2013 Session: 640

• Toward a Flexible System for Pedestrian Data Collection Using Microsoft Kinect Motion-Sensing Device
  Abstract: Information about pedestrian activity, including volumes, walking speed, and trajectories, are used by transportation agencies and researchers for planning, design and analysis purposes. There exist a number of technologies for automatic pedestrian data collection; however all have inherent limitations either in functionality or in monetary cost. Also, most technologies only provide counts. This paper proposes the use of an inexpensive motion sensing device: the Microsoft Kinect, which is able to track multiple people in low-light conditions and could be combined with existing video based daytime tracking. The tracking software and speed estimation methodologies are described, and indoor and outdoor studies show the system’s effectiveness at determining pedestrian volumes and walking speeds. The accuracy of speed data is very satisfactory, with correlation of 98% or more with respect to video data validation speeds. The accuracy of pedestrian volume data varies with traffic conditions, however in low to moderate traffic conditions its performance is accept able with an under counting error of about 8%. The different applications of the sensor and its complementarity with other sensors is discussed, this being the first step towards a multi-sensor system.
  Authors: Charreyron, Samuel; Jackson, Stewart; Miranda-Moreno, Luis Fernando
  Authors: Charreyron, Samuel; Jackson, Stewart; Miranda-Moreno, Luis Fernando
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Data and Information Technology; Pedestrians and Bicyclists
  Session: 640
  Paper Number: 13-3284
• Estimating Annual Average Daily Bicyclists: Error and Accuracy
  Abstract: Cities around the country are investing in bicycle infrastructure for which they seek to report bicycle use and safety improvements in order to secure additional transportation funding. A fundamental data need for performing safety studies and reporting facility use is bicyclist traffic volume. To address this need, manual bicycle counting programs have been established that count cyclists for a few hours per year at each designated location. A key issue that arises in designing counting programs (apart from the count locations) is the timing and frequency of the counts required to obtain a reliable estimate of annual average daily bicyclists (AADB). In particular, in which days of the week, hours of the day, and months of the year should counts be collected? And most important to the program cost, how many hours should be counted? This study uses continuous bicycle counts from Boulder, Colorado to estimate AADB and analyze the estimation errors that would be expected from various bicycle-counting scenarios. AADB average estimation errors were found to range from 15% with four weeks of continuous count data to 54% when only one hour is counted per year. This study recommends that counts be conducted for at least twenty-four hours, but perferrably for an entire week, using automated counting devices specificially calibrated for bicycle counting. Seasons with higher bicycle volumes have less variation in bicycle counts and thus more accurate estimates.
  Authors: Nordback, Krista; Marshall, Wesley; Janson, Bruce N.; Stolz, Elizabeth
  Authors: Nordback, Krista; Marshall, Wesley; Janson, Bruce N.; Stolz, Elizabeth
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Data and Information Technology; Pedestrians and Bicyclists
  Session: 640
  Paper Number: 13-3281
• Quality Counts for Pedestrians and Bicyclists: Quality Assurance Procedures for Nonmotorized Traffic Count Data
  Abstract: As pedestrian and bicyclist monitoring increases among public agencies, it is critically important that data quality principles be included in the data collection practices. The main objective of this paper was to outline key quality assurance principles and their application to pedestrian and bicyclist traffic count data. Three key principles of quality assurance were described: 1) Quality assurance starts before data are collected; 2) "Acceptable” data quality is determined by its use; and 3)Measures can quantify different quality dimensions. The authors provide specific recommendations for 2 data quality measures: accuracy and validity.
  Authors: Turner, Shawn M.; Lasley, Philip H.
  Authors: Turner, Shawn M.; Lasley, Philip H.
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Data and Information Technology; Pedestrians and Bicyclists
  Session: 640
  Paper Number: 13-2552
  Practice-Ready: Yes
• Classification of Bicycle Traffic Patterns in Five North American Cities
  Abstract: This paper analyses bicycle ridership patterns using a unique database of automated bicycle counts from approximately 40 locations in five North American cities and along the Route Verte in Quebec. The cities involved in this study are Montreal, Ottawa, Portland, San Francisco, and Vancouver. Count data show that the bicycle volume patterns at each location can be classified as utilitarian, mixed utilitarian, recreational and mixed recreational. Study locations classified into each of these categories are found to have consistent hourly and weekly traffic patterns, despite important differences between these cities in terms of factors such as weather, size, and urban form. Expansion factors for each location type are presented by hour and day of the week. There were differences in seasonal patterns of bicycle activity between the study locations, so different monthly expansion factors are presented for each city. Finally, some traffic volume characteristics are presented for comparison purposes.
  Authors: Miranda-Moreno, Luis Fernando; Nosal, Thomas; Schneider, Robert J.; Proulx, Frank
  Authors: Miranda-Moreno, Luis Fernando; Nosal, Thomas; Schneider, Robert J.; Proulx, Frank
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Data and Information Technology; Pedestrians and Bicyclists
  Session: 640
  Paper Number: 13-3007
  Practice-Ready: Yes
• Classification of Bicycle Traffic Patterns in Five North American Cities
  Authors: Miranda-Moreno, Luis
  Authors: Miranda-Moreno, Luis
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation
  Subject: Data and Information Technology; Pedestrians and Bicyclists
  Session: 640
  Paper Number: 13-3007
• Estimating Annual Average Daily Bicyclists: Error and Accuracy
  Authors: Marshall, Wesley
  Authors: Marshall, Wesley
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation
  Subject: Data and Information Technology; Pedestrians and Bicyclists
  Session: 640
  Paper Number: 13-3281
• Estimating Annual Average Daily Bicyclists: Error and Accuracy
  Authors: Nordback, Krista
  Authors: Nordback, Krista
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation
  Subject: Data and Information Technology; Pedestrians and Bicyclists
  Session: 640
  Paper Number: 13-3281
• Estimating Annual Average Daily Bicyclists: Error and Accuracy
  Authors: Janson, Bruce
  Authors: Janson, Bruce
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation
  Subject: Data and Information Technology; Pedestrians and Bicyclists
  Session: 640
  Paper Number: 13-3281
• Estimating Annual Average Daily Bicyclists: Error and Accuracy
  Authors: Stolz, Elizabeth
  Authors: Stolz, Elizabeth
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation
  Subject: Data and Information Technology; Pedestrians and Bicyclists
  Session: 640
  Paper Number: 13-3281
• Toward a Flexible System for Pedestrian Data Collection Using Microsoft Kinect Motion-Sensing Device
  Authors: Jackson, Stewart
  Authors: Jackson, Stewart
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation
  Subject: Data and Information Technology; Pedestrians and Bicyclists
  Session: 640
  Paper Number: 13-3284
• Presiding Officer
  Authors: Brady, Scott
  Authors: Brady, Scott
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation
  Subject: Data and Information Technology; Pedestrians and Bicyclists
  Session: 640
  Paper Number: Z13-640