Final Submission - Temporary Road Closures Database and API - GSOC 2025

Posted by Archit Rathod on 25 August 2025 in English. Last updated on 31 August 2025.

🎉 GSoC 2025 Final: Temporary Road Closures Database and API

Google Summer of Code 2025 • OpenStreetMap Foundation • Archit Rathod

After 15 weeks of intensive development, I’m thrilled to announce the successful completion of my Google Summer of Code 2025 project: Temporary Road Closures Database and API for the OpenStreetMap Foundation! 🎯

🚀 Live Demo - Try It Now!

Frontend: https://closures.osm.ch/
Backend API: https://api.closures.osm.ch/
GitHub: https://github.com/Archit1706/temporary-road-closures
GSoC Project: summerofcode.withgoogle.com

🎯 Problem Solved

OSM provides excellent static map data, but temporary road closures (construction, accidents, events) aren’t captured quickly enough for navigation apps. This project creates an open platform where communities can report closures in real-time and navigation apps can calculate closure-aware routes.

✨ What We Built

Complete Backend System

FastAPI + PostgreSQL + PostGIS - Production-ready API with 25+ endpoints
OpenLR integration - Universal location referencing for cross-platform compatibility
OAuth2 + JWT authentication - Secure user management with Google/GitHub login
Advanced spatial queries - Bounding box searches, proximity filtering, route analysis

Modern Frontend Application

Next.js 15 + TypeScript - Interactive web interface with mobile optimization
Leaflet maps - Real-time closure visualization with OpenStreetMap tiles
Multi-step reporting - Guided forms for accurate closure submission
Demo mode - Full functionality without registration for immediate testing

Closure-Aware Routing Innovation

Valhalla API integration - Calculate routes that avoid relevant closures
Transportation filtering - Car, bicycle, and pedestrian-specific closure relevance
Route comparison - Direct vs. closure-aware route analysis
Real-time optimization - Live route calculation considering current conditions

🌟 Key Innovations

OpenLR Integration

Every closure gets encoded with OpenLR (Open Location Referencing), making it compatible with any navigation system regardless of their underlying map data. Example: A closure gets code CwRbWyNG9RpsCQCaAL4= that works universally!

Transportation Intelligence

The routing system intelligently filters closures:

🚗 Cars: Affected by construction, accidents, events
🚴 Bicycles: Also considers bike lane closures and maintenance
🚶 Pedestrians: Includes sidewalk repairs and emergency closures

Production-Ready Architecture

Docker deployment with Nginx reverse proxy
SSL/HTTPS with Let’s Encrypt certificates
Health monitoring and performance optimization
AGPL-3.0 license - Completely open source

📊 Real-World Usage Examples

Daily Commuter

Check closure-aware routing before leaving home - the system automatically plans routes avoiding construction delays specific to your transportation mode.

City Department

Report water main repairs or construction work through the mobile-optimized interface - data immediately becomes available to all navigation apps using the API.

Query the REST API for closure data with OpenLR codes that work with your existing map infrastructure.

🔧 Technical Highlights

Backend Excellence

PostGIS spatial indexes for sub-second geospatial queries
Automatic OpenLR encoding for every submitted closure
Role-based permissions with user and moderator capabilities
Rate limiting and security following industry best practices

Frontend Innovation

Interactive mapping with point and LineString geometry support
Real-time status updates with color-coded closure indicators
Mobile-responsive design optimized for field reporting
TypeScript throughout for type safety and developer experience

Integration Ready

RESTful API with comprehensive OpenAPI documentation
GeoJSON format for all spatial data
CORS configuration for cross-origin access
Docker containers for easy deployment

🏆 Development Journey

Weeks 1-7: ✅ Complete backend API with OpenLR integration
Week 8: ✅ Midterm evaluation - Backend fully functional
Weeks 9-12: ✅ Frontend application with interactive mapping
Weeks 13-15: ✅ Production deployment and comprehensive documentation

🙏 Acknowledgments

Enormous gratitude to my exceptional mentors:

Simon Poole (OpenStreetMap Foundation) - Strategic guidance and OSM expertise
Ian Wagner (Stadia Maps) - Technical architecture and routing insights

Thank you to:

OpenStreetMap Foundation for hosting and community support
Google Summer of Code 2025 for funding this innovation
University of Illinois Chicago for academic support
OSM Community worldwide for feedback and testing

🚀 Try It Now & Get Involved

Experience the System

Visit closures.osm.ch and explore the interface
Try closure-aware routing with different transportation modes
Explore the interactive API docs

Join the Development

Report Issues: GitHub Issues
Contribute Code: Follow the comprehensive setup guides
Integrate: Connect your navigation apps to the API

🌟 Impact & Future

This project represents a bridge between static OSM data and dynamic real-world conditions. By providing an open, standardized way to share temporary closure information with OpenLR compatibility, we’re enhancing the entire navigation ecosystem built on OpenStreetMap.

The foundation is built, the system is deployed, and now the OSM community can take it forward. Every closure reported and every route optimized represents a small improvement in how people navigate the world.