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Understanding Speed in Your Community

Conducting a Spot Speed Study Caroline Hymoff, GHSB Dr. Michael Knodler, MassSAFE

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What is a Spot Speed Study?

Spot speed studies are used to determine the speed characteristics of a traffic stream at a specific location along the roadway.

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Why Spot Speed Studies?

Determine existing roadway speeds Evaluate effectiveness of speed enforcement programs Identify the speed impact of roadway geometry and roadway features Determine impact on speed of traffic control devices Provide evidence to support/refute excessive speed complaints

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Spot Speed Study Steps

STEP 1. Organize Study Plan STEP 2. Select Data Collection Technology STEP 3. Select Appropriate Site and Collect Field Data STEP 4. Reduce and Analyze Data STEP 5. Interpret and Report Findings

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STEP 1. Organize Study Plan

Reason for Study
Identify Problem

Plan Logistics
Select Date and Time Select Location Number of Vehicles to Observe

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Time and Date Selection

Reflect normal driving conditions Recommended: Late spring or early autumn Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday Not Recommended: Unique events Inclement weather Holidays Peak travel times

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Location Selection
Reflect normal driving conditions Recommended: Free flow conditions Uniform roadway segments Not Recommended: Traffic signals and other junctions Intersections Curves Work zones Parking zones Active crosswalks

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STEP 2. Select Data Technology

Handheld Technologies In-Road Technologies Out-of-Road Technologies
Equipment manually operated Equipment installed in or on roadway Equipment installed overhead or on side of roadway

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STEP 2. Select Data Technology

Handheld Technologies
Radar LiDAR Count Boards

In-Road Technologies
Pneumatic Road Tubes Magnetic Sensors Inductive Loops

Out-of-Road Technologies
Microwave Ultrasonic Acoustic Infrared Multiple technologies

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Handheld Technologies
Handheld radar or LiDAR meters to identify vehicle speeds Speeds are recorded manually on a data sheet Minimum data requirements must be met to ensure quality of data Efforts must be made to reduce bias

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In-Road Technologies
Disruption of traffic flow during installation and maintenance Safety concerns for operating in the road Maintenance issues:
Snow removal, street sweepers Heavy vehicle traffic

Typically well established technologies

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Out-of-Road Technologies
Limited or no disruption of traveled way Typically newer technologies Typically more expensive than in-road Some have complex installation processes Maintain the traveled way Increased Safety

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STEP 3. Collect Field Data

Materials Preparation
Prepare inventory sheet
Date, location, speed limit

Understand how to use recorder Gather equipment

Data sheets Pen or pencils and something to write on Safety equipment Tape measure

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STEP 3. Collect Field Data

Site Setup: In-Road and Out-of-Road Technologies
Adequate number of people to setup equipment and monitor traffic Equipment or vehicles out of stream and out of driver view Document layout
Site setup sketch

SAFETY! SAFETY! SAFETY!

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Additional Safety Considerations

During installation
Beacons or flashers Cones or warning signs

Reflective vests One person to monitor traffic

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STEP 3. Collect Field Data

Data Collection Sheet: Radar or LiDAR Place a tick mark for vehicle observed Column Row Vehicle type Speed

Bus at 32 mph

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STEP 4. Reduce and Analyze Data

Parameters associated with roadway speeds Mode Mean Speed 85th Percentile Speed 95th Percentile Speed Median (50th Percentile Speed) Speed Variance Pace

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STEP 4. Reduce and Analyze Data

Data Collection Sheet: Radar or LiDAR
1. Tick marks from data collection 2. Count and record tick marks for each type of vehicle 3. Count and record vehicles at each speed 4. Count and record total vehicles in survey

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STEP 4. Reduce and Analyze Data

Data Collection Sheet: Radar or LiDAR Mode: 29 mph
Most frequently observed speed 26 observations

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STEP 4. Reduce and Analyze Data

Data Collection Sheet: Radar or LiDAR Mean Speed: S =

n S
i i

Si :observed speed group i ni: number of observations for

speed group i

N: total number of observations

Si

ni N

Mean Speed for passenger cars =

(29 2) + (206) +...+ (431) = 29 mph 250

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STEP 4. Reduce and Analyze Data

Data Collection Sheet: Radar or LiDAR Pace: 25 to 35 mph
10 mph window that encompasses the highest portion of observed speeds 175 observations

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STEP 4. Reduce and Analyze Data

Data Analysis Sheet: Radar or LiDAR

2 1.

