Online Traffic Data

The Future of Traffic Data Collection

Chet — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 16:03:33 +0000

What are the chances of THIS happening?

Pneumatic tubes have been used to collect traffic data for over 250 years (approx). Untouched by technology, a rubber hose is still the best way to collect volume, speed, class, and gap data. Give me a couple rubber hoses and I can tell you which way they went, how fast they were going and what kind of vehicle they were in — heck, I’ll even take a guess at the color of their car.

Well, as I’ve been saying for over three years now, that’s all about to change…

Thanks to Bluetooth, MAC, and cell phone signals, it will soon be practical to grab anonymous signals to obtain volume and travel time data. My new favorite iPhone app, Waze, uses crowdsourcing to join forces with other “Wazers” to outsmart traffic, save time and improve everyone’s daily commute. It’s only a matter of time (three years) before cell phones signals replace rubber tubes and every driver will have real time traffic data and travel times.

So, say good by to rubber hoses, detection loops, radar stations, Jamar, MioVision, etc. Before you know it (approx three years), every vehicle will serve as a data collector/transmitter sharing not just speed, volume, and travel times but also road conditions, weather, temperature, and video (for accident reconstruction). Purdue is already experimenting with Bluetooth/MAC to collect volume and turning movement info (esp. difficult at roundabouts) — check it out here.

12th Largest City in America Joins OTD!

Chet — Thu, 12 May 2011 16:51:50 +0000

Almost all cities and counties have a GIS system and most of them include traffic data. Indianapolis is no exception. However, they now enjoy an additional means to share their traffic data. Online Traffic Data utilizes the Google maps platform to simultaneously display traffic data from multiple agencies using software everyone already has and already knows how to use: Google Maps. Because Indianapolis had several hundred data points, the file format included lat/long information allowing for easy import into our database. Check it out: www.OnlineTrafficData.com.

Is it possible to view more than one point at a time?

Chet — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 19:39:45 +0000

Not today, but I am considering a “ghosting” technique to aid in comparing previous data point to active data point (see artist’s conception below):

Gunfire can cause rust on controller cabinets

Chet — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 19:03:32 +0000

Excerpt from Tuscon DOT presentation

What is the source of the data?

Chet — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 18:53:46 +0000

Each data source is identified by a unique icon. Next version of OTD will include info for contacting the data provider of the data (useful if you need more detailed info such as peak hour, classification, speed data, etc.). For now, suffice it to say sources include government agencies and/or traffic engineers. As an aside, I am in discussions right now with a state agency regarding the importation of all their data. This state does not collect data annually but estimates (or projects) the missing years. I must admit that in light of the unusual trends in ADT of late, I am hesitant to depict “projected data” and will likely only import actual ADT’s…

Without hitting the “Request More Info” button, can you tell me more?

Chet — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 18:41:07 +0000

Interestingly enough, I have heard this question more than once (I have heard it twice). I guess people are suspicious of clicking buttons. Could it be because they consider their social security number some big secret? Or they think it’s none of my business if they have a dog or not or when they are usually away from home? What’s with all the paranoia???

Here’s my problem, whenever someone clicks that button, I get an email and then I feel like I need to actually send them some additional info. That’s tough because there is no additional info. So I have to make stuff up. Maybe I should just delete the button…

Yeah, I’ve heard of it…

Chet — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 12:28:42 +0000

OK, the words out. And yep, you can enter your data for free. And trust me, you get what you pay for (wait, I’m not sure that’s the phrase I was looking for). Anyway, I’m running into more and more people who are familiar with OnlineTrafficData and those who use it continue to add data where ever they can find it (it’s so eeeeeeasy!).

Keeping my eyes open for someone with massive amounts of data (multiple years, whole county or state) to demo elctronic import. Just need DB file with lat, long, date, ADT – that’s the minimum. If you have street name or other info that would be great too.

Currently working on data proximity settings so icons don’t cover street map when zoomed out too far (but why would you zoom out too far?). People do it, not sure why. Does look kind of cool…in fact, will probably be the graphic for our next t-shirt design…

Simply traffic, simply 24-hr ADT’s, plus some other stuff…

Chet — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 20:51:56 +0000

Yep, 24-hr traffic volumes. And multiple years are shown visually by colored bar charts whenever you click an icon. So, you can tell at a glance if traffic is increasing, decreasing, or staying level each time you click.

Also, there are a couple optional fields where you can put counter ID number’s, 85th percentile speeds, notes regarding road construction, etc. (see below). I am refraining (at this point) from including peak hour data, truck percents, bi-directional volumes, etc. because I want keep this simple, simple to enter data, and simple to view. If a user is interested in the finer things, they can always contact the agency who entered the data (identifed by virtue of a unique icon). At least that’s the plan, for now, as of this moment…

Check it out: http://www.onlinetrafficdata.com

Some user-definable fields without sacrificing overall simplicity

Why is “Map” listed twice in the legend?

Chet — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 18:18:26 +0000

Because it is that important to me. I do not want you to miss it (plus my programmer messed up). Satellite and Terrain are cool too, but Map is where the action is. Check it out — check it out twice.

Update: My programmer has repaired this duplicative representation of the “Map” button. By popular demand however, I may need to to ask him to put it back…

I have a GIS so I’m already cool…right?

Chet — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 22:18:10 +0000

Yeah, but you could be cooler. The only people who can really use GIS’s have experience in engineering, planning, or IT. Admit it, as cool as a GIS system is, it is NOT something your wife could use (or hasband–sorry). The general public does not use it, most of the agency staff can’t use it, many don’t even know how to access it (or want to). And if they did have instructions on how to use it, would give up pretty quickly (probably when instructed to download and install the Autodesk viewer or similar). There are easier systems out there but I won’t mention them because they make it harder for me to make my point

Don’t get me wrong–I love GIS and Online Traffic Data does not replace it, rather it is an additional way to access data, specifically, traffic data. It is an easy way to enter and view traffic data from multiple agencies all in one place using a method everyone already knows how to use (Google Maps).

Want to make someone happy? Put their traffic data online: Simple to view, simple to use.