Investigation of Bicycle and Pedestrian Continuous and Short Duration Count Technologies in Oregon.

摘要

While motorized traffic counts are systematic and comprehensive, bicycle and pedestrian counts are often unknown or inaccurate. This research presents recommendations to increase bicycle and pedestrian count accuracy while integrating bicycle and pedestrian counting with existing ODOT traffic counting. Three bicycle counting technologies – pneumatic tubes, inductive loops and thermal cameras – were tested in a controlled environment as well as mixed traffic condition. Test results indicate that all bicycle counting technologies are adequate to count bicycles under controlled, favorable conditions. However, in mixed traffic conditions only the pneumatic tubes were able to count bicycles with less than 20% error. Bicycle counts in mixed traffic conditions with pneumatic tubes are more accurate when bicycle-specific vehicle classification schemes are used and when counting bicycle traffic within 10 feet tube length of the counting device. Two pedestrian counting technologies – passive infrared and pedestrian phase actuations – were tested and attained satisfactory results.