CONNECTIONS - CBCL Home CONNECTIONS January 2014.pdf · Visit us online . . For close to 60 years...
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For close to 60 years CBCL Limited has been a respected and trusted firm delivering multidiscipline engineering and technical services throughout Atlantic Canada. We foster mutual success with our clients, value our employees and strive to contribute to the communities in which we live and work. CBCL Limited provides professional consulting in a wide range of sectors, including: Water Buildings Marine Mining Oil and Gas Municipal Services Transportation Energy and Power Environment and Planning Industry and Manufacturing In the past when transportation engineers needed to collect traffic related data, a group would be sent out armed with folding chairs, hot thermoses of coffee and clipboards. They’d be required to position themselves at a designated location to count the passing traffic, classify vehicle types and hope that rain, sleet and wind stayed at bay. If one of these counters needed a break, sipped his or her coffee and possibly in the doing missed a few vehicles, data could be compromised. Not to mention the difficulty that was inherent with handwritten, weather damaged pages where data were collected. CBCL Limited can now bypass these instances with the recent acquisition of Scout Video Collection Units through Miovision Technologies of Kitchener, Ontario. With automatic traffic data collection and video, CBCL’s traffic and transportation engineers are able to gather and analyze data integral to the design and development of new roadways, roundabouts, highway exits and traffic lights that enable a better traffic flow through urban and rural areas. Units are designed for reliable, unattended operation sometimes for days at a time. CBCL recently conducted a large traffic study in Elmsdale/Lantz in East Hants, NS using the equipment. For that study two technicians were Innovations able to set up and program the equipment at each count location within about ten minutes. Using a small video camera positioned about 25 feet above ground level, the units can be used to collect turning movement data at intersections and roundabouts, or two-way volume data along a roadway segment. Each unit is programmed to collect video images of traffic movements during a designated time of day with data recorded to an SD card. Data from the card is uploaded for processing and, using complex algorithms developed for the units, vehicle numbers, movements and classifications are easily identified and reported. While the output is still checked by CBCL technical staff to ensure data integrity, the time saved as well as the level of accuracy and ability to audit the data has proved to significantly exceed manual collection systems. Audrey Muir, P.Eng., Senior Transportation Engineer, at CBCL Limited has used this technology for recent traffic study projects and explains the benefits: “Data accuracy has significantly improved and can easily be confirmed using the video records. Staff and setup costs are reduced compared with traditional traffic count methods - not to mention eliminating the headache of trying to round up enough manual observers and transport them to different locations at unsociable hours of the day and night. Miovision cameras and associated technology is making life much simpler for transportation engineers who need this reliable data as the basis of much of our work. We are very excited to be using this technology and to be involved with Miovision as we are building a reputation and capability in this essential service.” CBCL Limited - making traffic and transportation studies count CONNECTIONS January 2014 “Miovision cameras and associated technology is making life much simpler for transportation engineers who need this reliable data as the basis of much of our work.”
Transcript of CONNECTIONS - CBCL Home CONNECTIONS January 2014.pdf · Visit us online . . For close to 60 years...
www.CBCL.caVisit us online
For close to 60 years CBCL Limited has been a respected and trusted firm delivering multidiscipline engineering and technical services throughout Atlantic Canada.
We foster mutual success with our clients, value our employees and strive to contribute to the communities in which we live and work.
CBCL Limited provides professional consulting in a wide range of sectors, including:
Water Buildings Marine Mining Oil and Gas Municipal Services Transportation Energy and Power Environment and Planning Industry and Manufacturing
In the past when transportation engineers needed to collect traffic related data, a group would be sent out armed with folding chairs, hot thermoses of coffee and clipboards. They’d be required to position themselves at a designated location to count the passing traffic, classify vehicle types and hope that rain, sleet and wind stayed at bay.
If one of these counters needed a break, sipped his or her coffee and possibly in the doing missed a few vehicles, data could be compromised. Not to mention the difficulty that was inherent with handwritten, weather damaged pages where data were collected.
CBCL Limited can now bypass these instances with the recent acquisition of Scout Video Collection Units through Miovision Technologies of Kitchener, Ontario. With automatic traffic data collection and video, CBCL’s traffic and transportation engineers are able to gather and analyze data integral to the design and development of new roadways, roundabouts, highway exits and traffic lights that enable a better traffic flow through urban and rural areas. Units are designed for reliable, unattended operation sometimes for days at a time.
CBCL recently conducted a large traffic study in Elmsdale/Lantz in East Hants, NS using the equipment. For that study two technicians were
Innovations
able to set up and program the equipment at each count location within about ten minutes.
Using a small video camera positioned about 25 feet above ground level, the units can be used to collect turning movement data at intersections and roundabouts, or two-way volume data along a roadway segment. Each unit is programmed to collect video images of traffic movements during a designated time of day with data recorded to an SD card. Data from the card is uploaded for processing and, using complex algorithms developed for the units, vehicle numbers, movements and classifications are easily identified and reported.
While the output is still checked by CBCL technical staff to ensure data integrity, the time saved as well as the level of accuracy and ability to audit the data has proved to significantly exceed manual collection systems.
Audrey Muir, P.Eng., Senior Transportation Engineer, at CBCL Limited has used this technology for recent traffic study projects and explains the benefits:
“Data accuracy has significantly improved and can easily be confirmed using the video records. Staff and setup costs are reduced compared with traditional traffic count methods - not to mention eliminating the headache of trying to round up enough manual observers and transport them to different locations at unsociable hours of the day and night.
