Pedestrian & Bicycle Count Program
Wayfinding
BACKGROUND Determine the appropriate counter technology for Fuquay-Varina based on feasibility and available funding. The following study, completed by NCDOT in 2021, provides in-depth information on current technologies available. NCDOT's State-of-the-Art Approaches to Bicycle and Pedestrian Counters provides great detail on different counting technology. Fuquay-Varina should review this report and consult Town Information Technology staff on potential options. Recommendation: Fuquay-Varina should begin the collection of bike/ped count data utilizing permanent counters and/or various technologies available that can enable the Town to evaluate trends, such as increase/decrease in usage, peak travel periods, and high activity locations. Better data on pedestrian and bicycle travel can help to determine where investments are most needed. It also helps in quantifying the benefits of walking and biking. Ultimately, better data will make active transportation projects more competitive for funding opportunities.
Recommendation: Create and implement a pedestrian wayfinding scheme that can be incorporated into the Town’s current wayfinding signage.
BACKGROUND The ability to navigate across a community is informed by landmarks, natural features, and other visual cues. Pedestrian signage throughout Fuquay-Varina should indicate the direction of travel, the locations and travel time distances to those destinations. A pedestrian wayfinding system is similar to a transit, vehicular, or bike facility wayfinding system, in that it consists of comprehensive signage and/or pavement markings to guide pedestrians to their destination along routes that are safe, comfortable and attractive. TYPICAL APPLICATION • Signage can serve both wayfinding and safety purposes including: » Helping to familiarize users with the pedestrian network » Helping users identify the best routes to destinations within walking distance or connections to other modes. » Helping to address mis-perceptions about time and distance. » Helping overcome a “barrier to entry” for people who are not frequent walkers.
DESIGN FEATURES • Confirmation signs indicate to
pedestrians that they are on the right path to their destinations. They include destinations and distance/time, but not arrows • Turn signs indicate where a route turns from one street onto another street. • Decision signs indicate the junction of two or more pedestrian routes to access key destinations. These include destinations, arrows, distances, and travel times.
Table 43. Qualitative Cost-Benefit Analysis of the Technologies Tested
Benefits
Costs
Equipment or Service Cost
Benefit-Cost Ratio (BCR)
Quality of Software Tools
Product
Technology
Mode
Installation Difficulty
Accuracy
Eco-Counter MULTI System Eco-Counter MULTI System TRAFx Trail Counter MetroCount RidePod BP MetroCount RidePod BP MetroCount RidePod BT
Passive Infrared
Pedestrian
High
High
Acceptable
High
Acceptable
Inductive Loop
Bicycle
High
High
Acceptable
High
Acceptable
All Modes Combined Pedestrian
Passive Infrared
Acceptable
High
Very Low
Low
High
Piezoelectric
Very High
Low
Very High
Low
Acceptable
Piezoelectric
Bicycle
Very High
Low
Very High
Low
Acceptable
Pneumatic Tube Standard Video with Algorithm Processing Standard Video with Algorithm Processing Depth Camera
Bicycle
Very High
Low
Low
Low
Very High
Miovision Scout Miovision Scout
Pedestrian
High
High
Low
Very High
Acceptable
Bicycle
High
High
Low
Very High
Acceptable
Eco-Counter CITIX 3D Eco-Counter CITIX 3D
Pedestrian
Very Low
Acceptable
Very High
Very High
Very Low
Depth Camera
Bicycle
Very Low
Acceptable
Very High
Very High
Very Low
The findings of the cost-benefit analysis presented here can be used to support the decision-making processes involving the deployments of new counting equipment and the associated management plans. It is generally advisable to select products that provide higher benefit-cost ratios. However, the BCR values should be used in consideration with other significant decision factors such as specific constraints, requirements, and priorities that may be involved in a particular project or program. One such decision criteria can be driven by the technology’s suitability for long - versus short-term data collection. Tables 2 and 3 cover detailed comparisons of various technologies in terms of their important technical attributes, providing guidance for decision-makers in optimizing their equipment State-of-the-Art Approaches to Bicycle and Pedestrian Counters by NCDOT (2021) with NCSU Institute for Transportation Research and Education (ITRE) and Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management. The above summary chart is from page 65 of the report.
Above: Existing interactive kiosk map in downtown Fuquay
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CHAPTER 4: PROGRAM & POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS
FUQUAY-VARINA PEDESTRIAN PLAN
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