Telemetering for Permanent Traffic Count Stations
Larry Scott · Purdue e-Pubs (Purdue University System) · 1985
Division of Planning, ID O HThe Division of Planning, Indiana D epartm ent of Highways has operated perm anent traffic count stations since around 1940.At the pre sent time the Planning Statistics U nit m aintains and operates 30 such stations.These stations count vehicles with a single loop sensor in each lane.The counters record vehicles per hour on printed paper tapes.Each station is visited twice a month to check on its status and retrieve the tape.This tape is sent to the central office where the hours are coded on a data sheet.T hat data sheet is then keypunched and a series of batch program s are run on the data.This information is used to annualize counts made with portable roadtube counters.Because of additional in form ation needs and the fact that present staff would find it difficult to service additional counters we had been trying to update this program for several years.W e were given that opportunity in August of 1984 and are in the process of im plem enting a telem etering system of 60 locations across the state.At each of these locations two loops per lane will be installed and the wires fed back to an M -type cabinet.O ne hundred and ten volt electrical service and telephone service will also be fed into the cabinet.An electronic type of counter will be installed and wired to the loops.The counter runs on six-volt lead-gel batteries.The 110 service is re quired to m aintain a trickle charge to the batteries.The counter will also be equipped with an interface which allows connection to a modem.M odem stands for m odulator dem odulator and what it does is turn data collected by the counter into information that can be sent over telelphone lines to a central location.The other m ajor component of this system is a m icrocom puter to be located in the central office.It will also be interfaced to a modem and with appropriate software it will call a location and receive the traf fic inform ation over the telephone line.These data can then be edited and transm itted to the main frame for further processing.The advantages of this system are numerous:1. We will be able to double the num ber of perm anent count sta tions with no increase of staff.2. Realize savings in travel time and travel costs.