Evaluation of Portable Automated Data Collection Technologies: Interim Report, Work Accomplished During Fiscal Year 2005-2006

This report documents work accomplished during Fiscal Year 2005-2006 as a part of a research project entitled “Evaluation of Portable Automated Data Collection Technologies.” Major activities during this period included a literature survey, surveys of potential users and vendors, preliminary evaluation of portable data collection technologies to select candidate systems for demonstration, and development of demonstration plans. There is demand for portable automated data collection systems for uses related to planning, traffic operations, traffic census, and traffic surveillance functions. Potential users are interested in volume count, speed, occupancy, travel time, vehicle-length classification, and axle-based vehicle classification data. Potential uses require systems to remain installed from a few hours up to several years. Potential users want systems that minimize traffic disruption and exposure of crews to traffic, are “plug-and-play,” have IP-addressable communications capability, can provide data in a variety of formats, and have flexible power supplies. Candidate systems for demonstration are expected to consist of combinations of different sensors with different power supply and mounting system options. Current plans call for nine separate demonstrations. These demonstrations include tests of systems based on EIS microwave radar sensors that are currently underway in Caltrans District 11, demonstrations of other systems based on EIS and Wavetronix microwave radar sensors to be designed by the study team and carried out by District 11, and a demonstration of The Infra-Red Traffic Logger (TIRTL) that is planned by District 7.