GSoC 2025 Midterm Update: Temporary Road Closures Database and API

Project Overview

I’m excited to share the midterm progress on my Google Summer of Code 2025 project: Temporary Road Closures Database and API for OpenStreetMap. This project aims to create a centralized platform where users can submit and retrieve real-time information about temporary road closures, enabling OSM-based navigation apps to provide better routing around construction, accidents, and other events.

• Mentor: Simon Poole and Ian Wagner
• Organization: OpenStreetMap
• Project Duration: 12 weeks (175 hours)

🎉 Midterm Evaluation Status: PASSED

I’m thrilled to announce that I’ve successfully passed the midterm evaluation! The project is progressing well and is currently on schedule with several components ahead of the original timeline.

Progress Summary

Completed Components (Weeks 1-8)

1. Geospatial Database & Core Infrastructure

• PostgreSQL + PostGIS setup with Docker containerization
• SQLAlchemy models for Users and Closures with spatial geometry support
• Database initialization scripts and sample data loading
• PostGIS spatial indexing for efficient geospatial queries

2. RESTful API Service (FastAPI)

• Complete CRUD operations for road closures
• Spatial query endpoints supporting bounding box and coordinate-based filtering
• Authentication & Authorization with JWT tokens and OAuth2
• Input validation and error handling
• Swagger UI documentation with integrated authentication

3. OpenLR Integration

• OpenLR encoding/decoding service integrated into the API
• Location referencing endpoints for map-agnostic road segment encoding
• Validation endpoints for OpenLR data integrity
• Closure service enhancement with automatic OpenLR generation

4. DevOps & Infrastructure

• Docker containerization for easy deployment
• Environment configuration management
• AGPL-3.0 licensing for open-source compliance
• Comprehensive documentation and setup instructions

… See full entry

Introduction

Hi everyone! I’m Archit Rathod, a Computer Science Master’s student at the University of Illinois Chicago and a passionate open-source contributor. My interests lie at the intersection of geospatial technologies, backend systems, and applied machine learning. Over the years, I’ve built full-stack web platforms, worked on real-time traffic modeling, and contributed to research in social networks and AI ethics.

This summer, I’m thrilled to be a Google Summer of Code 2025 contributor with OpenStreetMap, where I’ll be building a system to make navigation smarter and safer through real-time road closure data. I’m deeply grateful to the OSM community and my mentors for this opportunity, and I’m excited to learn, collaborate, and give back.

---

Project Description: Temporary Road Closures Database and API

OpenStreetMap provides excellent static map data, but temporary road closures, like construction, accidents, or local events, are often missing or delayed. This project addresses that gap.

I’m developing a centralized platform for real-time road closures. Key features include:

• A geospatial database using PostgreSQL/PostGIS for efficient closure storage and queries.
• A RESTful API using FastAPI, with outputs in OpenLR format for location referencing.
• A web-based UI for users to submit and view closures on a live map.
• A prototype integration with OsmAnd, showcasing how routing can dynamically adapt to avoid closed roads.

The goal is to have a fully working, open-source prototype by the end of the summer that enables OSM apps to respond to temporary disruptions, making navigation more reliable for everyone.

---

Weekly Progress Report

Coming Soon….

---

Contact Me

Feel free to reach out — I’d love to connect!

• 📍 Location: Chicago, IL, USA
• 📧 Email: architrathod77@gmail.com
• 🌐 Portfolio: archit-rathod.vercel.app
• 💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/archit-rathod
• 💻 GitHub: github.com/Archit1706