Open Data Active Travel Challenge Competition

The Dublin Region Open Data Active Travel Challenge 2021 competition, funded under the Open Data Engagement Fund, is now accessible at https://smartdublin.ie/the-dublin-region-open-data-active-travel-challenge-2021/ 

This is a competition that promotes Active Travel - primarily walking and cycling.  It is good for our health and wellbeing, it can help address congestion and emissions and, in the current Covid-19 context, it lessons pressures on our public transport operating at reduced capacity.

So, what is it looking for?  All ideas are welcome, but here are some points to start with;

The school run and work commute: How can we use open data to show the best routes between homes and school/ college/ workplace? What and where are the barriers to walking and cycling and how can we overcome them?

Busy routes and congestion hotspots: Where are they? What are the emissions and air quality implications? Which interventions might yield positive outcomes?

Recreation: How can open data inform maps and route planning applications so as to highlight safer, more comfortable or more enjoyable active travel routes?

Analyses and Visualisations: How can we turn data into insights? For example, where are preferred locations for infrastructure such as footpaths or bike stands? How can bike-share and micro-mobility provision be optimised for public good? And, what do current data and trends tell us about the impact of failing to actively travel on public health or climate action commitments

Applications and Programmes: How can we use data to promote or gamify active travel and encourage more people to make the transition?

The competition will award prizes to the most innovative and practical ideas that use open data to help encourage more people throughout Dublin to engage in active travel.

First Prize €1,200                                              Second Prize €600                                           Third Prize €300

The aim is to find innovative ideas and applications that encourage and support active travel.  Entry is open to individuals and groups of all ages and backgrounds.  Applicants are asked to submit a short application form and shortlisted applicants will then be given 8 weeks to develop their ideas. 

As with all Engagement Fund projects, a minimum of 2 open datasets from our Open Data portal (https://data.gov.ie/) must be used in all applications.  There are also useful data on https://data.smartdublin.ie/ Applications are open until March 30 and participants will get a further two months to develop ideas and solutions to be made public at the start of June.