It can be done-- counting bicycles and cars, at the same time, with the same equipment! In this presentation my colleagues and I share the results of our research, which was published in the ITE Journal.
14. beta Test-
Attachment Methods and Counters Studied
MetroCount:
clear vinyl sleeve
Eco-Counter:
metal bracket
15. Station Set-Ups
Roads without Shoulders Roads with Shoulders
4 ft
4 ft 33 ft
27 ft
Three Distance Groups:
โข 4โ Group
โข 27โ Group
โข 33โ Group
29. bikemotorcycleSVSVTTB2TB3ART4(WB-40) bikeART5(WB-50) ART5(WB-62) T4 (non standardART3Non standardmotorcycleART6non standardDRT non standardBD non standardbikemotorcycleSVSVTTB2TB3ART4(WB-40) bikeART5(WB-50) ART5(WB-62) T4 (non standardART3Non standardmotorcycleART6non standardDRT non standardBD non standardbikemotorcycleSVSVTTB2TB3ART4(WB-40) bikeART5(WB-50) ART5(WB-62) non standardART3Non standardmotorcycleART6non standardDRT non standardBD non standardbikemotorcycleSVSVTTB2TB3ART4(WB-40) bikeART5(WB-50) ART5(WB-62) T4 (non standardART3Non standardmotorcycleART6non standardDRT non standardBD non standardbikemotorcycleSVSVTTB2TB3ART4(WB-40) bikeART5(WB-50) ART5(WB-62) T4 (non standardART3Non standardmotorcycleART6non standardDRT non standardBD non standardbikemotorcycleSVSVTTB2TB3ART4(WB-40) bikeART5(WB-50) ART5(WB-62) T4 (non standardART3Non standardmotorcycleART6non standardDRT non standardBD non standardbikemotorcycleSVSVTTB2TB3ART4(WB-40) bikeART5(WB-50) ART5(WB-62) T4 (non standardART3Non standardmotorcycleART6non standardDRT non standardBD non standardbikemotorcycleSVSVTTB2TB3ART4(WB-40) bikeART5(WB-50) ART5(WB-62) T4 (non standardART3Non standardmotorcycleART6non standardDRT WB-40) bikeART5(WB-50) ART5(WB-62) standardART3Non standardmotorcycleART6non standardDRT WB-40) WB-50) ART5(WB-62) standardmotorcycleART6non standardDRT non standardBD WB-40) bikeART5(WB-50) ART5(WB-62) T4 (non standardART3Non standardmotorcycleART6non standardDRT non standardBD non standardbikemotorcycleSVSVTTB2TB3ART4(WB-40) bikeART5(WB-50) ART5(WB-62) T4 (non standardART3Non standardmotorcycleART6non standardDRT non standardBD non standard
ARX Cycle Vehicle Classes
1: Cycle (Bicycle)
2: MC (Motorcycle)
3: SV (Passenger Car)
4: SVT (Car with Trailer)
5: TB2 (Rigid-body 2 Axle Truck)
6: TB3 (Rigid-body 3 Axle Truck)
7: T4 (Rigid-body 4 Axle Truck)
8: ART3 (3 Axle Articulated Truck)
9: ART4 (4 Axle Articulated Truck)
10: ART5 (5 Axle Articulated Truck)
11: ART6 (6 Axle Articulated Truck)
12: BD (B-Double)
13: DRT (Double/ Road Train)
30. bike
motorcycle
SV SVT
TB2
TB3
ART4
(WB-40)
bike
ART5
(WB-50)
ART5
(WB-62)
T4 (non standard
ART3
Non standard
motorcycle
ART6
non standard
DRT non standard
BD non standard
bike
motorcycle
SV SVT
TB2
TB3
ART4
(WB-40)
bike
ART5
(WB-50)
ART5
(WB-62)
T4 (non standard
ART3
Non standard
motorcycle
ART6
non standard
DRT non standard
BD non standard
bike
motorcycle
SV SVT
TB2
TB3
ART4
(WB-40)
bike
ART5
(WB-50)
ART5
(WB-62)
non standard
ART3
Non standard
motorcycle
ART6
non standard
DRT non standard
BD non standard
bike
motorcycle
SV SVT
TB2
TB3
ART4
(WB-40)
bike
ART5
(WB-50)
ART5
(WB-62)
T4 (non standard
ART3
Non standard
motorcycle
ART6
non standard
DRT non standard
BD non standard
bike
motorcycle
SV SVT
TB2
TB3
ART4
(WB-40)
bike
ART5
(WB-50)
ART5
(WB-62)
T4 (non standard
ART3
Non standard
motorcycle
ART6
non standard
DRT non standard
BD non standard
bike
motorcycle
SV SVT
TB2
TB3
ART4
(WB-40)
bike
ART5
(WB-50)
ART5
(WB-62)
T4 (non standard
ART3
Non standard
motorcycle
ART6
non standard
DRT non standard
