Understanding how people use the spaces they inhabit—where they live, work, and gather—is key to effective urban planning that meets their needs. For example, knowing which routes are most commonly used to travel from residential neighborhoods to workplaces, and during which time periods, makes it possible to adjust bus routes and frequencies, and to optimize traffic control resources. Identifying meeting, leisure, and event spaces, as well as the time periods when crowds are largest, is useful not only for keeping the public informed, but also for strengthening cleaning and transportation services and developing promotional strategies. The more accurate this information is, the more it will help public administrations to plan urban space and services in effective and realistic ways.
Cell phone-based maps could reshape city planning, from bus schedules to traffic hotspots
