Traffic Counter

The "SMART Traffic Counter" app was built for and first used in a study of traffic emissions along Anzac Parade in Randwick, NSW. It was developed by SMART researchers Mehrdad Amirghasemi and Matthew Berryman. Existing approaches were either a manual process using paper, or expensive devices that did not suit our purpose. The app can be used on the browser of any device with a touch-screen; in the study, we used computer tablets with mobile phone network connections. It classifies vehicles into 6 categories: 3 sizes of trucks, cars, buses and motor cycles. Counts are date-stamped to local internet time, geo-located using the device's GPS and stored in a cloud-based database . The app was very well received by the field workers. Not only was it easy to use, but it removed the extra time and risk of transcription errors that are incurred by entering data from a paper-based system.

Vehicle counts were performed at 8 intersections and signalised pedestrian crossings along Anzac Parade. They counted vehicles traversing the exit lanes of each intersection, only vehicles travelling along Anzac Parade were counted. The app was later used for a traffic study in Surrey, UK. Traffic counters used tablets with the web-based SMART Traffic Counter app, Instead of cumbersome, expensive off-the-shelf devices. The app was browser-based, using a url on any device with a touch-screen. In this study, it was installed on computer tablets with mobile phone network connections. It classified vehicles into 6 categories: 3 sizes of trucks, cars, buses and motorcycles. Counts were date-stamped to local internet time, geo-located using the device's GPS and stored in a cloud-based database. Each completed count was displayed as a new line in a table at the bottom of the page. Where network connection was absent, or poor, data was stored locally until reception improved. The app was very well received by the field workers, since it was easy to use, had a familiar-looking interface and gave near-instant feedback of the data stored. There was the added benefit that it removed the extra time required for transcription and eliminated the errors that are incurred by entering data from a paper-based system.