Project Update

Public Asked to Spot Traffic-Calming Features in “12 Days of Mapping” Campaign for AI Bike Map Project

December 8, 2025

The campaign encourages residents to help train artificial intelligence to build an easily updated, user-friendly countywide bike map.

The Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG) is inviting people who bike and walk to join a countywide “12 Days of Mapping” campaign. This effort asks the public to identify traffic-calming features in their neighborhoods and add them to OpenStreetMap, a free open-source map, to help train artificial intelligence for SBCAG’s AI Bike Map Project.

The campaign highlights visuals of common traffic-calming infrastructure — such as speed humps, speed tables, raised crosswalks, raised intersections, chicanes, curb extensions, speed cushions, realigned intersections, median islands, diverters, forced turn islands, and full or partial street closures — and asks the public to help document where these features exist throughout Santa Barbara County.

The AI Bike Mapping and Wayfinding Project is a partnership between SBCAG, UC Santa Barbara, and Simon Fraser University to create a modern, comfort-based bike map using both AI and community-reported data. The work is funded by a Caltrans Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant.

Public feedback helps SBCAG create a bike map that updates easily and gives riders a clearer, more reliable picture of what they’ll experience on the road.

“This project depends on residents who know their streets best,” said Peter Williamson, transportation planner for SBCAG. “AI can help us scale the mapping work, but the accuracy comes from people riding, walking, observing, and sharing what they see. Every contribution makes the map better for all.”

A bicycle comfort classification system developed with an ad hoc working group evaluates traffic-calming features, bike lanes with and without buffers, roadway shoulders, gravel paths, and other elements that affect how safe and comfortable a route feels to riders. These inputs will support a bike map that is easily updated and widely accessible to the public.

“The countywide mapping challenge gives anyone who bikes or walks a hands-on way to improve our bike map,” said Aaron Bonfilio, director of multimodal programs for SBCAG. “A few clicks to document pavement types, intersection treatments, or traffic-calming features on OpenStreetMap can make a real difference in how accurate and helpful the AI bike map will be.”

A step-by-step tutorial for the “12 Days of Mapping” and OpenStreetMap is available at:

To learn more about the AI Bike Mapping and Wayfinding Project, visit: