What is the web API for the MNDOT metro area traffic data?

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Michael Altmann

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Mar 9, 2014, 10:39:22 PM3/9/14
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MNDOT provides a nice java application to download extracts from their traffic data archives http://data.dot.state.mn.us/datatools/dataextract.html#DetsStats  I presume the app is using some call against a web service anypoint. Before I resort to sniffing the network traffic, does anyone happen to know what the endpoint is and the protocol?

Alan Palazzolo

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Mar 10, 2014, 11:13:03 AM3/10/14
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Hey Michael.  I have heard that there is data on real time traffic, but have never looked for myself.  That said, it could of course not actually exist (or be open).  Do let us know what you find.

Best,


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Alan Palazzolo
Code for America
2011 Fellow
al...@codeforamerica.org
+1 770 596 1951


On Sun, Mar 9, 2014 at 9:39 PM, Michael Altmann <michael...@gmail.com> wrote:
MNDOT provides a nice java application to download extracts from their traffic data archives http://data.dot.state.mn.us/datatools/dataextract.html#DetsStats  I presume the app is using some call against a web service anypoint. Before I resort to sniffing the network traffic, does anyone happen to know what the endpoint is and the protocol?

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Mike Dolbow

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Mar 11, 2014, 9:15:21 AM3/11/14
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Here is AN endpoint for DOT traffic data, but I doubt it is THE endpoint:
http://gisservices.dot.state.mn.us/ArcGIS/rest/services/MNDOT_TRAFFIC/MapServer

It appears to me that this service is not being kept updated, and the latest data is a summary from 2012. But, some nice historical data is in there.

I would suggest writing the e-mail address listed on the left of this page: http://www.dot.state.mn.us/maps/gisweb/. If they don't know what the endpoint is for the current traffic data, they probably know how to route the request. Good luck!

Michael Altmann

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Mar 11, 2014, 12:48:03 PM3/11/14
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Does anyone know the name of the fellow at the Capital Code get-together who works for MNDOT?  I chatted with him, but didn't get a name.


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Michael Altmann

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Mar 15, 2014, 6:03:07 PM3/15/14
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I ended up being put in touch with Timothy Johnson at MNDOT.  He was very willing to help and he pointed me to the source code.  It seems like MNDOT would be pretty easy to work with if we want to do a project with their data.   The bottom line is that we can readily get both realtime and historical traffic data from every metro sensor.


Alan Palazzolo

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Mar 16, 2014, 1:03:16 PM3/16/14
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Hey Michael,

Are there resources already online for this?  Or does one have to contact some at MNDOT to get this data?

Best,


--
Alan Palazzolo
Code for America
2011 Fellow
al...@codeforamerica.org
+1 770 596 1951


On Sat, Mar 15, 2014 at 5:03 PM, Michael Altmann <michael...@gmail.com> wrote:
I ended up being put in touch with Timothy Johnson at MNDOT.  He was very willing to help and he pointed me to the source code.  It seems like MNDOT would be pretty easy to work with if we want to do a project with their data.   The bottom line is that we can readily get both realtime and historical traffic data from every metro sensor.


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Michael Altmann

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Mar 16, 2014, 3:10:53 PM3/16/14
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Real-time data are available as XML from an MNDOT web service described  http://www.dot.state.mn.us/tmc/trafficinfo/developers.html  I have also figured out the json web service that the startribute traffic map uses.

Historical data are available in a packed binary format from an MNDOT web service.  There is a java client available here : http://data.dot.state.mn.us/datatools/ but it you to click on a few buttons to get the data file.  The source code for that java application is http://iris.dot.state.mn.us so it wouldn't be too hard to refactor the code to embed it in some application of our own creation.  Basically. you hita URL like http://data.dot.state.mn.us:8080/trafdat/2014/20140210/2216.v30 to get the the volume data from camera 2216 on Feb 10, 2014.  Then you have to parse the binary data stream.

I also found what appear to be some older projects described here http://www.dot.state.mn.us/traffic/data/index.html



Jeffrey Rutland

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May 1, 2016, 6:27:42 PM5/1/16
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Hey, could you explain what the JSON web service the Star Tribune site uses is about?  While XML from MNDOT is all fine and good, I'd prefer JSON.  Any ideas?  Thanks!
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