Facing a challenging and growing need for traffic data in operational analysis and transportation planning, traffic engineers have always had a need for traffic counting devices that provide acceptable accuracy and efficiency at a reasonable cost. This paper reviews a pilot study conducted by the City of Las Vegas in an effort to evaluate various traffic counting devices and technologies so that informed decisions can be made to improve the quality and quantity of the current traffic counting program. The main objective of the pilot study is to evaluate the features and performance of various traffic counting devices in terms of accuracy, reliability, data communication capability, as well as cost and effort associated with initial installation and maintenance. A broad range of technologies and products, including inductive loop detectors as well as video and radar technologies, have been made available for the study. A mid block location along a major arterial was selected for the study so that problems associated with lower speeds and stopping vehicles/queues can be avoided. The study was initiated in August 2002 and each type of technology and/or product was tested continuously for a 90-day period. Data collected during the test period was analyzed and compared to meet the objectives of the study. Findings and lessons learned from this pilot study will be presented in the paper.
Abstract