REPORT TO BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE
SUBJECT
Title
Counting Bicycle and Walking/Using Telraam Device for Bicycle Counts (He)
Report
BACKGROUND
In August 2022, Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) Member Megas requested BPAC discuss counting bicycle and walking (Attachment 1), while in June 2023 former Member Granvold provided information about the potential of using a Telraam device for bicycle counts (Attachment 2). Since these two topics were related to one another, staff determined that both items be presented as one agenda item.
DISCUSSION
Below is a summary of responses to the requests from Member Megas and former Member Granvold.
1. Member Megas: What data does the City have on how many people bicycle and walk on any given day? How do we collect this data? Has it changed over the past couple of years? Would we know?
The City conducts bicycle and pedestrian counts at intersections for various transportation projects such as bike studies, private development projects, masterplans, and neighborhood traffic safety requests. Recently, counts have been collected along Benton Street, Monroe Street, Walsh-Martin Avenue, and De La Cruz Boulevard corridors as part of ongoing bikeway planning studies. The City also gathers bicycle and pedestrian counts at study intersections as part of traffic analyses for private development projects. As part of the Bicycle Plan Update 2018 and Pedestrian Master Plan (2019) development, the City also collected bicycle counts and pedestrian counts at various intersections and along select corridors. Finally, the City may collect traffic data based on neighborhood traffic safety requests.
Traditional methods of collecting traffic information vary depending on data needs and duration. Roadway segment (between intersections) traffic count data is collected over a 24-hour period and sometimes for several days. Daily traffic count data can be collected via pneumatic hose, video, radar/lidar, or in-pavement sensors, which can provide traffic volume, speed, and vehicle classification counts. Intersection counts are collected by video or manually and can provide vehicle, bicycle, pedestrian, and intersection turning movement counts, usually over a shorter period, such as during the AM and PM peak hours of traffic. Bicycle and pedestrian count data collected at intersections provide information about how many bicycles are found at each intersection approach and how many people cross each crosswalk.
The most consistent walking and bicycling data comes from American Community Survey 5-year estimates by the U.S. Census Bureau, which record the mode of transportation people use to commute to work. Over the most recent five years of available data, shown in the table below, walking mode share has decreased slightly from 3.7 percent to 2.7 percent between 2018 and 2022, and bicycling mode share fluctuated from 1.5 percent to 2.1 percent.
|
Year |
Walking Mode Share |
Bicycling Mode Share |
|
2018 |
3.7% |
2.1% |
|
2019 |
3.5% |
1.5% |
|
2020 |
3.4% |
1.8% |
|
2021 |
2.9% |
1.6% |
|
2022 |
2.7% |
1.7% |
2. Former Member Granvold: Consider the use of Telraam devices for bicycle and pedestrian counts and other uses in Santa Clara. Create a report on this device considering how it would be useful, for bicycle projects and other uses, in Santa Clara.
Telraam is a company based in Leuven, Belgium. The Telraam device is a sensor placed in a window with a camera that counts continuously and can distinguish multiple modes including pedestrians, bikes, cars, and trucks, as well as their direction and speed. In July, City staff met with Telraam to go over their product specification and applications.
Compared to traditional data collection methods, the use of Telraam devices would require partnership with residents. The residents would need to install the device on their home windows and there are also technical criteria for Telraam installation:
• Clear view of the street (for example, no flyscreen and no big trees)
• 1st/2nd floor only
• Not too far from the street (max. +/- 50 feet)
• Camera aimed at the middle of the road
• Not near traffic lights or junctions
• No movement not related to traffic
• Availability of power/plug
In addition to the purchase of the device, users need to pay a monthly subscription fee for the collected data. Based on the information from Telraam, the use of Telraam devices would be helpful with collecting traffic (including bicycle and pedestrian) volumes and speeds on local streets with residential homes along them. It may not be feasible for major arterial roads that are too wide or have no residential homes at mid-block.
A case where these devices were used is the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) that launched a Slow Streets program that recruited volunteer households and distributed Telraam sensors to these households to measure speed and volume of traffic on San Francisco streets.
3. New method of collecting bicycle and pedestrian data
Upcoming efforts: As part of the Santa ClaraVision Zero Plan, the City is exploring ways to gather and analyze multi-modal transportation data within Santa Clara in order to better understand traffic patterns and safety. One option being considered is to utilize Big Data analytics, which involves tracking movements of vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians using information from cell phones, in-car navigation, commercial fleets, and other location data. This approach will offer a more comprehensive overview of the travel patterns across the city and will encompass all modes of transportation during any given day. Staff will provide a more detailed verbal report on this technology.
Staff
Written by: Nicole He, Associate Engineer, Public Works
Reviewed by: Carol Shariat, Public Works
Reviewed by: Steve Chan, Transportation Manager, Public Works
Approved by: Michael Liw, Assistant Director/City Engineer, Public Works
ATTACHMENTS
1. Annual Work Plan Topic Request Form - Counting Bicycling and Walking (Megas)
2. Annual Work Plan Topic Request Form - Using Telraam Device for Bicycle Counts (Granvold)