Getting Started
What are the most common use cases?
A: Insights users are most commonly addressing Public Speeding Complaints, validating Traffic Calming requirements, planning greater Bike and Pedestrian Safety, planning for Congestion Management, Transit, and more broad transportation planning studies when speed, socioeconomic and roadway characteristics data is necessary.
How do I add my team?
A: You can invite users and set their permissions in Settings. For instructions on inviting users to your share workspace please review Managing Workspace Settings.
What is the best browser to use when working in Workspace?
A: We’re compatible with modern browsers Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari. We are not compatible with IE 11 or older.
Data
Where does the traffic data come from?
A: We aggregated from 3rd party data providers. For speeds and travel times, we acquire vehicle telematic and GPS data to produce our speed data. The data comes from the manufacturers of vehicle navigation systems in about 20%-35% of cars on the road. We combine that with a TMC based global linear referencing system to visualize speeds and crashes on road segments. We do not use cell phone, bluetooth probe or tower data to provide traffic speed data.
How often does the traffic data update?
A: For speeds, we process the entire US daily and provide customers with monthly updates of hourly speed data. Insights reports are updated monthly with the previous month's recorded data. (e.g. If today is September 15, 2023 you will have access to the previous minimum 13 months from August 31, 2023)
For the road network, we update our roadway network quarterly. This determines the road characteristics, segmentation and lane geometries displayed on the map.
Where did the speed limit categories come from?
A: We license a third-party linear referencing system for TMC based road segment links. Speed limit is the posted speed limit for the road.
If a posted speed limit is not available, we refer to freeflow speed based on 85th Percentile speeds for that month. This allows you to analyze the recording speed data and assess if there is an increasing trend in both high (speeding) or low (congestion) traffic speeds.
Where does the Demographic and Socioeconomic data come from?
A: The US Census. We maintain an index of demographic, socioeconomic, economic and geographic boundaries necessary for long range transportation planning.
We try to maintain 5 years historical information for each Dataset. However, the US Census periodically and without much notification may alter available attributes in various datasets. So attributes in the same files may vary year over year.
Where does the AADT and Traffic Volume data come from?
A: AADT data is typically state provided. We provide estimated traffic volume.
We generate Traffic Volume data from algorithms that combine aggregated mobile advertising data from 3rd party data providers and permanent traffic count stations. This data can be provided as roadway segments, daily traffic volume ranges, and AADT estimates.
Where does the OD data come from?
A: We generate Origin Destination trips from algorithms that combine census data, aggregated mobile advertising data from 3rd party data providers and derive trips from a 300 x 300 mile radius. This data can be provided as raw points, trips, popular trips by date range and forecasted travel demand.
Can you validate data?
A: We are happy to do a data validation. We can provide methodology white papers, relevant government sponsored validation reports as well as conduct specific daily validations. Daily validation will require you to provide few recent studies including the day and time, a shapefile of the roadway, and ground truth or reported counts, OD or speeds.
What is the sample size of the data?
A: Typically we get a penetration rate that ranges anywhere from 25-35% of the population. The difference is, when you do a 48-hour count even though you count 100% of cars you are not able to account for elements that may throw off the count. Such as: school closures, nearby incidents, and weather.
We may only collect a sample of 25-35% but we are gathering that data 24/7 365. Regardless of changes within the community, events, weather, or abnormalities. We have the ability to show you how your community is reacting or changing.
Make sure to level set with the client when this question comes up. This is a moment that matters. Make it very clear that WE ARE NOT TRYING TO REPLACE YOUR DATA COLLECTION PROGRAM. What we are providing is telling you where to go to prioritize your data collection. Our value is making sure our clients only collect data to measure the severity of an issue rather than collecting data to see if there is an issue.
Insights
How are you calculating the reports?
A: Please review our Traffic Data Specification article to learn more.
Are the legends customizable?
A: No, legends are static. Custom legends are available by exporting data to a Studio map
How do you integrate our historic data?
A: New Insights accounts will have 13 months of historic traffic speed data on Day 1. During the onboarding process, Urban SDK can upload your historical data files and upload them as a base layer.
Typical historic data most often includes Crashes, State AADT, Traffic Counts and geospatial data from transportation studies.
As long as there are geographical points associated with the data and it is in CSV, JSON, SHAPEFILE it can be uploaded directly to the Urban SDK Platform through the Urban SDK Data Wizard Feature.
Why is my report saying access restricted?
A: This means the report was created in a different account than what you are currently logged in on.
Training
What support does Urban SDK provide?
A: Urban SDK will train you during the onboarding process through one of our dedicated customer success representatives. We offer bi-weekly webinar training for all customers.
We also have a Professional Services team that consists of engineers, planners, and data scientists who can help you with data applications.
Miscellaneous