Syracuse, New York, has launched an Open Data Challenge, a month-long open data competition focused on City transportation data. Participants can work with publicly available datasets in the Office of Analytics, Performance and Innovation’s Open Data Portal. The Challenge will culminate in a Syracuse Open Data Day on November 4th.

To be an eligible data project submission, a data project must use at least one dataset from Open Data Syracuse, but contestants are welcome to use additional data sources as well. In addition to suggested City datasets, participants are welcome to find or create their own datasets as part of the challenge. Projects will be evaluated on four criteria: creativity, “wow” factor, execution and informational value. Submissions must be uploaded to the Open Data Syracuse DevPost site by Saturday, November 4th, 2023 at 1:50 p.m.

“In my 2023 State of the City address, I announced that we would prioritise the adoption of a Vision Zero programme to improve traffic safety in the City of Syracuse,” said Mayor Walsh. “Whether talking about bikes, public transit, or motor vehicles, it is our hope that this civic-minded challenge will bring local data-oriented minds together to provide analysis, visualisations and web projects tied to understanding citizens’ experience with our transportation system.”

“API is excited to launch our first Open Data Day to celebrate and bring awareness to our nationally recognised Open Data programme, which includes 103 different datasets of civic information,” said Chief Innovation and Data Officer Nicolas Diaz. “We are thrilled that community partners are joining us to lead six different break-out sessions of how to use open data and enable civic innovation using various tools.  It is our hope that community members will grow in their ability to use data and information to make better informed decisions for their neighbourhoods and organisations and potentially develop their own tools and solutions leveraging open data.  A strong Open Data programme creates a virtuous cycle where citizens are engaged in our civic data and transparency efforts and in turn demand more high-quality and timely datasets.”