Vehicle Level Evaluation of Loop Detectors and the Remote Traffic Microwave Sensor
Publication: Journal of Transportation Engineering
Volume 132, Issue 3
Abstract
Traffic detectors support most traffic management applications, so it is important that a detector performs as expected. This study evaluates the performance of four loop sensor models and the remote traffic microwave sensor (RTMS), adding to the body of sensor performance knowledge through the use of new analytical techniques. The study collected contact closure data from all five of the detectors and concurrent video data. Each loop sensor was deployed following Caltrans guidelines for at least 24 h across dual loop detectors in each lane of I-80, north of Oakland, Calif. The research examined various distributions of the individual vehicle actuations from each of the detectors. This exercise found some of the loop sensors locked up and did not provide any data to the controller although they appeared fully functional from the front panel. The sensitivity appears to vary between the RTMS and the loop sensors, as well as from one loop sensor model to the next, which means the occupancy measurements will also change. Detailed analysis of the sensors used the video to manually validate each vehicle passage over extended periods, preselected at random, with the errors classified by type (e.g., nondetected vehicle) and source (e.g., due to a lane change maneuver). As presented herein, the RTMS exhibited problems due to occlusion and reflections, while two of the loop sensors exhibited non-negligible problems. Finally, the methodology used in this paper can easily be extended to validate other detectors and detection technologies.
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Acknowledgments
The writer wishes to thank Emily Super, Phillip Reuss, Mark Lehman, and Stephen Sawyer for the many hours they devoted to reducing video data. Joe Palen for assembling VideoSync (and various other contributions), everyone in Caltrans District 4 for their continued support of research, and California drivers without whom no data would have been collected. This work was performed as part of the California PATH (Partners for Advanced Highways and Transit) Program of the University of California, in cooperation with the State of California Business, Transportation and Housing Agency, Department of Transportation. The contents of this paper reflect the views of the writer who is responsible for the facts and accuracy of the data presented herein. The contents do not necessarily reflect the official views or policies of the State of California. This paper does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Transportation Engineering
Volume 132 • Issue 3 • March 2006
Pages: 213 - 226
Copyright
© 2006 ASCE.
History
Received: Nov 23, 2004
Accepted: May 23, 2005
Published online: Mar 1, 2006
Published in print: Mar 2006
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