Podcast: How Data Advances Accessibility in Transportation

On the latest episode of The Stream by AASHTO podcast, Anat Caspi, PhD – director of the Taskar Center for Accessible Technology at the University of Washington – discusses how better data combined with emerging technologies can help create more accessible transportation systems for pedestrians.

[Above image by AASHTO]

On the podcast, Caspi explains how she created “OpenSidewalks” with the Transportation Data Exchange Initiative, Washington State OS-CONNECT, and AccessMap; a personalized mobile application that tracks objects and low-noise routes to improve navigation for visually impaired people.

Capri then also details how OpenSidewalks uses artificial intelligence to import data from different sources while simultaneously validating and tracking it – providing transportation agencies with a more complete understanding of usage-patterns related to sidewalks and other pedestrian infrastructure.

Finally, she shares insights on the challenges transportation agencies face in terms of collecting and maintaining pedestrian data; highlighting opportunities for state departments of transportation and their partners to use data and new technologies together to build better mobility networks for pedestrians.

This podcast series is part of the AASHTO Environmental Management technical service program operated by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. It explores a wide array of environmental topics that affect state DOTs and the infrastructure programs they oversee.