Software innovator one.network, which delivers platform-based, real-time traffic management and event information, has announced that the US Federal Highway Administration has approved the company’s Work Zone Data Exchange (WZDx) feed for deployment by transportation agencies, and use by any stakeholder who needs accurate and timely work zone information.
Starting immediately, the company will create a WZDx feed for any American agency that asks, free of charge.
The company says the risk- and commitment-free initiative comes after one.network worked with FHWA’s WZDx team to ensure feeds will be compliant with programme protocols. It says with its work zone data expertise, one.network is uniquely positioned to create FHWA WZDx compliant feeds at zero cost.
“We believe in work zone information standardisation for safety and efficiency and we’re putting our own equity behind it,” said Adam Graham, one.network’s Chief Product Officer. “In traffic management, sharing accurate and timely information with the widest possible audience is key. We have the technology to build these feeds and set them up for an agency within days, saving agencies the cost and effort to create their own feeds from scratch.” The one.network WZDx feed is designed to deliver as many data streams into a feed as an agency needs to accomplish the mission.
Each WZDx feed will include comprehensive data on planned work zone activity, allowing drivers to avoid hazards and agencies to contribute to a national repository of work zone information coordinated by FHWA. GPS navigation apps including Google, Waze and TomTom, connected and autonomous vehicle applications, organisations and regional authorities, will all have access to the feeds.
one.network says its commitment to provide free feeds is the first and only initiative of its kind since WZDx was a concept. Representatives from the company have contributed to the development of WZDx since its early days by serving on FHWA committees and participating in discussions, including one.network’s Chief Product Officer Adam Graham, who was recently elected to serve as the co-chair for both the WZDx Work Zone Data Working Group and the Specification Update Subgroup. The company plans to continue its leadership throughout the deployment to the entire U.S. network.
“This is a right side of history initiative,” said Graham. “It’s crucial that we do everything we can to protect work zone crews and reduce the congestion that’s inherent, but often avoidable, around work zones. WZDx is a huge step forward and we’d like to congratulate FHWA for its leadership and vision.”
According to FHWA’s website, “the Work Zone Data Exchange (WZDx) Specification enables infrastructure owners and operators (IOOs) to make harmonised work zone data available for third party use. The intent is to make travel on public roads safer and more efficient through ubiquitous access to data on work zone activity. Specifically, the project aims to get data on work zones into vehicles to help automated driving systems (ADS) and human drivers navigate more safely.”
Graham says the programme’s goals address a universal coordination issue. “This is a really exciting initiative. Shining a spotlight on the data and making it readily available can unlock coordination between agencies and really drive benefits.”
(Picture – one.network)
