The City of Atlanta today announced its participation in the Waze Connected Citizen Program, a free data-sharing partnership with the social navigation app, to further assist the city with traffic congestion reduction efforts. Waze provides partners with anonymous, real-time incident and slow-down information directly from app users. In exchange, partners provide real-time construction, crash and road closure data.

“The City of Atlanta is proud to join the Waze Connected Citizen Program,” said Mayor Kasim Reed. “My administration is committed to reducing traffic congestion through the expansion of transit and a full range of transportation options, traffic light synchronization projects and the improvement of city roads, bridges and sidewalks. Through this partnership, we will be better positioned to support additional viable solutions, promoting a better quality of life.”

Information collected through the Waze Connected Citizens Program will allow municipal leaders to evaluate road conditions and help inform traffic congestion solutions.

“Our information technology department works every day to be an innovative and customer-focused service provider to residents,” said Samir Saini, the City of Atlanta’s Chief Information Officer. “The Waze Connected Citizen Program is aligned with our goals. By partnering with Waze, we can better help Atlanta residents respond to the constantly changing environment of city streets and shorten their commute.”

In addition to the City of Atlanta, the Waze Connected Citizens Program has eight other partners in the Southeast, including the City of Charlotte (NC), City of Raleigh (NC), Bartow County (GA), West Jackson (GA), Johns Creek (GA), City of Miami Beach (FL), City of Tampa (FL) and the Florida Department of Transportation.

“With the addition of Atlanta and our other new Southeast partners, Connected Citizens has 58 partners across the world, contributing hyperlocal data to the Waze,” said Paige Fitzgerald, Connected Citizens Program Manager at Waze. “Every new partner that joins the program brings even more creative solutions and support to our partner network, and we’re excited to foster these relationships to drive further impact in the region.”