Nonmotorized Site Selection Methods for Continuous and Short-Duration Volume Counting

Abstract

This paper outlines the process for selecting sites to perform counts on transportation facilities in the context of establishing a nonmotorized traffic volume counting program. Many agencies are well practiced in collecting motor vehicle traffic counts and estimating annual average daily traffic volumes for motor vehicles on the basis of knowledge founded on years of research and experience. Selecting sites is one component of developing a consistent system for quantifying nonmotorized travel so bicycle and pedestrian volumes can ultimately feed into tools to measure existing trends and model future increases in nonmotorized trips at site, corridor, and regional levels. The outcome of collecting count data can ultimately assist in evaluating facility usage over time, better inform the project prioritization process, and provide evidence to support nonmotorized facility inclusion through Complete Streets planning and improve planning for active transportation. This paper outlines the goals of a nonmotorized traffic monitoring program and objectives of the site selection process. From the experience of a pilot project conducted by the North Carolina Department of Transportation, the site selection method details the following components: gathering potential sites, conducting a site visit, gathering additional data needed to inform the decision-making process, and ultimately selecting sites and developing an equipment inventory.