Image of two different classifications in Denver, Colorado. The white lines represent full closures, while the grey and red lines represent restrictions.
An eye for detail: accuracy and road restriction classification
No matter how constant the stream of new road updates seems, the stakes are high for these changes to be entered in real time and with great accuracy.
For example, even a handful of incorrect border closures between Italy and Switzerland in the region surrounding Milan could create a several-hour detour into the Alps for delivery drivers carrying essential goods.
On our watch, we are determined not to let this happen.
As soon as the first coronavirus regulations came into effect in early 2020, our team closed borders, reflected closures in public spaces like parks and beaches, and introduced conditional closures related to local programs. Through these programs, local governments closed roads for unessential traffic, giving pedestrians the space needed to maintain a safe social distance from one another.
One example is the set of ‘slow streets’ restrictions in Oakland and Alameda, California. In this case, it would be easy to mistake these road restrictions for full road closures and reflect them as such on the map. However, doing so would not accurately reflect reality, where vehicular traffic is still allowed to pass for essential reasons, such as deliveries or emergencies. In these municipalities, the TomTom map showed ‘slow streets’ for what they were, instead of full road closures.