Download - Conducting Bicycle and Pedestrian Counts in Your Community: Count Manager Training

Conducting Bicycle and Pedestrian Counts in Your

Community: Count Manager Training

MnDot Bicycle and Pedestrian Counting Initiative

MnDOT Bicycle and Pedestrian Counting Initiative

• The MnDOT Research• Some reasons for counting

The MnDOT Bike and Ped Counting Research Project

• New initiative to encourage communities to count non-motorized traffic - bicyclists and pedestrians

• Information, training, and technical support for new local counting bike and ped programs– Guidance for annual field counts – Support for pilot automated counting projects

• Central repository for count data

Bike & Ped Counts Needed to Achieve MnDOT Priorities• 2050 Vision – Minnesota Go: to support multi-modal

systems• Complete Streets: to understand vehicle, bicycle,

and pedestrian interactions• Toward Zero Deaths: to assess exposure and

effectiveness of safety programs• Performance measures: to assess progress

towards state’s transportation goals

MnDOT Bike & Ped Initiative Based on Other Successful Programs• Designed to integrate with MnDOT motor vehicle

count program• Builds on experience of Minnesota communities,

DOT initiatives in CO & WA, and the National Bicycle and Pedestrian Demonstration Project

• Consistent with FHWA protocols in new Traffic Monitoring Guide

MnDOT reasons for counting …• Bicycling and walking are important modes of

transportation• Few bike and ped traffic counts available• Traffic counts needed to

– Plan complete transportation systems– Invest resources in facilities and maintenance

operations more efficiently– Assess effectiveness of safety interventions

MDH reasons for counting

• Aligns with health improvement efforts• Provides SHIP grantees with TA• Establishes baseline for community

evaluation efforts• Leverages resources and partnerships

Counting Basics

• Motor Vehicle Traffic• Local Collaboration• Types of Counts• Manual vs. Automatic• How local counts feed into the Statewide project

Modeled on MnDOT Motor Vehicle Count Program• FHWA guidelines, MnDOT management and

protocols, and local cooperation• Network of 1,000+ permanent, continuous counters

and 30,000+ locations for short duration (48 hour) counts

• Used to report Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) and measure Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT)

Local Collaboration Key to Success• Minnesota local governments and nonprofit

organizations have pioneered local counting programs

• Local governments are mostly responsible for roads with most bike and ped traffic

• No federal or state financial support for bike and ped counting programs

Some Counting Basics• All counts are estimates• Main purposes for counting

– Measure volumes (AADT, VMT)*– Measure turning movements– Understand behaviors

• Types of counts– Screenline counts (volumes, behaviors)*– Intersection counts (turning movements, safety/crash studies)

• Approaches to counting– Manual, field observations (short duration)*– Automated counts (continuous)

*Focus of this presentation

Types of counts

Screenline counts:

Imaginary line perpendicular to street

Count all persons on bike or feet who cross screenline within street right-of-way

Count both directions

Use consistent location for observation

Screenline Counts

Manual vs. Automated Counts• Manual counts

– Good for short periods at multiple locations– “Snapshots” do not reveal traffic patterns and are hard to

extrapolate • Automated counts

– Provide continuous counts at limited number of locations– Needed to develop adjustment factors for extrapolating

short term counts

• Replicate what was done in Twin Cities around the state• Short duration counts help make the models more accurate

for different types of facilities and size communities

How local counts fit into the statewide project

Non-motorized traffic counts Minneapolis, MNTLC and City of Minneapolis Count

Locations, 2007-2009

0 1 2 3 40.5Miles

5

On-Street Bicycle Facility

Bike Lane, One-Way

Bike Lanes

Shared Lane

Off-Street Trail

Off-Street Bicycle Facility

None

Count Locations

Count Description Method of observation Manual

Traffic observed Cyclist - separate

Pedestrian - separate

Locations in Minneapolis

On /off-street bike facilities and no bike facilities

(n=259)

