Posts Tagged ‘Los Angeles’

Yesterday I wrote about how Waze, a social crowdsourced traffic information service and mobile app (iPhone, Android, BlackBerry) is teaming with KABC (aka ABC 7) in Los Angeles to try to deal with the traffic nightmare expected next week for what is being called Carmageddon. You can learn more about the planned weekend shutdown of the 405 freeway starting at 7pm PDT July 15 at this site sponsored by Waze:

The Carmageddon Resistance

Here’s what’s going to happen: The northbound 405 between the 10 and the 101 (10 miles), and southbound 405 between the 101 and Getty Center Drive ramps (4 miles) will be closed for 53 hours!

KABC TV Teaming with Social Traffic/Navigation Waze to Prepare for “carmageddon”

To learn more about how Waze’s crowdsourced nagivation service and mobile apps are going to participate in helping to provide traffic information during Carmageddon, I spoke with Di-Ann Eisnor, VP Platform & Partnerships for Waze. You can listen to our 20 minute conversation in Podcast 50 embedded below (and also available in iTunes as the “MobileViews Podcast.”

CORRECTION NOTE: In my July 5 blog, I said that Waze is powered by INRIX. Di-Ann told me that I was mistaken and that Waze is crowdsource powered. My apologies for not double-checking this.

In April I was caught in a massive traffic jam caused by a car jacker who fled the car and was shot by police. It was a literal “parking lot.” I was able to to obey local traffic laws by turning off my engine, step out of the car and use my iPhone and Windows Phone to look at various traffic apps. Inexplicably every service (Bing, Google, Inrix) showed all roads as green even though everyone had been stuck for a half-hour or more up to this point. Traffic was backed up in both directions for miles. To compound things the local radio stations did not provide any significant coverage of the situation on a timely basis. The one app I neglected to check with Waze. Waze uses INRIX’s traffic data. However, the add a social crowd-sourcing aspect to get near-time traffic information from the actual people driving (or riding as a passenger).

Waze is teaming with KABC (the ABC news stations in Los Angeles) to provide crowdsourced information in areas where road sensors are not deployed. This is preparation for the July 15th weekend closing of a 10 mile segment of the 405 freeway which is being referred to as “carmageddon.”

Traffic App Waze, ABC Team Up to Fight ‘Carmageddon’ in L.A. (Wall Street Journal)

Waze’s Citizen Traffic Connects Broadcast Media with Drivers on the Road (PRWeb)

The Wall Street Journal notes that the TV station may make arrangements with volunteers to provide hyperlocal information about traffic conditions using Waze.

If you live in LA or have visited the sprawling city then you know that one of the things it is most known for is its traffic. Many LA residents spend hours in their cars each day, waiting at red lights, inching down the highway, but ‘Running On Empty’ turns Los Angeles’ traffic reputation on it’s head. This new video asks, “What if tomorrow everyone’s car disappeared?” and it really is a sight to behold.
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