115968 | Travel Monitoring

This program will improve efficiency of the regions transportation system by collecting and analyzing traffic data to determine the utilization of the regions transportation network.
This ongoing regional program collects and processes travel data, the primary form being traffic counts, including hourly and 48-hour traffic volumes, for selected locations on the regional highway network. Data collected will provide input to Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) forecasting, the Traffic Monitoring System (TMS), the Congestion Management System (CMS), travel simulation models, individual project level analysis, traffic monitoring, and trend analysis. This information is vital to all project studies that address highway deficiencies and proposed solutions. Traffic count information from the database may be queried at https://www.dvrpc.org/webmaps/TrafficCounts/. The program is supported by funding from various sources. Because this is a regional program, the federal PL funds help support the operations and infrastructure required as base elements to run a travel monitoring program region wide. These base elements include the leases on a fleet of travel monitoring vehicles, operations and maintenance of those vehicles, an inventory of data collection and safety equipment, editing, processing and uploading of the count data into the database system which feeds the count viewers on the DVRPC website
To facilitate uninterrupted data collection, it will be necessary to procure new counting equipment, supplies, repairs, or services as needed.
Tasks
1. Coordinate with PennDOT, NJDOT, and member governments to review traffic count locations.
2. DVRPC will conduct traffic counts for PennDOT at assigned locations, with at least 40% of assigned locations being classification counts, if the total assignment cannot be reached then the percentage of classification counts will be increased until total assignment amount is reached even with 100% of assigned locations being classification counts.
3. Establish weekly schedules, staff assignments, and control procedures.
4. Collect traffic data at approximately 3,000 selected locations.
5. Process counts, edit for quality control, upload data into the DVRPC Traffic Count Database.
6. Maintain and further automate traffic data systems and procedures to enhance productivity, including data obtained by third parties via remote sensors, etc.
7. Submit counts collected during the year electronically by specific deadlines established by PennDOT and member governments.
8. Maintain an inventory of data collection and safety equipment, including purchasing new equipment with enhanced technology and capability, purchasing needed supplies such as road tube, and procuring necessary repairs if existing equipment gets damaged.
9. Collect travel data from non-highway modes, including pedestrian, bicycle and public transportation travel system characteristics and user traits as requested.
10. DVRPC will also coordinate with PennDOT and NJDOT, the counties, and cities on the collection and validation of data on the local transportation asset inventory (as requested).
See also MPMS #104639