DATA COLLECTION EXPERIENCE

 

Buckholz Traffic has a fully-equipped and experienced transportation data collection group.  This group has been extremely active in the data collection area during the past 15 years, having performed over 1000 manual turning movement counts and over 1200 7-day and 24-hour machine counts.  This group has also been involved in specialized data collection studies including license plate O/D surveys, personal interview surveys, gap studies, saturation flow studies, GPS-based travel time studies, truck classification counts, speed studies, pedestrian counts, and bicycle counts.  We currently have 10 computerized Jamar counting boards, 20 Mitron Automatic Traffic Recorders, and 4 Diamond Pheonix ATR's.

 

Listed below are representative company projects that involved a significant traffic data collection effort:

 

Roadway Characteristics Inventory and HPMS Data Collection  Client: Florida Department of Transportation -Districts 4 Planning Office  Buckholz Traffic has inventoried many of the roadways in District 4 and has updated the RCI database.  Modified SLD's were prepared based on the results of the inventory.  Buckholz Traffic also inventoried HPMS sample sections and prepared revised county maps for District 4. 

 

Traffic Data Collection for Districtwide Traffic Studies  Client: Florida Department of Transportation - District 4 Traffic Operations Office  Buckholz Traffic carried-out data collection activities for the Traffic Operations Office of District 4.  The following types of data were collected, summarized, and used in traffic studies to arrive at recommended improvements:

 

                          --       9-Hour Manual Turning Movement Counts by 15-minute intervals

                          --       24-Hour and 48-Hour Machine Counts by 15-minute intervals

                          --       Accident Reports

                          --       Gap Studies

                          --       Intersection Delay Studies

                          --       Speed Studies

                          --       Intersection Inventories.

 

Sign Inventory for 100 miles of Interstate 10 in Western Florida.  Client: Connelly Wicker/Deleuw Cather/Florida Department of Transportation - District 3   The work included the inventory of mainline signs as well as interchange signs on the various cross roads.  Over 1000 signs were involved, most of which were large multi-post signs.

 

Collection of traffic counts, vehicle classification counts, and origin/destination data for the Jacksonville Urban Area Transportation System (JUATS) 2015 Model.  Client: Gannett-Fleming/Florida Department of Transportation - District 2  Buckholz Traffic collected the machine count and origin/destination data required to update the future 2020 FSUTMS model for the Jacksonville Area.  The O/D work involved recording license plate numbers on major roadways throughout Jacksonville, most of which were high-speed and high-volume facilities, and matching these numbers to the State's Motor Vehicle Registration Database.  An O/D survey was then mailed to each vehicle owner.

 

St. Johns County Closed-Loop System Data Collection.  Client: Florida Department of Transportation - District 2  Conducted turning movement counts at 37 intersections, and 7-day machine counts at 13 locations, in St. Johns County in support of a fiber-optic closed-loop design project.  A complete field inventory of existing signal equipment, including photographs and videotaping, was also carried-out.

 

Roadway Inventory and Data Entry.  Client: Florida Department of Transportation - District 3 Planning Office  Buckholz Traffic inventoried all of the roadways in District 3 so that a complete update to the RCI could be compiled.  This inventory work included both urban sections (such as exist in Pensacola and Tallahassee) and rural sections.  The database was updated by Buckholz Traffic personnel and modified SLD's were prepared based on the results of the inventory.  Precise "measured miles" for DMI calibration were established throughout District 3 and used on a regular basis to ensure that the required accuracy was obtained.  Buckholz Traffic also inventoried HPMS sample sections and prepared revised county maps for District 3.  A number of Buckholz Traffic employees have received unique, individualized training from FDOT in RCI and HPMS data collection. 

 

A traffic impact study for the Baptist Outpatient Center in Downtown Jacksonville, Florida.  Client: The Haskell Company  This 135,000 gsf medical facility will serve as a regional center for acute eye care and cancer treatment.  Data collection for this facility included 11 turning movement counts at nearby intersections.

 

Traffic data collection along Crystal Springs Road in western Duval County, Florida.  Client: Transystems, Inc/City of Jacksonville.  Buckholz Traffic personnel conducted nine 10-hour manual turning movements counts and 20 machine counts in the vicinity of Crystal Springs Road.

 

A traffic impact study for the 240,000 gsf St. Augustine Outlet Mall in St. Johns County, Florida.  Client: The Sembler Company  In addition to turning movement counts and machine counts, the data collection effort involved two origin/destination surveys; one at the Mill Store Plaza Outlet Mall in Valdosta, Georgia and one at the completed outlet mall in St. Augustine.

 

Roundabout Traffic Counts  Client: Alternate Street Design  Manual "turning movement" counts were conducted at two roundabouts located on SR A1A in Amelia Island, Florida

 

A Data Transmission Feasibility Study for FDOT's Statewide Traffic Data Collection System.  Client: Reynolds, Smith & Hills/Florida Department of Transportation - Central Office  This systems consists of approximately 220 data collection sites throughout Florida, including WIM sites, speed sites, and vehicle classification sites, as well as count-only sites.  Buckholz Traffic submitted a data transmission study that identified and evaluated various communication alternatives for these sites.  Options investigated include high-speed telephone modems, cellular transmission, satellite communications, UHF transmission, and microwave communications.  Field testing and troubleshooting assignments were then completed wherein complete communication systems were tested for operational characteristics.  Finally, repair activities were undertaken at problem sites throughout Florida.

