SUMMARY OF THE PROJECT ON PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE TRAFFIC COUNTER

1 BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECT

The planning of the traffic system does not only call for information about the volume and potential of vehicular traffic but also about pedestrian and bicycle traffic (including mopeds). Traditionally, these data have been collected by one-day manual counting and through interviews. An effort has been made to undertake counting either in late spring or in early autumn on sunny schooldays, when the volume is at its peak. The interviews conducted on pedestrian and bicycle traffic have usually involved schoolchildren.

However, short-term traffic counts have not yielded comprehensive information about the average volume of pedestrian and bicycle traffic or variations in it over a longer period. Because counting is expensive, it has been impossible to count during several days or repeatedly at regular intervals. Therefore e.g. bad weather may have distorted the results. Moreover, the counts have not always given information about the impacts of actions taken, as post-implementation counts have not been done. All in all, counts have not led to a consistent system whereby to assess regional and national pedestrian and bicycle traffic performance or trends in it; instead, the counts have been more or less isolated and random, often having to do with a particular project or local traffic system planning or survey.

2 PROJECT OBJECTIVES

An efficient and relatively inexpensive traffic counter would greatly facilitate and systematize pedestrian and bicycle traffic counting. However, no such device was on the market in December 1993, when the Traffic and Road Research Unit of the Finnish National Road Administration (Finnra), an Oulu-based company by the name of Elektrobit Oy and the University of Oulu started developing a mobile device for counting pedestrian and bicycle traffic, based on video imaging. The following requirements were placed on the device [1]:

- Resolution: distinguishing between pedestrians, bicycles and mopeds, by direction of travel. - Place of measurement: pedestrian and bicycle ways and road borders.

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- Conditions: minimum luminance of 0.1 cd/m² - Counting accuracy: error ±5% with 95% probability. - Operating time: 10 days outdoors without battery replacement. - Processing of material: compiled data to be downloaded by a portable workstation.

3 PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

Elektrobit Oy drew up a development plan for a traffic counter [2] and jointly with the University of Oulu submitted a tender for a preliminary study project [3], whereupon Finnra's Traffic and Road Research Unit placed an order for a preliminary study [4]. The preliminary study resulted in a system specification [5], program listings [6], literature review [7] and final report [8], including a more detailed system specification.

Based on the preliminary study, Finnra's Traffic and Road Research Unit asked Elektrobit Oy to submit a tender for the development of the pedestrian and bicycle counter, complete with two prototypes [9]. The tender was promptly received [10]. Finnra's Regions were also asked for an opinion on the necessity of information about pedestrian and bicycle traffic and concerning the possibilities for the device to meet these needs [11]. A cost-benefit analysis was made as well [12].

Based on the cost-benefit analysis and comments, Finnra's Traffic and Road Research Unit commissioned Elektrobit Oy to carry out development work on the device [13]. The initial requirements were relaxed as follows:

- Counting accuracy: margin of error less than ±10%. - Operating time: about 7 days. - Place of measurement (site): relatively unrestricted. - Type: an independently operating mobile device.

The development project should also pay special attention to the physical characteristics of the device and ergonomic considerations.

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The project progressed according to plan [14]. During it, a test specification [15] was outlined, along with a product development plan [16], system specification [17], interface specification [18], specification for the prototype of analysis software [19] and finally an instruction manual [20]. Finnra's Traffic and Road Research Unit participated in the specifications for the data processing and interface in particular [21,22].

4 TESTING OF THE PROTOTYPES

The two prototypes constructed in the development project were quite thoroughly tested in various traffic environments, and the device underwent improvement and modifications between test periods [23,24,25,26,27,28,29]. However, the testing led to the conclusion that the device did not meet the initial requirements. In the most serious problems no progress was made at all:

- The device operated for 2-3 days at the most. - The classification detector did not work properly. The total volume of pedestrian and bicycle traffic could be satisfactorily measured (on pedestrian and bicycle ways the error was 0…10%, on roads with mixed traffic –20…+20%), but the device was unable to distinguish between pedestrians and bicycles. - Each measurement site required a specific classification instrument, whose construction required considerable professional skill. - The location of the device was restricted: shadows and the movement and colour of leaves interfered with its operation.

In addition, the device still has some minor faults and shortcomings that should be addressed.