Period of observation 2007-2010

Number of observations 436

Length of observations

12-hour (n=43)2-hour peak period

(n=352)Other

Limitations Human error

Counts by road/facility type

Type of Street / Facility

Daily Auto Traffic Volume

% all count locations

% of count location type with bike facilities

Principal Arterial 15,000 - 100,000 1% 0% Minor Arterial 5,000 - 30,000 42% 25% Collector 1,000 - 15,000 18% 20% Local < 1,000 24% 18% Off-street trail 0 15% 100%

Daily patterns in non-motorized traffic (n=43)

Scaling factors for “daily” traffic Bicycle Pedestrian

Time period

Percent of 12-hour count

Scale factor

R2

Percent of 12-hour count

Scale factor

R2

7-8am 7.5% 13.2 0.88 6.9% 14.5 0.91

8-9am 9.3% 10.7 0.90 5.3% 18.7 0.96

9-10am 7.8% 12.9 0.89 6.1% 16.4 0.97

10-11am 6.4% 15.6 0.89 5.9% 16.8 0.96

11-noon 5.9% 16.9 0.87 9.2% 10.9 0.99

noon-1pm 5.2% 19.1 0.77 9.7% 10.3 0.99

1-2pm 7.2% 14.0 0.88 8.7% 11.5 0.99

2-3pm 7.5% 13.3 0.84 8.8% 11.4 0.98

3-4pm 9.3% 10.8 0.90 7.8% 12.8 0.98

4-5pm 12.0% 8.4 0.93 10.4% 9.6 0.97

5-6pm 12.6% 7.9 0.89 12.3% 8.2 0.996

Example: Multiplying 4-5 pm traffic by 8.4 yields 12-hour traffic volume.

Conducting Bicycle and Pedestrian Counts:

Volunteer Training

MnDot Bicycle and Pedestrian Counting Initiative

Volunteer Training

• Dates for counting• Using the forms• Defining Bicyclist and Pedestrians

Dates for the first MnDOT Counts

• September 11, 12, 13, 2012 (Tu, Wed, TH)– Peak hour: 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 or 7:00 p.m.– 12-hour day: 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

• September 15 (Sat)– Peak hours: 10:00 a.m. – noon or 2:00 p.m.– 12 hour day: 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

• Rain dates: Sept. 18, 19, 20, 22

• Complete all of the fields on both sides of this form.• Count all bicyclists and pedestrians crossing your screen line under the appropriate

categories. Make only one tally mark for each person.• Count for two hours in 15 minute increments. • Count bicyclists who ride on the sidewalk. • Count the number of people on the bicycle (i.e., bicyclists), not the number of bicycles.• Pedestrians include all people not on bicycles. Record pedestrians in wheelchairs, on

skates, on scooters, etc. in “Pedestrians Assisted” columns. • Do your best when traffic volumes are high or people talk to you; it is easy to lost

count. Do your best, but note if you lose track. • If traffic volumes are high count bicycle and pedestrian totals and disregard other

attributes.

How to Use MnDOT Counting Form

Two-hour counts(4:00 -6:00 pm)

Start on time (arrive early!)

Include name, date & Location with ID

See instructions on form*Make a note of any unusual thing that

impacted the count at the bottom of the sheet or in space on back.

Conducting the count

Every person (bicyclist or pedestrian) is always counted.

Other attributes also may be tallied, including gender, direction of travel, or use of helmet, depending on purpose.

Other attributes also may be tallied, including gender, direction of travel, or use of helmet, depending on purpose.

Recording Bikes and Peds

Defining bikes and walkers

Example of Count Tallies

One male bicyclist

Example 1

Two female pedestrians

One using assistive device (wheelchair)

Image from PBIC Image Library www.pedbikeimages.org

Example 2

I I

http://www.pedbikeimages.org/

One male bicyclist

Example 3

I

Four pedestrians:Three female; One male Two

children

Two Assist


Example 4

II II


Two cyclists:One male; One female Also a child

Image from Alta Planning National Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation ProjectExamples courtesy of Alta Planning National Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation Project

Example 5

I I

Two female bicyclists;

Four pedestrians One male; Three female

One child


Example 6

I II III


Two bicyclists:One male;One female

5 male pedestrians;

Two on assistive devices (in-line skates)


Example 7

I III III


Count each person not each bike!