BD non standard
bike
motorcycle
SV SVT
TB2
TB3
ART4
(WB-40)
bike
ART5
(WB-50)
ART5
(WB-62)
T4 (non standard
ART3
Non standard
motorcycle
ART6
non standard
DRT non standard
BD non standard
bike
motorcycle
SV SVT
TB2
TB3
ART4
(WB-40)
bike
ART5
(WB-50)
ART5
(WB-62)
T4 (non standard
ART3
Non standard
motorcycle
ART6
non standard
bike
motorcycle
SV SVT
TB2
TB3
ART4
(WB-40)
bike
ART5
(WB-50)
ART5
(WB-62)
standard
ART3
Non standard
motorcycle
ART6
non standard
bike
motorcycle
SV SVT
ART4
(WB-40)
ART5
(WB-50)
ART5
(WB-62)
ART3
Non standard
motorcycle
ART6
non standard
DRT non standard
bike
motorcycle
SV SVT
TB2
TB3
ART4
(WB-40)
bike
ART5
(WB-50)
ART5
(WB-62)
T4 (non standard
ART3
Non standard
motorcycle
ART6
non standard
DRT non standard
BD non standard
bike
motorcycle
SV SVT
TB2
TB3
ART4
(WB-40)
bike
ART5
(WB-50)
ART5
(WB-62)
T4 (non standard
ART3
Non standard
motorcycle
ART6
non standard
DRT non standard
BD non standard
ARX Cycle
Vehicle Classes
1: Cycle (Bicycle)
2: MC (Motorcycle)
3: SV (Passenger Car)
4: SVT (Car with Trailer)
5: TB2 (Rigid-body 2 Axle Truck)
6: TB3 (Rigid-body 3 Axle Truck)
7: T4 (Rigid-body 4 Axle Truck)
8: ART3 (3 Axle Articulated Truck)
9: ART4 (4 Axle Articulated Truck)
10: ART5 (5 Axle Articulated Truck)
11: ART6 (6 Axle Articulated Truck)
12: BD (B-Double)
13: DRT (Double/ Road Train)
Letโs look at
the T4 Class.
31. standardART3Non ARX Cycle Rules for T4:
4 or more axles
2 axle groups
1st axle group
2nd axle group
T4 Class (Rigid-body 4 Axle Trucks)
32. standardART3Non ARX Cycle Rules for T4:
4 or more axles
2 axle groups
1st axle group
2nd axle group
T4 Class (Rigid-body 4 Axle Trucks)
Axles are in the same axle group if they are less than 5.4 ft apart from their neighbor
36. standardART3Non ARX Cycle Rules for T4:
4 or more axles
2 axle groups
1st axle group
2nd axle group
1st axle group
2nd axle group
Looking at the T4 Class
37. 4 or more axles
2 axle groups
d1 > 4 ft
standard
ART3
ARX Cycle Rules for T4:
4 or more axles
2 axle groups
BOCO Rules for T4:
d1 d1
d1 for a bike almost
never exceeds 4 ft.
Editing the T4 Class
38. 4 or more axles
2 axle groups
d1 > 4 ft
standard
ART3
ARX Cycle Rules for T4:
4 or more axles
2 axle groups
BOCO Rules for T4:
d1
BOCO Rules for 2Bikes:
d1 d2 d3
4 axles
2 axle groups
2.9 ft < d1 < 4 ft
2.9 ft < d3 < 4 ft
Editing the T4 Class
41. x 1 = 90
x 2 = 16
x 3 = 21
x 4 = 4
Total Bikes = 131
42. x 1 = 90
x 2 = 16
x 3 = 21
x 4 = 4
Total Bikes = 131
The ARX Classification would have only counted 90 bikes
but the BOCO Classification counted 131 bikes!
43. 0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00% 60.00% 70.00% 80.00% 90.00% 100.00% 05101520253035 Counter Accuracy 33' Group27' Group 4' Group Distance from counter (ft.) Counter Accuracy vs. Distance from CounterEcoBOCO 5' LoopARX 5' Loop
44. Distance to CounterNumber of BikesCounter Accuracy95% Confidence IntervalNumber of bikes countedCorrection Factor (1/accuracy) Corrected Number of BikesMargin of Error (bikes) 4'100094.68%2.68%9471.0561000ยฑ 2727'100054.72%9.85%5471.8271000ยฑ 9933'100060.35%8.95%6041.6571000ยฑ 90
Applying Correction Factors
(results from MetroCount using BOCO Scheme)
45. Distance to CounterNumber of BikesCounter Accuracy95% Confidence IntervalNumber of bikes countedCorrection Factor (1/accuracy) Corrected Number of BikesMargin of Error (bikes) 4'100094.68%2.68%9471.0561000ยฑ 2727'100054.72%9.85%5471.8271000ยฑ 9933'100060.35%8.95%6041.6571000ยฑ 90
Applying Correction Factors
Letโs say 1,000 bicyclists cross the tubes 4 feet from the counter.
