To make sound decisions, the region’s transportation agencies require data from all elements of the network, whether public or private. This is especially important to better understand non-motorized, freight, and TNC travel, each of which has been difficult to measure and analyze due to inadequate data. More frequent and detailed data on pedestrian and cyclist behavior could become available as sensing technology is increasingly deployed in public rights of way, and as private and public agencies analyze aggregated data from mobile devices and activity tracking apps. This might enable more efficient and accurate counts of cyclists and pedestrians as well as more complete inventories of the infrastructure they use. The region has greatly advanced its understanding of truck travel through the use of new data sources and monitoring systems, but similar information on rail movements — particularly private systems — is limited.

To understand rail performance, CMAP has made progress in collecting new data in recent years, but this data is aggregated to a high level that does not allow evaluation of potential rail projects. For tax dollars to be invested in private projects, private rail operators must demonstrate sufficient public benefits. Only with appropriate data from the freight rail industry — including speeds, volumes, and reliability of freight trains along specific corridors and at key rail-rail crossings — can this all-important analysis be conducted. Existing and emerging private providers have broad impacts on the transportation network, including impacts on congestion, mobility for people with disabilities, and transit ridership. Local governments and public transit agencies should work with TNCs and other private transportation providers to obtain the data necessary to understand these impacts and make sound policy and investment decisions. With full respect for the right of private companies for their sensitive data to be kept secure, public decision makers have the obligation to assess whether limited taxpayer dollars are being invested wisely and to examine the public benefits and costs of these services’ use of the public right of way. With a long record of safeguarding similarly sensitive data, CMAP will continue to play a major role in aggregating, normalizing, and sharing data as appropriate with regional stakeholders.

Public agencies also need to invest in their own data analysis, storage, and sharing capabilities. Such agencies, particularly lower capacity ones, might have difficulty collecting and managing transportation data as it increases in volume and complexity. Commercial services are increasingly essential for data collection, analysis, and visualization, reducing public agencies’ dependence on in-house expertise and potentially reducing costs, yet increasing their dependency on third-party tools and data providers. Public agencies should have the right to use, retain, and — when appropriate — share data collected by private sector sources on the behalf of public agencies or as a result of a public-private partnership. In turn, the public sector has its own valuable datasets, including system performance, conditions, and incidents. The public sector must carefully navigate competing mandates to provide open access to government data and protect the privacy of residents. This strategy also appears in the Governance chapter under the recommendation to Base investment decisions on data and performance.

Action 1

Continue to play a leadership role in promoting responsible and regionally consistent data stewardship, collection, analysis, and sharing among public sector partners including the City of Chicago, RTA, transit agencies, counties, and municipalities.

Implementers

CMAP

Action 2

Identify ways to leverage provision of more detailed data and analysis to private companies while carefully protecting riders’ privacy.

Implementers

The public sector

Action 3

Share data that aids planning for transit, the road network, and emerging mobility services.

Implementers

Private sector partners

Action 4

Contractually require data sharing as a condition for private companies’ access to public infrastructure (roadways, loading areas, etc.) or to subsidies.

Implementers

Municipalities and transportation agencies

Action 5

Improve region-wide data on bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure and travel patterns.

Implementers

CMAP and partners

Action 6

Provide substantive documentation of any data supporting the public benefits of CREATE( Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency ) projects and allowing assessment of potential rail improvements that could benefit passenger movements.

Implementers

Private rail partners