More than 100 communities already share updates
Esri has expanded its Community Maps programme so ArcGIS users can share real-time road closures with Google Maps and Waze. More than 100 communities in the United States and other countries already provide closure updates through the programme.
From Redlands, California, Esri outlined how the ArcGIS Road Closures solution lets governments map and share closures caused by construction, events and emergencies. Google Maps and Waze now join earlier consumer mapping partners Apple Maps and TomTom.
Last year, Esri introduced the Road Closures solution in its ArcGIS platform. It was built to help agencies pass fast-changing road updates to people using live navigation apps.
Deane Kensok, chief technology officer for ArcGIS content at Esri, said users had pushed for the wider rollout after more than a year of work with Apple Maps and TomTom. “Many of our contributors have asked that we expand this to include Google Maps and Waze,” he said.
Waze for Cities data link
Through Waze for Cities, ArcGIS users can register the same road closure layer they already share with Esri Community Maps. Both Waze and Google Maps can then reference that same authoritative dataset.
Esri also described a two-way exchange. ArcGIS and Waze for Cities users can access a real-time feed of hazards, accidents and traffic conditions reported by Waze users and partners.
As a result, government teams can send official closure notices to consumer apps and also monitor live driver reports. That includes traffic alerts and hazards gathered through Waze.
Assaf Eisenberg, Waze product manager, said the setup should help drivers avoid blocked routes. He said the partnership makes it easier for governments to feed closure updates into Waze and Google Maps through Esri Community Maps and Waze for Cities.
According to Esri, the Road Closures solution is one of many ready-to-use tools included with ArcGIS. The company says those industry-specific products help organisations improve operations and public services.
Following the latest expansion, communities already contributing closure data do not need to create a separate dataset for Google Maps and Waze. They can share the same road closure layer across multiple consumer mapping platforms.
More details on the Road Closures solution are available at esri.com/en-us/c/product/share-road-closures.
