Photo: William Marnoch

Helsinki and Amsterdam invite motorists to ‘code the streets’

13 October 2021

by Christopher Carey

Helsinki and Amsterdam are inviting motorists to take part in a study that aims to offer the most socially responsible driving routes in each city.

Code the Streets – an EU-sponsored mobility initiative which will run throughout October and November – asks drivers to test new functions in the traffic navigation app TomTomAmiGO and Mercedes-Benz’ navigation planner, to better understand how to route motorists in a more environmentally aware way.

This includes suggestions on avoiding roads close to schools, residential areas, and parts of the city with high pollution.

“Users will be shown the fastest route and the ‘social’ route, which will have a short explanation as to the benefits of taking this option. Something like ‘Hey, there’s a big running event in this part of the city so there’ll be lots of people in the area,’” Sami Sahala, ITS Chief Advisor, City of Helsinki, told Cities Today.

The initiative is a collaboration between the City of Amsterdam, City of Helsinki, Aalto University, Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions (AMS Institute), Forum Virium Helsinki, Technical University Delft and The Future Mobility Network, and is funded by TomTom, Mercedes-Benz and EIT Urban Mobility.

The pilot is open to motorists with an Android phone who drive in either city at least once a week.

Congestion pricing

The City of Amsterdam says the application has the potential to be used in a variety of fields, including logistics.

It is examining how the city’s historic centre could be better protected by rerouting heavy vehicles away from vulnerable infrastructure, or by creating dynamic loading and unloading zones based on vehicle types and loads.

The project will have a dual function in Helsinki, as the city is currently exploring the introduction of a congestion charge and wants to examine the role mapping technology can play in developing this.

“One of the starting points for me was based on the idea, which we’ve already had for six or seven years, that we eventually want to introduce congestion charging,” Sahala added.

“So we are now looking at what is our model, and what can we do in order to gather knowledge? Who knows if it ever will become a reality. There are many steps in between before we can actually [implement] it.”

Last spring Helsinki launched a blueprint for a new municipal strategy – including a revamp of its transport policies – which is currently being debated by the city council.

Image: William Marnoch (Flickr)

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