Map showing the lane closures due to construction activities scheduled in a specific date
Map showing the lane closures due to construction activities scheduled in a specific date with the proper detours
Schedule including all lane closures planned in a week and their approval status by the Department of Transportation
Schedule in a list view
Schedule in a month view
Request form to schedule a lane closure by the General Contractor
The General Contractor has previously entered a full data base of all possible lane closures that can be scheduled in a project
All possible project lane closures are included in this Conflict Table. Rules are set to avoid conflicts if requested simultaneously
Business Pitch - Problem detection and resolution
Business Pitch - Problem detection and resolution (2)
Business Pitch - Problem detection and resolution (3)
Business Pitch - Value proposition
Business Pitch - Value proposition (2)
Business Pitch - Future vision
Business Pitch - Future vision (2)
Business Pitch - Future vision (3)

Nodum: Highways Connected to People

Nodum was born in the heart of a highway infrastructure project: the I-35W/I-820 interchange in Dallas–Fort Worth, Texas.
If you zoom into this area on Google Maps, you'll find a four-level highway featuring 26 bridges—one of the most complex and congested spaghetti junctions in the U.S.

The Problem

The construction of this intersection required constant lane closures to coordinate activities with ongoing traffic. Every time a bridge was built over an existing road (let’s call it Roadway A), that section had to be closed, and traffic detoured through Roadway B.

But what if Roadway B was also scheduled to be closed at the same time?
Where would all that traffic go?

This coordination was handled by hundreds of engineers trying to meet deadlines—using only phone calls and emails.
Primitive tools for such a complex and time-sensitive task.

Imagine managing nearly 40 lane closures per day in that environment.
One small scheduling error could trigger a domino effect: traffic chaos, construction delays, and cost overruns.

This isn’t just a one-time problem. It’s a systemic issue on large-scale highway and infrastructure projects.

The Spark

One of our team members was tasked with coordinating traffic for that project.
He experienced firsthand the inefficiencies, waste of resources, and domino traffic jams caused by an outdated, disconnected system.
Out of that frustration came an idea:

What if we created centralized software, built over Google Maps, that could schedule all lane closures in the most efficient, conflict-free configuration?

That’s how our journey began.

The Solution: Nodum

We started building what we now call Nodum, derived from the Latin word for “knot” or “intersection.”
Our goal: untangle the mess of traffic coordination through a simple, visual, and intelligent platform.

Our team isn't made up solely of software engineers—we’re also civil engineers, lawyers, and economists. That multidisciplinary input shaped Nodum into a practical and comprehensive solution.

What Does Nodum Do?

Nodum connects everyone involved in a construction project—subcontractors, departments of transportation, stakeholders, and the public—through a shared platform.

Step 1: Define the Network

A Traffic Designer enters the project’s road network into the system by tagging key attributes on a Google Maps-based interface:

Number of lanes
Road types
Lengths
Type of closures

This network is divided into “sections” from crossing to crossing, node to node.
We’re talking about hundreds of entries, depending on the project.

Step 2: Create Lane Closure Requests (LCRs)

From this database, Nodum generates Lane Closure Requests (LCRs), each representing a specific road section that could be closed.

LCRs span from point A to point B
They can be classified as:
- Partial Closure – congestion, but traffic still flows
- Full Closure – traffic must detour from point A to C

The Traditional Problem

Someone might unknowingly request a full closure of LCR#2 (A → C), not realizing it overlaps with the detour for LCR#1.
This creates a critical conflict.

Multiply that by 80+ LCRs per day, and chaos is almost guaranteed—unless every conflict is caught in time.

Step 3: Conflict Prevention

That’s where Nodum steps in.

✅ Conflict-detection algorithm blocks conflicting LCRs
🔍 Issues are caught before they happen
🚧 Ensures all closures are compatible, efficient, and safe

Step 4: Smart Detour Design

Let’s say Google Maps reroutes 150 highway vehicles onto a narrow local road.
The first 20 cars might get through, but the rest? Another traffic jam.

Nodum solves this with:

Pre-approved detours reviewed by traffic engineers
Only routes with sufficient capacity are selected
Prevents highway traffic from spilling onto weak local streets

How Does Nodum Work?

Once an LCR is selected by a Project Manager, it follows a streamlined approval workflow:

✅ Validated by the Traffic Control Department
📋 Reviewed and approved/rejected by the Department of Transportation
🗺️ Approved closures are shown on an interactive map with detour paths

This user-friendly system and visual clarity is something the industry currently lacks.

Now imagine:

🚑 Emergency responders knowing future road closures
🚚 Logistics companies avoiding last-minute delays
🛫 Travelers checking airport access two days ahead

Nodum makes that visibility possible.

The Journey So Far

After building a full version of the software, we introduced it to infrastructure companies across:

🇺🇸 United States
🇨🇦 Canada
🇪🇸 Spain
🇳🇴 Norway
🇩🇪 Germany

Selling traffic software to massive firms as a small, unknown startup was tough.
But we stayed focused on the value:

💰 Cost savings
⏱️ Shorter construction timelines
🚦 Improved traffic flow
😌 Fewer headaches

Our First Big Win: The Purple Line

Our first major client was the Purple Line Project—the largest light rail system currently under construction in the Washington D.C. area:

16.2 miles
21 stations
5 years of construction
Built by Flatiron-Dragados and OHLA

A particularly complex zone: University of Maryland campus with 40,000 students navigating daily.
Here, Nodum made the biggest difference:

📉 Fewer closures
🔄 Smarter detours
🚗 Continuous traffic flow

The Future

We envision Nodum as part of a connected, intelligent mobility network:

Integrated with smart, autonomous vehicles
Feeding closure data into Google Maps and navigation tools
Cars rerouting not just based on live traffic—but also on what’s planned for tomorrow

Nodum could be the missing piece in truly intelligent mobility.

Final Thoughts

They say necessity is the mother of invention—but we’ve learned that frustration is the father.

What began with a headache on a construction site evolved into a platform that can reshape how we build roads and move people.

We’re honored to be part of the Google Maps Awards and proud to share our story with you.
Guided by our slogan, we will continue working toward our vision of having:

"Highways connected to people."