Technical Advisory Committee (TAC)

1. Discuss the engagement and outreach plan
2. Other Comments
3. Timeline

Procedure

• Reach out to Department of Public Works (DPW) (County or Municipality)
• Possibly setup signs
• Solar array for energy

Miscellaneous

• Madison POC recallaway@cityofmadison.com for information regarding their count system
• Whitewater Brad Marquardt Head of DPW in Whitewater (bmarquardt@whitewater-wi.gov)
• Mayville DPW POC Jack Hurst (dpw@mayvillecity.com)
• Slinger doesn’t provide a chair or head for DPW. Can call 262-644-5265 ext. 140
• For slinger location, contact village not state.
• MPO RPC conference in September Wausau MPO, North Central Regional Council, City of Wausau. September 9^th, 10^th, and 11^th. POC: Aaron Anklam, Wausau MPO; Darryl Landeau, North Central WI RPC.

1. Finalize permanent count locations

a. Choose two of the following permanent locations:

b. Choose rural location

2. Brainstorm temporary count locations

a. https://wisdot.box.com/s/39mbs4lhqmr670y12bh8ki6alwwpnll8

b. Start engagement/outreach plan

3. Discuss UWM’s proposed effort for the 2-3 year expansion plan for TAC’s input and comments

a. Concerns about scope/cost/timeline?

b. Other feedback?

4. Timeline

Permanent Counts

• Urban Location:
  • National Ave & 5^th is a good choice according to TAC.
  • Residential corridor is a good choice.
  • Need to track direction of pedestrian/bicycle movement
  • POC for Milwaukee City
  • Validate counts with video data
  • Considerations for video storage and accessibility (store video is small bits)
  • Different urban areas than Milwaukee
• Rural Location:
  • No trails since data is already being collected
  • State highway vs. Local Road (State highway might be avoided by bicyclists due to high traffic volumes)
  • Need to have attractions nearby
  • Base choice on township size (check population size)
  • Does location have a school, business base, or sidewalk?
  • Intersection is a preference
  • Options:
    • Whitewater
    • Hartford
    • St. Lawrence
    • Padock Lake
    • Mayville (STH 28 & Clark St.)
    • Palmyra
  • Need to select one rural location for presentation to TAC

Temporary Counts

• Whitewater
• Events:
  • Ozaukee County Fair
  • Cedarburg Strawberry Festival (or Similar)
  • Lake Geneva Ice Festival
• Schools:
  • UWM
  • UW-Madison
  • Elementary/high school/university
• Traditional downtown (strip mall area)
• Tourism:
  • Janesville
  • Door County
  • Wisconsin Dells
  • Green Bay
  • Madison
    • Flamingos/Mallards
    • UW-Madison Football
    • Farmer’s Market
    • Maxwell Street Days (check other communities)
    • Madison might have count programs already in place
• Engagement/Outreach plan for locations

Timeline

• Draft list of temporary/permanent count locations by 07/15 for TAC discussion and approval
• Select permanent count locations before end of July
• Select temporary count locations early August
• Next Meeting mid-August

Agenda:

1. Overview of goals/purpose of project
   • Establish permanent and temporary count locations 
   • Evaluate counting technologies 
   • Create Wisconsin Non-Motorist Counting Guide 
   • Meet other needs identified by TAC 
2. Project timeline
   • Receive recommendations from TAC by June 2024 
   • Complete data collection by September 2025 
3. Committee goals/tasks 
   • Provide recommendations/guidance on count devices 
   • Establish protocols & QA/QC for data collection 
   • Site selection 
   • Count timing 
   • Provide strategies for handling data anomalies 
   • Other? 
4. Committee timeline 
5. Discuss how the subcommittees will report progress and the way they work with (expectations from) research team
6. Questions?

