Populus is to build predictive solutions that decrease traffic fatalities as part of the second phase of a $300 million US Department of Transportation (USDoT) initiative.
USDoT is seeking to identify and address emerging risks from new modes and patterns of transportation by integrating existing and new data sources.
As part of the project, Populus will work with micromobility operators like Lime and Bird to utilise data from more than 80 million trips from shared bikes, electric bikes and e-scooters on its platform to help public agencies deliver safer streets.
The initiative also includes input from Cleveland (Ohio), Washington, DC area cities, Bay Area cities, Lexington (Kentucky) and Charlottesville (Virginia).
Amanda Poncy, bicycle and pedestrian coordinator at the city of Charlottesville, says: “Through this project and our recent partnership with Populus, we have the opportunity to use all of the data available to make informed decisions on policy and infrastructure development.”
Last year, Populus demonstrated how innovative e-scooter exposure data can be combined with other safety-related data to inform safety improvement decisions made by public agencies.
The USDoT funding has expanded the scope of this work, allowing Populus to integrate additional datasets with micromobility GPS exposure data. This includes municipal and regional bike network data and crash data, to develop and recommend safety improvements for participating cities.
Additionally, Populus will build safety-focused dashboards using the combined data sources with input from partner cities and USDoT micromobility and safety experts.
Populus co-founder Regina Clewlow says: “As cities around the world make more rapid changes to their infrastructure, we are committed to helping them leverage new digital solutions and new data to ensure that they are safe for everyone who drives, walks, bikes, or scoots.”