Five bicyclists: Three male; Two female;Three - children

Image from Alta Planning National Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation Project

Examples courtesy of Alta Planning National Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation Project

Example 8

II I II

What to Take on Day of Count• Instructions• Location maps• Count forms• Clipboards• Pens, pencils, and spares• Watch, phone, or timepiece• Public information sheet• Safety vest (may be available from MnDOT)• Optional: hat, sunscreen, jacket, folding chair …

How to Interact with Public

• Counter must– Maintain focus on counting– Explain politely what he or she is doing and reasons for

count– Note if count interrupted– Provide person interrupting with print information about

count (see example)

Work Zone Safety Considerations

• Your counting locations represents a “transportation work zone”

• Safety is your primary concern; do not take risks• Wear safety vest or high visibility colors• Do not interfere with traffic flow• Contact count manager if questions arise

Thank You

Your contact info here

Managing a Count Program

• Count Manager Role• Selecting Count locations• Recruit, Train and Schedule volunteers• Conduct Counts• Report Counts

Steps in Starting a Counting Program

1. Consider the 5 W’s and an H*2. Consult stakeholders and determine purpose3. Confirm partnerships4. Select locations, and create maps5. Recruit and train counters*6. Conduct counts7. Report results to MnDOT8. Evaluate experience and plan next count

*Focus of presentation

Timeline2012 MnDOT Bike and Ped Counts

Steps in Starting a Bike & Ped Counting Program July Aug Sept Oct

1. Consider the 5 W’s and an H X

2. Consult stakeholders and determine purpose X X

3. Confirm partnerships X

4. Select locations and create maps

5. Recruit and train volunteers X X

6. Conduct counts X

7. Report results to MnDOT X X

8. Evaluate experience and plan next count X

Consider the 5 W’s and an H

A. Why count in my community?B. Who will do the counts?C. Where will the counts be taken?D. What information will be collected?E. When will the counts be taken?F. How will the counts be taken?

A. Why count in my community?

– Document bike and ped traffic on particular streets – Evaluate use of bicycle lanes, sidewalks, trails, and

other facilities– Assess programs like Safe Routes to Schools – Implement Complete Streets policies– Evaluate State Health Improvement Plan strategies– Other - consult stakeholders

B. Who will perform the counts?• Local Count Manager will lead count• Employees or volunteers will perform counts• People and partners depend on purpose

– Public works for traffic signaling– Planning department for evidence for plans– Parks & recreation for measuring trail use– Public Health for active living evaluations– Nonprofits and advocates for documenting need

C. Where will the counts be taken?• Locations where you need information

– Arterials, collector, or local streets (mid-block)– Sidewalks (mid-block)– Bicycle or pedestrian facilities such as multi-use trails

(shared-use paths)– Intersections (more complex)– Downtown near businesses – Near schools, parks, and other important destinations

Factors in Choice of Count Locations

• Counts taken at location previously• Existing or proposed bike or ped facilities• Number of accidents or collisions• Presence of transit options • Stakeholder interest in location• Land use mix• Accessibility and safety for counters

Goal is to Count at Multiple Locations• Many counts needed to understand variation in

traffic over space and time• Resource limitations prevent random or

representative samples of entire community• Strive for many locations (> 3 initially)• Examples

– Met Council counts trail users at > 500 sites– Minneapolis DPW & Transit for Livable Communities

count annually at > 250 locations

Examples• Bridge or other pinch point• Trail• Bike Lane• Destination

Count location details• Count location form• GPS coordinates • Create map for volunteer• Test conducting a count

TrailTrailU of M Transitway, east of 29U of M Transitway, east of 29thth Ave SE Ave SE

Counter locationCounter locationScreen lineScreen line

N

NOTES: Screenline revised for 2011 moved from 25th, as 29th is now the bike route from 27th Ave.Count bicycles as riding on the transitway or on the sidepath (sidewalk riding)

Location 9:Location 9:Hennepin Ave bridgeHennepin Ave bridge


N

NOTES: Screen line is south of the stairway to W River Pkwy at the foot of the bridge

Location 15:Location 15:2626thth Ave N, east of Penn - Bike Boulevard Ave N, east of Penn - Bike Boulevard


N

NOTES: Screen line has been revised to be consistent with 2009 and 2010 counts just east of gas station driveway.