 

 

 

 

A traffic study and conceptual roadway design for George King Boulevard in Brevard County, Florida.  Client: Aikenhead & Odom/Canaveral Port Authority  Data collection efforts included an extensive origin/destination survey for the southern dock area at Port Canaveral as well as turning movement counts and machine counts.

 

Data collection for the Regency By-Pass Interchange Study.  Client: Reynolds, Smith & Hills  Conducted 14 manual turning movement counts and 25 machine counts in the area around the Regency Mall in Jacksonville, Florida in support of an interchange study for this area.

 

Participated in the field inventory and inspection of 144 traffic signals in Downtown Jacksonville, Florida.  Client: Florida Department of Transportation - District 2  These signals are part of the City's UTCS traffic control system and the inspection included the coaxial cable plant as well as the traffic signals themselves.  Field inspection forms were completed and a comprehensive set of photographs were taken. 

 

Completed a sign inventory along a 10-mile stretch of I-75 in Marion County, Florida.  Client: Deleuw-Cather/Florida Department of Transportation - District 5  This inventory included a comprehensive set of photographs, extensive measurements of sign and letter sizes, and a determination of sign post break-away characteristics. 

 

Districtwide Signal Timing Data Collection.  Client: Florida Department of Transportation - District 2  Conducted weekday and Saturday turning movement counts at over 400 signalized intersections in Northeast and Central Florida as part of our traffic signal retiming projects.  These projects also involved approximately 100 7-day machine counts and field work for intersection inventories and inductance loop testing.

 

Collection of traffic count and network data for initial development of the Putnam County and the Nassau County FSUTMS Models.  Client: Gannett-Fleming/Florida Department of Transportation -District 2  This project included a vast series of machine counts throughout each county as well as inputing of data into the model structure.

 

Traffic Data Collection for System Timing, Signal Design, and Traffic Studies Throughout Florida.  Client: Florida Department of Transportation - Districts 2 and 7  Over the past nine years, Buckholz Traffic has completed traffic signal retiming projects throughout north and central Florida, involving some of the busiest corridors in the state.  Buckholz Traffic has conducted hundred's of TMC's and machine counts in support of this work.  Buckholz Traffic personnel have also field-collected signal timing data from a variety of signal systems, including TBC systems, UTCS systems, and closed-loop systems - and are capable of retrieving and interpreting even the most complex signal timing data.  In addition, Buckholz Traffic personnel have conducted many corridor travel time and delay studies using the TA-88 and MV-RAP programs installed on a laptop computer and driven by a vehicle-mounted DMI.

 

 

 

 

Districtwide Traffic Counts.  Client: Florida Department of Transportation - District 4  Buckholz Traffic collected traffic data for the District 4 Planning Office.  The following types of data were collected, summarized, and placed into SPS format: 24-Hour and 48-Hour Machine Counts by 15-minute intervals (using both loop and tube inputs); Vehicle Classification Counts (using tubes, POP's, and loops); Vehicle Speeds (using loops or tubes).

 

Transit Data Collection.  Client: Gannett-Fleming, Inc./Florida Department of Transportation - District 4  Buckholz Traffic collected a wide variety of transit-related data including: bus stop inventories, freeway vehicle occupancy in HOV and non-HOV lanes, driver interviews, passenger interviews, passenger boarding and de-boarding counts, freeway travel time runs, and bus condition inventories.

 

Trip Generation Studies   Buckholz Traffic trip generation studies are a cited reference in the ITE Trip Generation Manual for both Outlet Malls and New Car Dealerships.  Buckholz Traffic has also collected primary trip generation data for multi-screen theaters, small cruise ships, and roller skating rinks.

 

Grocery Store Interviews in Florida, Georgia, and Virginia   Buckholz Traffic personnel conducted personal oral interviews of grocery store shoppers at 4 Food Lion and 2 Winn-Dixie supermarkets to determine their trip-making characteristics.  A customized survey instrument was developed and the results summarized by Buckholz Traffic.

 

Flagler College Library Trip Generation Study   Buckholz Traffic conducted personal interviews at various small college libraries throughout the state to estimate the level of pass-by capture associated with these facilities.  Buckholz Traffic personnel prepared the survey forms, administered the survey, and summarized the survey results.

 

Districtwide Inductance Loop Cutting Contract.   Under this contract, Buckholz Traffic has installed inductance loops, conduit, and pull boxes at various locations in northeast and north-central Florida.  Loops have been installed in both asphalt and concrete pavements.  Buckholz Traffic also provided all of the loop testing for this work and all of the work zone traffic control devices.

 

 

 

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This page was last updated on 02.26.08