Evaluation of Cost-Effective Technologies for Advance Detection (0-5002-1)

This project developed and evaluated various advance detection systems. The objective was to use off-the-shelf technology to develop these detection systems and evaluate their performance as well as their cost-effectiveness with respect to traditional advance inductive loop using lead-in wire. These systems were deployed on the northbound approach of the intersection of SH 6 and FM 185. The baseline system was the A WEGS detectors on this approach. This project developed the installation guidelines for various detection systems. TTI researchers found that inductive loops with contact closure radio were very accurate in counts, classification, and speeds. Traficon video detection system was very accurate in counts and measuring vehicle lengths during daytime and measuring speeds during both daytime and nighttime. The counts and classification can improve by providing some ambient light near the detector station. SAS-1 acoustic detector can be very cost-effective as it contains detection as well as a communication system. However, the performance needs to be checked by requesting the vendor to provide individual vehicle speeds and classification which the unit is already measunng. TTI researchers recommend that the user not only look at installation cost, but also at life cycle cost of the system. Some systems such as inductive loops can have a higher life cycle cost.