As Miami residents, we wanted to create an app to help the community address the ongoing issue of traffic, which remains the top concern for many. According to a study reported by Miami New Times, the average full-time Miami commuter spends about 10 full days a year stuck in traffic , highlighting how serious this problem is. Our app aims not only to reduce time spent in traffic but also to educate both visitors and new residents about the traffic challenges in Miami, offering insights on how to better navigate and overcome this shared issue.
The app and website help users track traffic patterns and determine the best time to leave, as leaving just 15 minutes earlier can make the difference between spending an hour in traffic or just 20 minutes on the road. Since we value user input, we've also created a website where people can sign up and leave comments. This feedback will help improve the app’s understanding of user needs, and the messages will be saved as data the app can use to provide better recommendations.
We built it with: Frontend: React, Next.js, JavaScript, TypeScript, HTML, CSS. Backend: Python, Prisma, Flask. API: Google Maps JavaScript, Routes, Directions, Resend
Connecting the API routes into our code was one of the biggest challenges, as it was our first time working with these technologies. Additionally, saving user information to a database using Prisma was complex, especially when handling and storing emails from users in the database.
One of our biggest accomplishments was successfully getting a response from our code. While it was something we needed to do, it was rewarding to see everything come together and work as intended, confirming that our approach was making sense.
Another highlight was getting friends to send comments on the page, even if it was just for testing. It was exciting to see the messages successfully delivered to our email, confirming that the system was working as expected.
Learning to use Google APIs was a major accomplishment for us. Implementing a large-scale API like Google Maps, which we had only heard about before, was a significant step in the project and a rewarding experience.
We encourage people to leave comments so we can continue building and improving the app. Since we're just in the early stages, feedback from the Miami community is essential to help shape the app and make it as useful as possible.