2013 Northern Region Annual Traffic Volume Report
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NORTHERN REGION NORTHERNANNUAL TRAFFIC VOLUME REGION REPORT 2011 2012 2013 ANNUAL TRAFFIC VOLUME REPORT 2011 2012 2013 STATE OF ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC FACILITIES PUBLIC FACILITIES STATE OF ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND STATE OF ALASKA Sean Parnell, Governor DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC FACILITIES Patrick J. Kemp, P.E. Commissioner DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC FACILITIES Northern Region Prepared by DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC FACILITIES NORTHERN REGION PLANNING AND SUPPORT SERVICES Judy Chapman Chief of Planning and Support Services Data Preparation by Northern Region Traffic Data Section Jennifer Anderson Randi Motsko Scott Vockeroth Ryan Pierce NORTHERN REGION ANNUAL TRAFFIC VOLUME REPORT Volume I 2014 Prepared by State of Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities Northern Region Planning and Support Services In cooperation with U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration TABLE OF CONTENTS PART I Introduction Definitions and Terms PART II State Route Index for Northern Region Road Listings by Route Description PART III Fixed Recorder Index Historic Screenlines Permanent Traffic Recorder Summaries PART IV Vehicle Classification Summary PART V Vehicle Mile Tables PART I INTRODUCTION Introduction The Northern Region Highway Traffic Data and Forecasting seasonal variations by using one or more associated PTR’s to section within the Department of Transportation and Public obtain an estimated Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT). Facilities compiles the region’s Annual Traffic Volume Report. The calculated AADT then represents the traffic on the specific Engineers, planners, administrators, local governments, and the traffic link on which the count was taken. public use the information within this report for work that requires information related to urban planning, construction of Traffic classification data is collected throughout the entire new roads, forecasting traffic patterns, and determining year at 15 automated vehicle classifiers (AVC) sites. These possible economic development areas. AVC sites classify vehicles by type, based on the axle arrangement, number of trailers and other vehicle The Northern Region encompasses a geographic area of characteristics. Classification counts are also collected using approximately 394,000 square miles (252 million acres) an seasonal classification pneumatic-tubes (hose) counts that are area greater than California, Nevada, and Arizona combined. placed throughout the region during the months of May, June, This area stretches from Barrow to Cantwell and Nome to July, August and the first part of September if the weather Valdez and includes approximately 65% of Alaska’s land area, permits. 25% of the state’s population and 60% of State maintained highways. Northern Region maintains and operates Northern Region also has two Weigh-In-Motion (WIM) sites. approximately 3,500 miles of roads of which 48% are paved, These WIM sites classify all vehicles by the same criteria as 52% are unpaved, and 70% are on the National Highway the vehicle classification counts, but include the added System. dimension of axle weights for all commercial size vehicles. WIM data collected at these two sites is not included in this Traffic volume data is collected throughout the entire year at report, but can be obtained by contacting DOT&PF approximately 33 permanent traffic recorder (PTR) sites. These Headquarters Planning Section. PTR sites are used to expand seasonal volume pneumatic tube or hose counts, which are referred to as short term counts. This report provides a summary of all permanent, coverage and Short term counts are placed throughout the region during the classification data collected throughout the Northern Region months of May, June, July, August and the first part of from calendar years 2011 through 2013. September if the weather permits. Because summer traffic is generally much higher than other times of the year, the counts are adjusted for weekday and DEFINITIONS AND TERMS Definitions and Terms Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT): The estimated number Functional Classification: The process by which streets and of vehicles traveling over a given road segment during one 24 highways are grouped into classes, or systems, according to the hour day. In practice, AADT is usually obtained from a sample character of service they are intended to provide. (coverage count) adjusted for seasonality. Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS): The data reporting system developed by the Federal Highway Automatic Polling: A method of obtaining data from automatic Administration (FHWA) for standardized road inventory, counters by telephone from a central computer location with physical condition, and traffic use monitoring by all states. automatic dialing equipment. Automatic counters in the field must have microprocessor memory and telephone connection. Interstate Highway: A highway within the principal arterial category that is also designated as part of the Federal Interstate Automatic Vehicle Classifier (AVC): Traffic counting station Highway System. which automatically counts and classifies vehicles passing over its detectors, providing a record of types of vehicles and Link: A section of a road for which traffic data is reported. volumes by specific time intervals. Link termini are located so that the traffic volume is roughly constant on a link. Axle-Body Combination: A vehicle description based on the configuration of axles, leading and trailing units, and tractor Link Volume: The average number of vehicles passing over a body. traffic link in a 24-hour period of time. This is equivalent to the Annual Average Daily Traffic. Axle Correction Factor: The proportion by which a volume count based on axles (e.g., from pneumatic tube detectors) is Local Roads: Any road (regardless of ownership) that is not multiplied to obtain an estimate of the number of actual classified as any higher type of arterial or collector. Serve vehicles. The ratio is 1.0 or less, and is derived from vehicle primarily to provide access to adjacent land, provide service to class counts. travel over relatively short distances as compared to collectors or other higher systems. Local roads will, of course, constitute Collector: A road classification applicable to roads servicing a the rural mileage not classified as part of the principal arterial, mixture of local access and through traffic, for which the minor arterial, or collector systems. volume, average speed, and trip length of vehicles using the road are usually lower than for principal or minor arterials, but higher than for local roads. Major Arterial: A road serving mostly through movements, but inductive loop that senses a vehicle’s presence as a change in with shorter trip lengths and at lower speeds than principal the electrical characteristics of the loop. Piezo electric cables arterials. are used in conjunction with inductive loops to detect and sometimes weigh vehicle axles to determine a vehicle’s type Major Collector Roads: Major Collectors provide service to (classification) and sometimes weight. any county seat not on an arterial route, to the larger towns not directly served by the higher systems, and to other traffic Permanent Traffic Recorder (PTR): Traffic volume counting generators of equivalent intra-county importance, such as equipment that automatically counts vehicles passing over consolidated schools, shipping points, county parks, important detectors, providing a record of those volumes by specific time mining and agricultural areas, etc. Major Collectors link these intervals. places with nearby larger towns or cities, or with routes of higher classification and serve the more important intra-county Pneumatic-Tube (Hose) Detector / Counter: A vehicle- travel corridors. detection device / counter consisting of a pneumatic rubber tube placed across a roadway, and which detects vehicles by Minor Collector Roads: Minor Collectors are spaced at sensing air pressure pulses from the vehicle axles passing over intervals, consistent with population density, to collect traffic the tube. from local roads and bring all developed areas within a reasonable distance of a collector road, provide service to the Portable Counter: An automatic traffic counting machine remaining smaller communities, and link the locally important which is moved from location to location where needed, rather traffic generators with their rural hinterland. than permanently installed in one location. Monthly Average Daily Traffic (MADT): The estimated Principal Arterial: A Street or highway connecting major average daily traffic volume for a specific month at a given population centers with high traffic volumes, long average trip location. lengths, and very little local travel service. Permanent Count: Hourly, directional or non-direction total Sampling Plan: A plan for collecting a sample from a larger traffic volumes collected year-round with Permanent Traffic population (e.g. traffic counting at a few locations to estimate Recorders (PTR)’s at established locations. These counts are traffic at all location). used to adjust coverage counts for seasonal variations to yield AADT’s. Seasonally Adjusted Count: A traffic volume count that has been adjusted to an annual estimate from a raw count. The Permanent Detector: A vehicle detector that is permanently adjustment is based on the estimated relationship between installed in a roadway, as compared to a portable detector. The volumes