Miovision cameras and associated technology is making life much simpler for transportation engineers who need this reliable data as the basis of much of our work. We are very excited to be using this technology and to be involved with Miovision as we are building a reputation and capability in this essential service.”
CBCL Limited - making traffic and transportation studies count
CONNECTIONSJanuary 2014
“Miovision cameras and associated technology is
making life much simpler for transportation engineers who need this reliable data as the basis of much of our work.”
In the 1960s, the British began re-engineering early forms of circular intersections to develop the first modern roundabouts. Though smaller than rotaries, these roundabouts had a higher capacity for the same number of lanes and a track record of improved safety performance. Popular throughout Europe, Australia and other parts of the world since the 1970s, roundabout use in North America has increased over the past 15 years.
Pioneering changeSince 2005 CBCL has been heavily involved in roundabout planning and design with more than 25 projects throughout Atlantic Canada. Our growing expertise in the area has allowed most project tasks to be completed locally in-house.
CBCL CAD technicians have become very skilled at developing complex roundabout grading and layout plans using AutoCAD Civil 3D, as well as preparing complete construction drawing sets. Our 3D CAD files have been used by contractors with GPS survey equipment to greatly simplify field layout of the various roundabout components.
With the recent acquisition of Miovision Scout video traffic data collection units, we can now more accurately obtain turning movement traffic volumes at completed roundabouts, something that is virtually impossible using traditional methods.
Safety and economicsRick Giffin, P.Eng., Senior Project Manager at CBCL Limited explains why roundabouts are much safer than conventional intersections:
Roundabouts 101“They force traffic to slow down and because of this unexpected collisions will be less severe as all traffic is moving in the same direction.”
Giffin also explains environmental and economic benefits of using roundabouts:
“They save fuel as idling is greatly reduced - there’s no sitting at a red light and there is no opposing traffic. They also don’t require electricity to operate like signalized intersections. They have green space in the centre instead of hard pavement in conventional intersections. This space provides opportunities for public art and landscaping. In some cases, they take up less room than multi-lane conventional intersections and we have designed roundabouts for this very reason.”
Traffic Study projects CBCL Limited has conducted include:
• Trunk 2/Route 214 Corridor Traffic Study (2013), NSTIR and the Municipality East Hants - A study to identify an optimal location for a new interchange on Highway 102 in the Lantz area to alleviate existing traffic congestion.
• Ecole Francophone Nord, Fredericton - Proposed School Development Traffic Impact Investigation, NBDTI (2013).
• Leisure Time Sales RV Center, Quispamsis - Proposed Development, Traffic Impact Study, L.T.S. Investments (2013).
• East Riverview Traffic Study, Riverview, NB, Town of Riverview (2012). Study of the Hillsborough Road corridor and identification of existing deficiencies within the Town’s street network east of Gunningsville Boulevard. Recommendations were made to alleviate peak hour congestion along Hillsborough Road and improve side street access.
• Larry Uteck Interchange Study, Bedford, NS, NSTIR (2008). An investigation of the traffic-related impacts associated with constructing a new Highway 102 interchange at Larry Uteck Boulevard. The study involved modelling existing and future traffic demand at the location, analysis of three multi-lane roundabout intersections, identifying levels of service, and making recommendations to accommodate the projected traffic flow.
• Burnside Phase 12 Traffic Impact Study, Dartmouth, NS, HRM (2008). Traffic impact study to evaluate the effects of the full build of Burnside Phase 12. Trip generation, distribution, and assignments were carried out following full build, and five years after this point. Three intersections along the route were analyzed to determine lane and intersection control requirements using Synchro/SimTraffic 7.0.
CBCL LIMITEDHalifax (902) 421-7241 • Sydney (902) 539-1330Charlottetown (902) 892-0303 • Saint John (506) 633-6650Fredericton (506) 450-9441 • Moncton (506) 858-2400 St. John’s (709) 364-8623 • Happy Valley-Goose Bay (709) 896-9707
The most significant quantifiable research conducted on the benefits of roundabouts versus traffic lights is the ease of traffic flow and reduction in congested
intersections during peak travel times.
Drivers entering a roundabout must yield to circulating traffic. Dashed yield lines
mark outside edges of circulating roads at
each approach. Raised splitter islands on each leg separate the entry
and exit lanes and assist in deflecting vehicles around the central
island.
www.CBCL.caVisit us online
CBCL LIMITEDHalifax (902) 421-7241 • Sydney (902) 539-1330Charlottetown (902) 892-0303 • Saint John (506) 633-6650Fredericton (506) 450-9441 • Moncton (506) 858-2400 St. John’s (709) 364-8623 • Happy Valley-Goose Bay (709) 896-9707
Visit CBCL Limited onlinewww.CBCL.ca
NewsworthyCBCL Limited Selected as one of Atlantic Canada’s Top 25 Employers for 2014CBCL Limited is pleased to announce it has once again been selected as one of Atlantic Canada’s Top 25 Employers for 2014. Now in its 6th year, this annual competition organized by the editors of Canada's Top 100 Employers recognizes Atlantic Canadian employers that lead their industries in offering exceptional places to work. This is CBCL’s fourth consecutive year begin selected.
AECOM and CBCL Receive ACEC Canadian Consulting Engineering Award of Excellence for Sydney Tar PondsAECOM and CBCL Limited were presented the Award of Excellence at the 2013 Canadian Consulting Engineering Awards Gala. The two firms share the honour in the Environmental Remediation category for their work on the Sydney Tar Ponds and Coke Oven Sites Remediation project in Sydney, Nova Scotia.
