Looking for vehicle traffic counting device (system, volume, security, control)

[Gcoxusa]

I am looking for a solution/device to provide non-intrusive vehicle traffic counting data collection. I mainly want to collect data for traffic volume on a two-lane mixed use road. When I say non-intrusive that means I cannot embed anything in the road, or lay tubes across the road since I am not involved with the government.

I have been searching the web and have contacted several vendors. I am shocked at the price quotes I have received. The cheapest system was $2800! For counting cars! This cannot be THAT complicated. I suspect the problem is these vendors are used to providing solutions to the government, and not a private individual. If anyone can suggest a product or send me link I would appreciate it.

[Tek_Freek]

If it's in front of your house aim a video camera out the window and count manually during playback. Tiresome, but a heck of a lot cheaper than $2.8K!

[Gcoxusa]

Originally Posted by Tek_Freek

If it's in front of your house aim a video camera out the window and count manually during playback. Tiresome, but a heck of a lot cheaper than $2.8K!

Actually I do have security video pointed at the front driveway which also covers that road. So I could do what you suggested if it was just a one-time project lasting for an hour or two. But I'm not going to sit at the video for 12 hours a day counting cars even it's just once a week. But it's got me thinking there should be software that would analyze the video for me instead.

In any case, I am still surprised that there isn't a reasonable solution for this with todays technology. After all, there is an App for everything else. If it really costs $2800 for this solution then I may just pay someone build the device instead.

[harry chickpea]

I can think of a number of kludges to do the job, but the first thing I have to wonder is why this info is important and is it something that would be used in a legal battle. Something that is only 85% accurate might get shot out of court.

It wasn't that long ago that I remember seeing people in lawn chairs with umbrellas using hand-held click counters to measure traffic through an intersection. For one-off counting, sometimes the simplest solutions are the best. Video is easily scanned at double or triple speed, so costs can be halved.

If a precise count is not demanded, a simple script can monitor change of values in a monitor area and increment a counter. On a narrow street, a "mighty mule" can indicate auto passage and the auditory signal converted into a pulse to operate an electromechanical counter. A laser shone across the road to a mirror can reflect onto a photosensor.

[NHDave]

Originally Posted by Gcoxusa

I am looking for a solution/device to provide non-intrusive vehicle traffic counting data collection. I mainly want to collect data for traffic volume on a two-lane mixed use road. When I say non-intrusive that means I cannot embed anything in the road, or lay tubes across the road since I am not involved with the government.

I have been searching the web and have contacted several vendors. I am shocked at the price quotes I have received. The cheapest system was $2800! For counting cars! This cannot be THAT complicated. I suspect the problem is these vendors are used to providing solutions to the government, and not a private individual. If anyone can suggest a product or send me link I would appreciate it.

What exactly is the purpose of this? I don't know why you'd be shocked at the cost, this is not a technology the average person would be purchasing for their personal use, as you said it's for entities to conduct traffic studies, not something Joe citizen usually does.

[Gcoxusa]

Originally Posted by NHDave

What exactly is the purpose of this? I don't know why you'd be shocked at the cost, this is not a technology the average person would be purchasing for their personal use, as you said it's for entities to conduct traffic studies, not something Joe citizen usually does.

As a software engineer – the process of counting does not strike me as highly complex requiring sophisticated technology. When my grandfather owned a retail store he had a device that counted customers coming and going. And that was pre-Internet. I know that didn't cost over $1000 so I guess that explains my sticker shock.

The road is mainly residential but there has been significant development involving new businesses in the strip mall at either end of the road. In addition, there is new multi-family development consisting of at least 200 apartments. So the traffic volume is bad and promises only to get worse. I would like to be able to prove that. The main purpose would be to lobby the city counsel for traffic control devices such as traffic lights or speed bumps.

[NHDave]

Originally Posted by Gcoxusa

As a software engineer – the process of counting does not strike me as highly complex requiring sophisticated technology. When my grandfather owned a retail store he had a device that counted customers coming and going. And that was pre-Internet. I know that didn't cost over $1000 so I guess that explains my sticker shock.

Not really. People can be counted using a small mechanical clicker mounted to the door and you're trying to compare that to devices used to monitor traffic. You could take a similar approach and put a gate across the road with a clicker, not sure the town would approve though.

Specialized equipment costs money, as an engineer you should know that.

[sj08054]

Counting Cars and Analyzing Traffic with a Raspberry Pi, a Webcam and ThingSpeak | MakerZone

[Peregrine]

WHAM. Nice find SJ.

[Tek_Freek]

I agree. You never know who's going to come up with a winner.