Agenda:

1. Overview of goals/purpose of project
   • Establish a baseline for bicycle/pedestrian facility use  
   • Exposure/risk  
   • Before/after studies
     • Safety 
     • Willingness to use a facility after improvements are made 
   • Estimate growth
     • Due to development (land use changes) 
       • Could this be incorporated into the TIA process? 
     • Cultural changes 
   • Predict changes due to weather/season/time of day/day of week 
   • Look at origin/destination trends
     • Identifying existing land uses that could lead to higher walking origins/destinations to determine where to get counts (incorporate into site selection) 
     • Others?
2. Overview of goals/purpose of project
   • Establish permanent and temporary count locations
     • Is this starting as a SE pilot? Would we take the experience from the pilot and apply it statewide? UWM said yes. 
     • WisDOT has a system for conducting traffic counts that could potentially be transferred to bike/ped counts.  
     • Programming bike/ped counts would require money allocated. This could be a challenge. 
     • Can we incorporate data from existing count stations? Kevin knows of locations in Madison. Brian suggested using crowdsourced data. 
       • UWM has another project funded by TSCC exploring the use of crowdsourced data (Strava and Streetlight). They will try to integrate this data together and create a standardized database. 
   • Evaluate counting technologies
     • Mio Vision – $150 per lane for 48 hour count 
       • These cameras have the ability to count bikes/pedestrians, can count bicyclists and pedestrians separately 
       • Not sure how they count scooters 
       • More interested in the type of technology than specific technology providers. Could be the computer vision based or can be infrared or radio. 
   • Create Wisconsin Non-Motorist Counting Guide 
     • Gather feedback regarding what a guide should contain 
     • Create technical recommendations to develop a full guide 
   • Establish database for count data including temporary, permanent and crowdsourced counts 
     • More of a focus in the data management group 
     • Suggest contacting Rob Aurit to request somebody from the data management section attend TAC meetings for the data management sub committee. 
   • Meet other needs identified by TAC
     • Goal is to use count data statewide 
       • Important to look at rural areas because this makes up a large part of Wisconsin’s geography. In particular, WisDOT would like to see counts in small towns on state highways. 
       • Do we have a list of towns with certain populations? This probably exists somewhere.  
         • Who can track this down? Could potentially talk to Andrew Levy, Mark Niedzwiecki, or Tony Good.  
         • It might not be worth looking at this unless it’s going to be a factor in how we expand the data 
           • Maybe use number of lanes or building type? 
           • Consider using population density 
           • Account for different types of facilities when choosing sites to do counts at 
3. Project timeline
   • Receive recommendations from TAC by June 2024 
   • Complete data collection by September 2025
4. Committee goals/tasks 
   • Provide recommendations/guidance on count devices 
     • UWM is currently looking at: 
       • 2 Eco Counter Mobile Multi units (for temporary counts) 
       • 1-2 Viva sensors (for permanent counts with automated counting and classification capacity) 
       • 1 Axis camera (for permanent counts and will be utilized to test our in-house algorithm for counting and classification) 
     • WisDOT has previously asked consultants to decide which technology to use as long as they collect the required counts 
       • WisDOT could tell consultants about lessons learned 
     • Brent has seen the following technology used: Mio Vision cameras, Count Cam cameras, TADI has in-house cameras, OD Data has in-house cameras 
       • Any of these options would be more effective than sending out a staff member to do counts 
   • Establish protocols & QA/QC for data collection 
     • Cameras need lighting systems built in or there needs to be lighting available 
     • Temporary count duration should probably be a minimum of 1 week (including weekends) 
     • Consider special events 
       • Could be good to get counts during large events but probably want to compare it to counts outside of the event times 
       • A challenge with QA/QC with infrared is aligning it with movements that people actually make 
   • Site selection 
     • Select for safety, urban, rural, etc. 
     • Different facility types 
   • Count timing 
   • Provide strategies for handling data anomalies 
   • Other? 
5. Committee timeline 
   • Research team to setup project milestones 
     • Project website launch 
     • Counter purchase 
     • Presentations 
     • Next subcommittee meeting end of June 
6. Discuss how the subcommittees will report progress and the way they work with (expectations from) research team 
   • Monthly updates to Amber Yan – Bullet points 
     • Amber will pass updates on to TAC 
   • Quarterly official updates to Mike Schwendau 
7. Questions? 
   • What literature review have UWM done or plan to do as part of this project? 
8. Follow-up: 
   • Send FHWA Talking Traffic Webinar on Micromobility Data Gathering and Reporting Specification Updates from Brent to TAC 
   • UWM to summarize some of the information from the literature review 