In June 1998 it was concluded that on the basis of the test results there was no point in continuing with the device development at this stage since the solutions available called for considerable research and other efforts and depended on the further technical improvement of electronic components [30]. Both Finnra's Road Administration and Elektrobit Oy announced that they were disinclined to give further funding to the development of the traffic counter. At the same time it was however agreed that the Consulting Unit of Finnra's Production will utilize the existing prototypes and agree with Elektrobit Oy on improvements for productive

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use (some structural improvements and the installation of a timer regulating the counting so that the device can operate on site for no less than 7 days). No actual production programme was commissioned.

5 COSTS

The development of the traffic counter was divided into three parts, with the following timetable and consultancy costs:

Subproject

Timetable

Costs (FIM 1,000)

Work preparation

Dec 1993 – Sep 1994

Preliminary study

Sep 1994 – Jan 1995

Evaluation of preliminary study Implementation

Feb 1995 – Sep 1995 Sep 1995 – Jan 1997

585

Testing

Feb 1997 – Jun 1998

110

Total

Dec 1993 – Jun 1998

795

100

The costs given in the above table do not include work done by the Road Administration.

6 REFERENCES

1. Development of a pedestrian and bicycle traffic counter. Memorandum (Fax). 30 December 1993. [In Finnish]. 2. Pedestrian and bicycle traffic monitor. Development plan. 21 June 1994. [In Finnish]. 3. Pedestrian and bicycle traffic monitor. Tender for a preliminary study project. 29 August 1994. [In Finnish]. 4. Pedestrian and bicycle traffic monitor. Order for the preliminary study project. 20 September 1994. [In Finnish]. 5. Automatic counter for pedestrian and bicycle traffic. Preliminary review. System specification. 11 January 1995. [In Finnish].

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6. Automatic counter for pedestrian and bicycle traffic. Preliminary review. Program listings. 31 January 1995. [In Finnish]. 7. Automatic counter for pedestrian and bicycle traffic. Preliminary review. Literature review. 31 January 1995. [In Finnish]. 8. Automatic counter for pedestrian and bicycle traffic. Preliminary review. Final report. 31 January 1995. [In Finnish]. 9. Development of the pedestrian and bicycle traffic counter. Invitation to tender. 6 June 1995. [In Finnish]. 10. Development of the pedestrian and bicycle traffic counter. Tender. 12 June 1995. [In Finnish]. 11. Development of the pedestrian and bicycle traffic counter. Request for comment. 4 August 1995. [In Finnish]. 12. Cost-benefit analysis of the pedestrian and bicycle traffic counter. 31 March 1995. [In Finnish]. 13. Development of the pedestrian and bicycle traffic counter. Order. 15 September 1995. [In Finnish]. 14. Finnra. Intermediate report. 27 December 1995. [In Finnish]. 15. Automatic counter for pedestrian and bicycle traffic. Test specification. 4 January 1996. [In Finnish]. 16. Finnra. Product development plan. 5 February 1996. [In Finnish]. 17. Finnra. System specification. 4 April 1996. [In Finnish]. 18. Finnra. Interface specification. 21 August 1996. [In Finnish]. 19. Specification for the prototype of analysis software on the pedestrian and bicycle traffic counter. 7 November 1996. [In Finnish]. 20. Finnra. Pedestrian and bicycle traffic counter. Instruction manual. 31 January 1997. [In Finnish]. 21. Pedestrian and bicycle traffic counter. Data processing (memorandum). 27 February 1996. [In Finnish]. 22. Pedestrian and bicycle traffic counter. Interface and analysis software (memorandum). 24 May 1996. [In Finnish]. 23. Testing of the pedestrian and bicycle traffic counter on 11 February – 31 March 1997. [In Finnish]. 24. Status of testing. 16 July 1997. [In Finnish].

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25. Testing of the pedestrian and bicycle traffic counter in Oulu on 6 October – 20 November 1997. Situation report. 17 December 1997. [In Finnish]. 26. Development of the pedestrian and bicycle traffic counter. Test programme. 13 February 1998. [In Finnish]. 27. Testing of the pedestrian and bicycle traffic counter. Order. 27 February 1998. [In Finnish]. 28. Testing of the pedestrian and bicycle traffic counter in Oulu on 25 February – 3 April 1998. Situation report. 15 April 1998. [In Finnish]. 29. Testing of the pedestrian and bicycle traffic counter in Oulu on 25 February – 5 June 1998. Final report. 8 June 1998. [In Finnish]. 30. Pedestrian and bicycle traffic counter. Memorandum on a meeting. 23 June 1998. [In Finnish].

All the above documents are to be found at Finnra's Traffic and Road Research Unit.

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