46. Distance to CounterNumber of BikesCounter Accuracy95% Confidence IntervalNumber of bikes countedCorrection Factor (1/accuracy) Corrected Number of BikesMargin of Error (bikes) 4'100094.68%2.68%9471.0561000ยฑ 2727'100054.72%9.85%5471.8271000ยฑ 9933'100060.35%8.95%6041.6571000ยฑ 90
Applying Correction Factors
At this distance, the counter has an average accuracy of 94.68%, so we can expect 947 bicyclists will be counted.
47. Distance to CounterNumber of BikesCounter Accuracy95% Confidence IntervalNumber of bikes countedCorrection Factor (1/accuracy) Corrected Number of BikesMargin of Error (bikes) 4'100094.68%2.68%9471.0561000ยฑ 2727'100054.72%9.85%5471.8271000ยฑ 9933'100060.35%8.95%6041.6571000ยฑ 90
Applying Correction Factors
Using the correction factor to correct for the known undercount, we can calculate that 1,000 bicyclists crossed the tubes
48. Distance to CounterNumber of BikesCounter Accuracy95% Confidence IntervalNumber of bikes countedCorrection Factor (1/accuracy) Corrected Number of BikesMargin of Error (bikes) 4'100094.68%2.68%9471.0561000ยฑ 2727'100054.72%9.85%5471.8271000ยฑ 9933'100060.35%8.95%6041.6571000ยฑ 90
Confidence Intervals & Margins of Error
With a confidence interval of 2.68%, the margin of error for this count is ยฑ 27 bicyclists
49. Distance to CounterNumber of BikesCounter Accuracy95% Confidence IntervalNumber of bikes countedCorrection Factor (1/accuracy) Corrected Number of BikesMargin of Error (bikes) 4'100094.68%2.68%9471.0561000ยฑ 2727'100054.72%9.85%5471.8271000ยฑ 9933'100060.35%8.95%6041.6571000ยฑ 90
Now letโs look at the whole chart.
Confidence Intervals & Margins of Error
50. Distance
to
Counter
Number
of Bikes
Counter
Accuracy
95%
Confidence
Interval
Number
of bikes
counted
Correction
Factor
(1/accuracy)
Corrected
Number
of Bikes
Margin
of Error
(bikes)
4' 1000 94.68% 2.68% 947 1.056 1000 ยฑ 27
27' 1000 54.72% 9.85% 547 1.827 1000 ยฑ 99
33' 1000 60.35% 8.95% 604 1.657 1000 ยฑ 90
Since the margins
of error are larger
at greater distances,
using two counters
will minimize the
margin of error.
Confidence Intervals & Margins of Error
4โ
4โ
51. Ingredients for Success
1.
Thinner walled โbicycleโ tubes; they still count cars just as well
52. Ingredients for Success
1.
Thinner walled โbicycleโ tubes; they still count cars just as well
2.
A secure tube attachment method that avoids pinching or kinking
53. Ingredients for Success
1.
Thinner walled โbicycleโ tubes; they still count cars just as well
2.
A secure tube attachment method that avoids pinching or kinking
3.
A copy of our โBOCO Classification Schemeโ to use with your traffic analysis softwarebikemotorcycleSVSVTTB2TB3ART4(bikeART5(T4 (non standardART3Non
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56. Whatโs possible now?
โข
Calculating Bicycle Miles Traveled (BMT) on county roads.
โข
Tracking long term trends of bicycling rates.
โข
Estimating county-wide and corridor specific mode share. (Using bike count data in combination with vehicle counts and transit ridership)
โข
Better understanding of bicycle traffic and travel patterns during design phases of roadway projects.
โข
Better prioritization of investments. (Should widths; intersection treatments)
โข
Ability to evaluate the impact, use and safety of new investments.
57. Bicycle Counts with Pneumatic Tube Counters
Alex Hyde-Wright
Transportation Engineering Assistant
Boulder County Transportation Department
303.441.4910
ahyde-wright@bouldercounty.org
Brian Graham, AICP
Bicycle Planner/ Employee Transportation Coordinator
Boulder County Transportation Department
720.564.2667
bgraham@bouldercounty.org
Krista Nordback, Ph.D, PE
Researcher
Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium (OTREC)
503.725.2897
nordback@pdx.edu