Transforming transport: How real-time data and collaboration are reshaping mobility

For decades, transport agencies responded to congestion the same way: build more capacity. Widen the freeway, add lanes and expand the network. The logic was simple: more vehicles call for more and bigger roads.

But expansion planning has serious limitations. It's expensive. It disrupts communities during construction. And it rarely addresses the root cause, since agencies were making decisions without fully understanding what was driving congestion or safety issues. As Darren Henderson (Technical Director, GHD) put it: “Gone are the days when we need to just widen the freeway for the sake of widening a freeway because we don't really understand what's going on that's causing the problems we're seeing. Now, we can be very targeted and strategic in what we're doing to improve our infrastructure, because we are now able to collect data that is more accurate, in real time.”

The shift from building more to optimizing what exists is reshaping transport planning.

The ability to collect and act on real-time data is what makes optimization possible. Data-driven systems help agencies understand the root causes of congestion and safety issues, which allows them to design targeted interventions.

Industry leaders are increasingly emphasising this role of real-time data. Emerging platforms can detect incidents as they happen and reroute traffic automatically, reducing secondary collisions. These systems feed crash data and roadway conditions to emergency responders, helping them respond faster and work more safely.

We are applying AI to traffic management systems to analyse telemetry from vehicles and identify high-risk areas before incidents occur. Continuous network monitoring helps agencies protect road workers and reduce congestion by adjusting operations in real time. These capabilities move us beyond static infrastructure towards adaptive systems that respond to actual conditions rather than predicted demand.

The I-15 smart freeway pilot conducted with the Riverside County Transportation Commission in Southern California demonstrates this approach. Rather than widening the freeway, the project deployed intelligent systems to optimize existing capacity. Real-time data revealed where and when interventions would have the greatest impact.

Shifting from expansion to optimization requires agencies to work differently in three key areas.

1. Build community trust through transparent engagement

Intelligent transport systems offer a unique opportunity to serve all users equally. Unlike traditional infrastructure, ITS solutions don't discriminate. They measure and respond to individual behavior across the network, which allows agencies to optimize performance for everyone.

But communities need to understand and trust the technology being deployed. On the I-15 project, we created a virtual engagement room, an interactive digital space that replicated an in-person open house. Accessible on the project website at any time, users could navigate through information, watch demonstration videos explaining how the technology worked and view simulations showing exactly what the interfaces would look like. These tools helped residents understand what to expect before construction began.

The key is zeroing in on the outcomes rather than the technology specifics. Communities want to know what will change — particularly whether it will be safer — and what disruptions to expect. This includes being transparent about privacy considerations and measuring public perception alongside technical performance.

2. Develop partnerships that integrate capabilities

No single provider can meet all the demands of modern transport systems. Optimization requires agencies to work with vendors and technology partners whose capabilities complement each other.

The call for collaboration is clear. Unlike traditional procurement relationships, these are collaborative delivery models where agencies and vendors work together to solve problems and deliver sustainable outcomes.

This also requires embedding digital infrastructure from the start rather than bolting on smart technologies after physical designs are complete. Adaptive infrastructure, such as reversible lanes and digital signage, needs to be built in from the beginning so it can evolve with changing conditions.

3. Prove value through pilots before scaling

Large-scale rollouts risk overwhelming both communities and infrastructure before agencies have proven the technology works.

Pilot programs, like the I-15 smart freeway demonstration, allow teams to prove the technology works and build community trust before wider rollouts. They also validate what works and what doesn't, improving deployment when agencies do scale up.

Agencies must also help communities distinguish new ITS approaches from legacy systems. Many people are familiar with basic traffic signals or vehicle detection, but newer systems offer far greater capabilities. Communicating how these technologies differ, and why they matter, builds public understanding and support.

As we optimize today's transport networks, we must also prepare for tomorrow's innovations. The convergence of traditional ground transportation with advanced air mobility will require new approaches to situational awareness and airspace management. Looking even further ahead, quantum computing could underpin connected vehicle networks.

These longer-term possibilities reinforce why our near-term focus on optimization matters. Creating adaptive, intelligent systems now lays the groundwork for future innovations.

The shift from expansion to optimization planning is already happening. Agencies that move early will be better positioned to deliver safer, more efficient transport with constrained budgets and ageing infrastructure.

To make this shift, transport leaders should:

• Instrument high-impact corridors first. Start by deploying real-time data systems on corridors with the highest incident rates or congestion. Measure detection time and incident response for 90 days to establish baseline performance.
• Engage communities before deploying technology. Give residents continuous access to information about what the technology will do and when it will be deployed. Speak about outcomes, not features.
• Structure partnerships for integrated delivery. Move beyond traditional procurement to collaborative relationships where agencies and vendors solve problems together. Embed digital infrastructure in initial planning rather than retrofitting.
• Run pilots that prove value. Start with small-scale deployments that demonstrate measurable improvement. Use pilot results to refine the approach before scaling to the full network.