The new mexico state highway and transporation department developed the first statewide traffic monitoring standards. The standards went into effect october 1, 1988. To implement the standards, a mainframe computer-based traffic monitoring system was designed to receive, summarize, and report traffic data. The system became operational on june 1, 1989. During the development of the traffic monitoring system, modifications of the state traffic data standards were indicated. Modifications were for standards related to data collection, summarization, and analysis. Existing standards require refinement, and new standards must be written to address changing traffic monitoring technology and report requirements. Research activities will also further refine the data standards. Research issues identified during implementation of the traffic monitoring system may result in standards modification. A primary research issue raised was the impact of data summarization on summary statistic accuracy and precision. To address this issue, an alternative to data summarization by roadway functional classification was conceptualized and is currently being investigated. The revisions indicated to the traffic data standards demonstrate the importance of annual standards review. In the future, traffic monitoring issues may be more appropriately addressed because of the existence and continuing refinement of traffic monitoring standards. This paper appears in transportation research record no. 1271, Transportation data and information systems: current applications and needs 1990.
Samenvatting