Waze, MassDOT Join Up to Improve Massachusetts Traffic

Boston, MA - The Massachusetts Department of Transportation is launching a data-sharing partnership with real-time traffic navigation app Waze, giving drivers access to live traffic conditions across the state.

It's part of the Connected Citizens Program, which gathers and shares publicly available, crowd-sourced traffic information.

As as MassDOT press release explains, under the program, Waze provides MassDOT with anonymous, Waze-generated incident and motorist slow-down information. In exchange, MassDOT provides government-reported construction, crash and road closure data to Waze.

The idea is that the information-sharing goes both ways, helping the state learn from past traffic reports how it can plan future roads and construction projects better, while Waze improves its app.

"The Waze map evolves with every driver and data point it receives providing users with information about potential traffic delays, advanced notice of major traffic events and promotes safety," the release said.

Waze is already partnered with Boston, among other state municipalities. According to Waze, Boston drivers report more than 1 million alerts, from potholes to traffic and crashes, on a monthly basis.