Smarter traffic in Riga and the surrounding area: creation of a unified mobility data ecosystem begins

The Riga City Council has launched a project entitled “Creation of a Unified Mobility Data Ecosystem” to combine fragmented mobility data from the municipality and the Riga metropolitan area into a unified, transparent, and usable ecosystem. The goal is to promote data-driven decision-making, improve transport and urban planning, and create a modern, climate-friendly urban environment in the Riga metropolitan area (Riga and its suburbs).

The project involves cooperation with local governments in the Riga planning region to coordinate joint activities on a metropolitan scale. A mobility data audit has been carried out to determine the project’s needs and the necessary data sets.

Procurement processes have also been launched, for example, a tender has been announced for the renewal and calibration of existing traffic lights and traffic sensor controllers, but other procurements necessary for the further implementation of the project are also planned for the first half of 2026.

Why is this important for Riga and its suburbs?
Currently, mobility data is stored in various systems that lack mutual integration. A unified ecosystem will reduce data processing time, enable a more rapid response to traffic challenges, improve public transport network planning, and promote a more sustainable and safer urban environment for residents in the long term (less congestion, better traffic safety, promotion of active mobility).

Project framework

  • Implemented by: Riga City Council Agency “Riga Digital Agency” in cooperation with the City Development Department and the Outdoor Space and Mobility Department, in close cooperation with the Riga Planning Region and its municipalities (Jūrmala, Ādaži, Ķekava, Mārupe, Olaine, Ropaži, Salaspils, Sigulda).
  • Time period: 1 April 2025 – 31 March 2028 (36 months).
  • Budget and financing: EUR 3,654,000.00 including EUR 3,105,900.00 from the ERDF and EUR 548,100 in co-financing from the local government.
  • Programme: EU Cohesion Policy Programme 2021–2027, Measure 5.1.1.4. “Smart Municipalities” (project No. 5.1.1.4/1/24/I/006).

The project will provide a unified database for decision-making, covering public transport, traffic intensity, micro-mobility, and pedestrian flows. This will enable smarter traffic management, route optimization, congestion reduction, and improved mobility. In turn, more open data and more transparent management will promote public participation and trust.

In the next stages of the project, it is planned to translate the conclusions of the data audit into specific procurement tasks, including data integration, analytics, and transport simulations. At the same time, the progress of already announced procurements will be monitored and future procurements will be prepared, for example, for the acquisition of mobile positioning data and a resident survey. In parallel, close cooperation with local authorities in the region will continue to ensure metropolitan-scale data coverage and accurate model calibration.

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