Location 6: Location 6: Riverside Ave, over I-94 - BridgeRiverside Ave, over I-94 - Bridge


N

NOTES: Observation from mound on NE side of the intersection, screen line is the bridge. CLOSED 2011

Location 26:Location 26:Franklin Ave BridgeFranklin Ave Bridge


N

NOTES:

Location 39:Location 39:Cedar Lake Trail, west of Kenilworth Trail (w of I-394)Cedar Lake Trail, west of Kenilworth Trail (w of I-394)


N

NOTES: Observe from north of RR tracks – DO NOT COUNT KENILWORTH TRAIL Coordinate with other Cedar Lake Trail counts Loc 40, 43 and 70

Location 149: Location 149: Bryant Ave, north of Lake Street - Bike BoulevardBryant Ave, north of Lake Street - Bike Boulevard


N

NOTES: Not Annual Benchmark – Monthly count location only

Location 541:Location 541:Summit Ave, east of Western Ave - Bike LaneSummit Ave, east of Western Ave - Bike Lane


N

NOTES:

D. What information will be collected?

• Required data (screenline counts)– Number of bicyclists past point– Number of pedestrians past point

• Optional data: attributes, behaviors, based on goals– Direction– Gender– Relative age– Use of helmet

E. Dates for the first MnDOT Counts

• September 11, 12, 13, 2012 (Tu, Wed, TH)– Peak hour: 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 or 7:00 p.m.– 12-hour day: 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

• September 15 (Sat)– Peak hours: 10:00 a.m. – noon or 2:00 p.m.– 12 hour day: 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

• Rain dates: Sept. 18, 19, 20, 22

E. Other dates

• Peak periods and hours for biking or walking– Spring or fall; school in session– Both weekdays and weekends

• Good weather conditions• At least annually, over many years

E. When will the counts be taken?

• Weekdays (essential)– Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays (consistent patterns)– Peak hours (varies by mode; essential)

• Bikes: 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. or 7:00 p.m.• Peds: Noon – 1:00 p.m.; 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. or 7:00 p.m.

– 12 hour days (7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.)• Weekend days

– 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m, depending on location– 12 hour days (7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.)

F. How will the counts be taken?

• Count managers will train staff and volunteers• Staff and volunteers will record bicycle and

pedestrian traffic in field on MnDOT standard counting forms

• Count managers will collect, record, and report counts to MnDOT

• MnDOT and research team will report results

What to do if bad weather or emergency

• If bad weather – hard rain, thunderstorms and lightning, or tornado warnings or watches – stop count, note time on form, and go to safe place; report to manager as soon as possible.

• If emergency, call 911 as appropriate, and contact count manager as soon as possible. Document emergency on forms.

How to Report Results• Counter

– Give completed forms with tallies to count manager• Count manager

– Collect completed forms from each counter– Record tallies on spreadsheet ; check totals twice– Send spread and copies of tally sheets or pdf to Lisa

Austin, MnDOT

Totals• Bicycles• Pedestrians• Hourly• Total

Check list of Count Manager TasksCoordinate with local partners and MnDOTChoose and inspect counting locationsDetermine where counter will be locatedDetermine number of volunteer counters neededDetermine counting scheduleCreate packet of information for countersTrain countersProvide and collect essential formsNotify public safety officials and responsible agenciesCheck weather and traffic conditionsEnsure counts done correctly Share data with local partners and MnDOT

Example Counting Program

An Example: Anytown, Minnesota• Anytown Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee

and SHIP Program proposes to count bikes and peds to see if people are using new bike lanes

• Counting plan– 5 locations, two 12-hour reference sites– Wed, Sat counts

• Labor requirements– Count manager– Counters for 30 hours (15 people for 2-hour blocks)

