| Monitoring traffic through extensive collection and efficient storage of traffic data is crucial for improving safety and efficiency of Florida Highways. To this end, the Florida Department of Transportation operates temporary and permanent count stations strategically placed at various locations on the state highway system. The data collected by electronic equipment installed at these stations include individual vehicle records composed of a number of axles per vehicle, axle spacing, overall vehicle length, and operating speed. The Florida Department of Transportation operates other sites categorized as weigh-in-motion (WIM) sites that are set up to additionally collect individual axle weights and overall gross vehicle weight. In general, the traffic count program managed by the FDOT Statistics Office is operating very well and serves a vital purpose of supporting federal, state, and private user needs. Nevertheless, the FDOT Statistics Office continues to experience a number of challenges in operating the count sites, in assuring the quality of data collected by these sites, and in complying with continually changing federal reporting requirements. The following research aims to provide the FDOT Statistics Office with an improved device to classify vehicles on all desired roadways. The research effort consisted of collecting vehicular data, conducting statistical analyses and developing equations. It was determined that a segmented sensor would provide FDOT with an improved system by having the capability to determine the class of vehicle driving over it. A sensor length recommendation was made that will accurately determine the type of tire running overhead. This paper will take the reader through the process of coming to the aforementioned conclusions. |
