The City of Atlanta announced today the launch of CommuteATL, an online platform designed to help residents and visitors plan their travel while the Interstate 85 bridge is being reconstructed. The CommuteATL map incorporates real-time travel alerts from Waze, including road closures, accidents and current travel speeds. The map also provides real-time schedule information for all modes of transportation, including the Atlanta Streetcar, MARTA bus and rail schedules as well as parking lot conditions. Finally, the map shows the locations of Relay Bike Share stations for quick and convenient last-mile connectivity. The CommuteATL team is working to add new features to the online platform to make travel around the city more convenient.

“For the next several weeks, the City of Atlanta asks the public to choose transit, tele-commute, and use ride-sharing services as much as possible,” said Deputy Chief Operating Officer and Public Works Commissioner William Johnson. “We hope CommuteATL will assist people as they make plans to travel to work, to school, or to any of the special events happening in our city. As we work to mitigate traffic congestion, our primary focus is preserving access for our first responders and to hospitals. We want everyone to make it to their destination safely, and we hope this new tool can help in this effort.”

As motorists look for different routes to commute to work and school, the City is taking proactive steps to protect residential streets and neighborhoods which are not designed to accommodate heavy traffic. These measures include prohibiting non-local traffic in certain areas while work on the Interstate 85 bridge is ongoing. The City has also increased staffing for its traffic-management operations. Engineers will make real-time adjustments to signals to keep increased traffic volume moving on major thoroughfares, which should alleviate the need to take smaller side streets.

“CommuteATL.com is a place for Atlanta residents to get real-time awareness of traffic and road conditions in the region and discover the various transportation options they have to move around our city. Our team is excited about continuing to add additional real-time, interactive mapping features to the site over the coming weeks,” said Samir Saini, Chief Information Officer for the City of Atlanta.

The City was able to launch CommuteATL through two essential partnerships. In 2016, the City of Atlanta announced its participation in the Waze Connected Citizen Program, a free data-sharing partnership. Last year, the City announced its acceptance into the 100 Resilient Cities network, a $100 million investment by the Rockefeller Foundation to make cities more resilient to the physical, social, and economic challenges that are a growing part of the 21st century.

100 Resilient Cities works with Esri, the industry leader in geospatial analytics, to assist in building resilience through the use of GIS, mapping and location analytics. Through this partnership, Esri provides qualified cities like Atlanta with access to the ArcGIS platform, along with technical assistance and guidance to implement these tools. Geospatial technology serves as a key platform to connect cities and governments with private organizations and the public to address their vulnerabilities and promote adaptability.