Transportation infrastructure shapes how we move throughout our cities, forming basic connections to jobs, essential services, and one another. But keeping track of project locations, their cost, and their current construction status can prove challenging to residents, planners, and policymakers alike. Today, we’re excited to introduce a new interactive tool that brings to light the state’s future transportation landscape: the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) Project Tracker!
Using the GDOT API as the source, we’ve developed an interactive view of the location, construction status, and allocated costs [1] of transportation projects across the state. Built in JavaScript and powered by Mapbox GL JS, this tool transforms transportation project data into an intuitive, user-friendly frontend experience.
The image below shows a view from the web tool, which can be accessed by clicking on the link above or the image below:
What Can This Tool Tell You?
Whether curious about statewide trends or more local developments, this tool adapts to your geographic interest. Users can filter projects first by selecting a geography level: from congressional districts to counties to individual municipalities (or view projects at a statewide level). Then, you can select the specific jurisdiction within that geography level (think Congressional District 4, DeKalb County, or the city of Buford). Want to know how many projects are currently under construction in Fulton County and where exactly they’re located? This tool has you covered. Want to know the average cost of pre-construction projects just within the Atlanta city limits? A few clicks will give you the answer.
The tool’s collapsable side panel (shown above) provides dynamic summaries that quantify transportation investment in your chosen jurisdiction. It displays project counts, total allocated costs, and average allocated costs. All told, this will give users both the big picture and granular details that matter for understanding where major transportation investment is occurring (or set to occur in the near future).
Exploring More
Beyond the high-level summaries, the map encourages deeper exploration by clicking a project to view a detailed popup. Each popup (as shown below) contains project-specific information, along with the URL to the official GDOT project page, ensuring users can access the most comprehensive and up-to-date information about projects of interest.
To analyze the data further, look for the download button in the top-right corner of the map, which will export a table of projects at the selected geographic level.
Looking Forward
Transportation projects – from roundabouts to road widenings to bike paths – represent significant public investment that shape our communities for decades to come. By making this information accessible, visually intuitive, and current, we hope to foster greater public engagement with transportation planning and infrastructure development. Understanding where projects are happening, their attendant cost, and their current status empowers citizens to be more informed participants in conversations shaping their community’s transportation future.
Notes
Image credit: https://stock.adobe.com/search?k=road+construction
[1]: As explained in the web tool, the “total allocated cost” is an estimate of a project’s total value that falls within the selected jurisdiction’s boundaries. It is calculated by determining the proportion of each project’s roadway that falls within the selected jurisdiction’s boundaries and then applying that proportion to the project’s total cost.