Transportation engineer un-jams traffic

Tired of sitting in traffic on the busy streets of Toronto? So is Ryerson transportation engineering professor Bilal Farooq. With increasing urbanization, Farooq knows that getting around is only going to get worse if new systems aren’t developed to monitor traffic, alleviate congestion and improve travel time. Focusing on what he calls the “Complete Street,” Farooq is studying the interaction of vehicles, public transit, cyclists and pedestrians to develop a transportation network that better serves all users – and includes connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs).

In his research, Farooq has used street-level sensors to monitor traffic and create datasets that show how vehicles can be rerouted for speed and efficiency. “Using big data and machine learning, we can predict how the flow changes and suggest alternative routes,” he shared with Innovation, the newsletter of the Office of the Vice-President, Research & Innovation (OVPRI). Farooq is currently working with the City of Toronto’s Big Data Innovation Team and with the City of Markham to model how connected and autonomous vehicles can navigate the streets, including as a ridesharing public transportation option. Soon, we’ll all have the option to hail a driverless vehicle on safer, faster and more efficient streets.