Anytown Counting ScheduleWed Wed Wed Wed Sat

Site 1 (reference) Site 2 Site 3 Site 4 Site 5 (reference)

7:00 a.m. X X

8:00 a.m. X X

9:00 a.m. X X

10:00 a.m. X X

11:00 a.m. X X

12:00 noon X X

1:00 p.m. X X

2:00 p.m. X X

3:00 p.m. X X

4:00 p.m. X X

5:00 p.m. X X X X X

6:00 p.m. X X X X X

Anytown Potential Counting Partners

• Complete Streets Committee members• Municipal Depts. & employees (Public Works; Parks

& Recreation, Planning , Public Health)• Bike or outdoor club members• College or high school classes• Boy and Girls Scouts• Local service clubs

Training Anytown’s Counters• How to count bicyclists and pedestrians• How to use MnDOT standard counting form• How to interact with public • What to take on day of count• What to do if counting in a work zone• What to do in case of bad weather or emergencies• How to report results

What to Take on Day of Count• Instructions• Location maps• Count forms• Clipboards• Pens, pencils, and spares• Watch, phone, or timepiece• Public information sheet• Safety vest (may be available from MnDOT)• Optional: hat, sunscreen, jacket, folding chair …

Public Information Sheet for Counters

MnDOT

Bicyclist and Pedestrian Counting Program

We are participating in a research project with MnDOT to study bicyclist and pedestrian traffic volumes. For more information, you may contact Lisa Austin, MnDOT Transportation Planner, 651-366-4193, [email protected]. I will be happy to answer your questions if possible, but I must keep focused on counting to ensure our counts are as accurate as possible. Thank you for your interest in our program.

mailto:[email protected]

Next Steps

• Permanent-continuous counts and automated counts short duration counts

• Extrapolate with factors and models

Test Automated Equipment• Permanent Continuous• Automated Portable

Extrapolating Short Counts• Engineers use short counts to estimate traffic

volumes for longer periods of time– Peak hour counts are extrapolated to daily counts– Daily counts are aggregated to monthly counts– Monthly counts are aggregated to annual volumes

• Full day counts are best for developing adjustment factors used to extrapolate

• Extrapolating involves error but error is acceptable given goals and resource limitations

Extrapolating Peak Hour Counts: An Example

Non-motorized Volume or Factor Peak Hour Volume (September weekday) 25Peak Hour % of Daily Traffic 14%Weekday volume 179Weekend/weekday ratio 1.4Weekend daily volume 250Monthly volume 5,929 September % of annual volume 12%Annual volume 49,405

Bike & Ped Traffic Counting: Some Minnesota Examples Agency / Organization Counting

MethodBikes Peds Mixed

ModeInfrastructure type

Minneapolis DPW Manual Yes Yes Streets, sidewalks, trails

Loop detector

Yes Trail

Transit for Livable Communities

Manual Yes Yes Streets, sidewalks, trails

Infrared Yes Yes Sidewalks, trails

Three Rivers Park Dist. Infrared Yes Trails

Mankato Method Yes Bridge

Tradeoffs in Counting ApproachesFactor Manual Automated -

InfraredAutomated – Loop Detector

Automated - Video

Data collected

Volume, mode, behavior, turning movement

Volume only (not mode)

Bike volume only Volume, mode, behavior, turning

Duration Short duration 24-hour 24-hour 24-hour

Accuracy of counts

High, but errors with higher volumes and turning movements

Systematic undercounts (grouping)

Depends on technologies

Potentially higher than in field counts

Technical issues

Need to train staff or volunteers

Need to calibrate Need to calibrate Need to train counters

Cost Expensive or time-consuming

Less expensive Less expensive Expensive for manual coding

Questions?• For more information contact:

Lisa AustinABC Ramps Coordinator / Bicycle and Pedestrian PlannerMnDot Office of Transit, Mail Stop 315, 395 John Ireland BoulevardSt. Paul, MN 55155-1899

Email: [email protected]: 651-366-4193

• Acknowledgements: Transit for Livable Communities; Bike Walk Twin Cities