Management Solution, REDP-4734

Why Smarter Traffic
In all societies, the transportation system is vital because it connects people, goods, andservices. The smooth operation of this essential system directly impacts economic activity and the productivity in any city. It also influences the quality of life and general standard of living. Throughout history, significant advances have been made in transportation, such as new modes of travel and improvements in the transportation infrastructure (for example, paved roads, railways, and freeway...