Cumulative frequency
Number of observations at or below the given speed

2. Cumulative percent
Percentage of speeds at or below the given speed Cumulative Frequency Number of observations Cumulative = Percent

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STEP 4. Reduce and Analyze Data

Data Analysis Sheet: Radar or LiDAR
50th Percentile Speed: 29 mph
85th Percentile Speed: 34 mph 95th Percentile Speed: 37 mph

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Frequency Distributions
Normal Cumulative

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STEP 5. Interpret and Report Findings

Collected data should allow to answer questions such as
How do observed speeds compare with the posted or prima facie speed limit for the observed roadway? How does the distribution of speeds before compare with speeds during or after an enforcement campaign? If residents are complaining about excessive speeds during a certain period of time, does the data support this claim?

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STEP 5. Interpret and Report Findings

Are speeds on the approach to a high crash location higher than the roadway design speed? What is the speed variance? Are all vehicles traveling at approximately the same speed, or is there a wide range of observed speed values? How do average and percentile speeds compare with other roadways in town? Since the installation of a new speed limit sign, how have roadway speeds changed?

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STEP 5. Interpret and Report Findings

Community Meeting Presentations Educational Materials for Neighborhoods Information for community policy makers (Town Council, Traffic Committee, etc)

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Types of Technology

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Handheld Technologies
Radar Radio Detection and Ranging Wide field of view programmed to report strongest or fastest vehicle Not effected by inclement weather LiDAR
f re P d re er

Light Detection and Ranging Narrow field of view more selective of targets Can be programmed to
Ignore inclement weather Shoot through glass

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In-Road Technologies

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Pneumatic
Air pulses sent to classifier used to classify passing vehicles well suited for low volume roads.

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Pneumatic
Advantages Easy Installation Low initial price Simple to maintain Low power usage Disadvantages Installed on traffic way Maintenance
Vandalism/wear Snowplows/Street Sweepers

Weather
Sensitive to cold Water in tubes

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Pneumatic Layout

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Magnetic
Detects changes in magnetic field caused by passing vehicles with high accuracy.

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Magnetic
Advantages Some offer easy installation High accuracy (speed) Disadvantages Cant detect stopped vehicles Some have small detection zone Installation in traffic way

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Magnetic Layout

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Out-of-Road Technologies

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Microwave
Radio waves bouncing back from a target vehicle have a change in frequency corresponding with the relative speed of the vehicle (Doppler Effect).

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Microwave
Advantages Simple installation
Sidefire or overhead Not in trafficway

Disadvantages Costly Cant detect stopped vehicles Overhead existing structure for mounting Installation requirements must be suitable for application

Not effected by weather High accuracy Multilane option

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Microwave Installation

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Ultrasonic
Measures Doppler Effect to detect vehicle speed (similar to microwave).

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Ultrasonic
Advantages Not installed in trafficway Simple installation
Overhead as sidefire reduces accuracy

Disadvantages Effected by some environmental factors

Temperature change Extreme air turbulence

Multilane option Mid-priced

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Acoustic
Measures the acoustic energy from vehicles.

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Acoustic
Advantages Multilane option Not installed in trafficway
2 hour installation Sidefire

Disadvantages Effected by cold weather Effected by outside noise Some cant be used with slow or stop-andgo traffic

Insensitive to precipitation Average accuracy

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Acoustic Installation

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Infrared
Vehicles are illuminated by two beams of low power infrared light and the time it takes to cross the two beams is used to calculate vehicle speed.

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Infrared
Advantages Measures vehicle position, speed, class Multilane option Not installed in trafficway
Overhead because sidefire reduces accuracy

Disadvantages Lane coverage limited to 1-2 lanes Short range Vehicle classification on height not length Effected by weather
Fog or heavy snow

Costly

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Infrared Installation

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Multiple Technologies
Combines out-of-road technologies

Passive Infrared

Radar/ Microwave

Ultrasonic .

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Multiple Technologies
Advantages Can be used based on best for task Easy installation Improved accuracy Disadvantages Mid-priced can be more expensive than other technologies

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Multiple Technologies Installation

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For more information

Caroline Hymoff Governors Highway Safety Bureau (617) 725-3334 Caroline.Hymoff@state.ma.us

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Questions?