Google wants access to Winnipeg traffic data to power its Waze app

Winnipeg is poised to sign a deal with Google to allow the the tech giant to access real-time traffic information and disseminate it through its Waze app.

City transportation managers are seeking council approval to allow the 311 system, the transportation management centre and public workscrews to give Googleaccess to information about traffic accidents, lane closures, traffic congestion and other hazards.

Waze, which functions like another layer of Google Maps, already accesses traffic information from Montreal, Los Angeles and other North Americancities.

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The free app gathers information from both official sources and its users, transportation manager Luis Escobar wrote in a report that came before council's public works committee on Monday.

"Waze differs from traditional GPS navigation software in that it is community-driven: gathering complementary map data and traffic information from its users. Like other GPS software, it learns from users' driving times to provide routing and real-time traffic updates," Escobar wrote.

"People can report accidents, traffic jams, speed and lane closures. By connecting drivers to one another, Waze helps people create local driving communities that work together to improve the quality of everyone's daily driving."

Escobar is proposing a one-year deal that can be renewed automatically or cancelled by either party. There are no financial implications associated with the deal, he wrote.

In a separate report to council, public works is requesting an additional $660,000 from the city to complete its transportation management centre.

That project now has a $3.7-million budget. The additional money is needed to conduct "unforeseen work" required to modify public works' traffic signals branch building onElgin Avenueas well as to cover the rising cost ofequipment whose price has been affected by the Canada-U.S. dollar exchange rate.