How Lagos can Use Big data to manage Road traffic

It’s a fact that the world is getting more urban. According to the United Nations, by 2050 some two-thirds of the world’s population will be living in cities, twice that of 1950. The exodus of workers from rural communities to built-up ones in search of work and fortune means we will only see continued urbanization; the rise of so-called mega cities will continue, with these urban metropolises roughly defined as those with populations in excess of 20m people. We’ll no longer be talking of just London, New York and Las Vegas, we’ll be discussing places such as Abuja Tehran and Lagos cities throughout Nigeria. All this brings with it new and somewhat daunting challenges for local governments and civic administrations, as well as the private sector, as they aim to respond to the needs of their citizens and improve the quality of life in such large urban areas. They are all too aware of the fact that as populations increase and as more people migrate to built-up areas, so the challenge for local services becomes more prevalent. Schools, hospitals, roads, power, utilities, inter-connectivity, waste, the list of things that an increase in population puts more stress on is endless.

Good examples include in the area. GPS sensors at bus-stops can be used to see where and when they can be deployed the most efficiently. What route would be best to take in order to direct the traffic in the most cost-effective way, the data is there in terms of sensors and vehicle tracking devices.

Another example can be seen in mobility. As more people move about, so the pressures on our transport systems become more apparent. By studying how and where people travel, councils can ensure the right vehicles and the right services are offered at the right time. Models can be built to determine which roads need to be maintained the most often, which commuting corridors needs to be supported most, which public transport routes should be offered. The data’s all there in traffic flow systems, when we swipe our credit cards to jump on a Motor bike taxi or even BRT.

Civic authorities and town planning organization’s know that every chance of improving the quality of life must begin by harnessing the data available, analyzing it and taking data-driven actions as a result. And it is simply staggering just how much data our towns and cities are generating. And having QR codes, magnetic strips, sensors and GPS trackers is only one half of the equation. The other half is the ability to harness the information and data that is emitted, analyze it and turn it all into meaning quickly that can be auctioned and will actually help those in power trying to help improve life in our urban landscape.

Responding to the challenges and improving people’s lives, towns and cities will require local planning teams and administration bodies to think differently, and more emphasis will be placed on the consumption and analysis of large data volumes generated by day-to-day life.

As people continue to migrate to cities, we have to realize that they will be run much more using data than ever before. And that is data we’re producing ourselves.

With the To reduce deaths, injuries  and economic loses  from road traffic accidents, conflicts ,congestion and  delays on the public  highways in Lagos state by employing modern traffic management techniques to inject order and control into  the road traffic system.

The government needs to ensure free flow of traffic, for better social economic activities in the state if there is any serious cause to achieving maximum success in the plan for mega city by 2020

If there is any serious cause to achieving maximum success in the plan for mega city by 2020