Site selection guidance: 

• Permanent Count 
  • Downtown zones  
  • Urban neighborhood commercial streets 
  • Major parks  
  • Mixed residential/industrial sectors 
• Temporary Count 
  • # of counts: 30 to 50 
  • Count periods: aligned with the dates specified in the National Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation Project (NBPDP) 
    • May and/or September 
    • July and January 
    • Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays, from 4-6pm; 12-2pm on Saturdays 

Agenda:

1. Overview of goals/purpose of project
   • Establish permanent and temporary count locations 
   • Evaluate counting technologies 
   • Create Wisconsin Non-Motorist Counting Guide 
   • Meet other needs identified by TAC 
2. Project timeline
   • Receive recommendations from TAC by June 2024 
   • Complete data collection by September 2025 
3. Committee goals/tasks 
   • Create clear list of data to be collected 
   • Procedures/protocols for data collection  
   • Work with UWM to establish an IPIT website
     • Future data sharing 
     • Visualization 
     • Update the progress of the project and communicate with the TAC 
   • Establish methodologies for processing data 
   • Other? 
4. Committee timeline 
5. Discuss how the subcommittees will report progress and the way they work with (expectations from) research team
6. Questions?

Agenda:

1. Overview of goals/purpose of project
   • Establish a baseline for bicycle/pedestrian facility use  
   • Exposure/risk  
   • Before/after studies
     • Safety 
     • Willingness to use a facility after improvements are made 
   • Estimate growth
   • Predict changes due to weather/season/time of day/day of week 
   • Look at origin/destination trends
   • Others?
2. Overview of goals/purpose of project
   • Establish permanent and temporary count locations 
   • Evaluate counting technologies 
   • Create Wisconsin Non-Motorist Counting Guide 
     • Who is the audience 
     • Intent is not to develop a full guide with this project but eventually could apply to all audiences interested in a count program 
     • Change language to “recommendations” 
     • Need to be clear about methods (such as distance counts were taken from a crosswalk) 
   • Meet other needs identified by TAC
     • Tie into WisDOT turning movement count databases/project
3. Project timeline
   • Receive recommendations from TAC by June 2024 
   • Complete data collection by September 2025
     • Full report should be ready by September 2025, count data will be collected by June/July 2025 
     • Will report to TRCC meeting quarterly 
     • Presentation will be given at governor’s office of highway safety conference 2025
4. Committee goals/tasks 
   • Create clear list of data to be collected 
     • Bikes/pedestrians/other micromobility 
       • Combined
       • Separated
     • Dates/times
     • Location
     • Weather
     • Infrastructure type (sidewalk, shared-use path, bike lane, etc.) 
     • Other infrastructure qualities
       • RRFB 
         • Whether or not it was being used?
       • High vis crosswalk markings
     • Type of count  
       • Screenline  
       • Intersection  
       • Trail  
       • Midblock crossings 
       • Include test locations where intersections and midblock are counted near each other 
         • Potentially where safety changes are going to be made 
         • Where streets are going to be pedestrianized 
       • Pedestrian level of stress and bike level of stress 
       • School zones 
       • Transit 
       • Safe Systems Approach excel worksheet 
         • Different from systemic safety approach 
       • For manual/video counts – bike/ped characteristics
         • Concerns about privacy issues 
         • Age 
         • Disability status 
       • Other site conditions: 
         • AADT 
           • Could we use context classification? 
         • Dimension of intersection 
           • Length of crosswalk 
         • Signals 
         • Curb extensions 
         • Walk signal available? 
         • Building setbacks? Other obstructions near the intersection? 
       • Bob provided list of data to be collected – see last page of this document 
   • Procedures/protocols for data collection  
     • UWM is looking at potentially crowdsourcing data 
     • Permanent sites:  
     • Temporary sites: 
       • 2-week counts are recommended
         • Counters might not be able to store this much data 
         • 20-30 locations need to be counted, might not have enough time to achieve this 
         • Manual checks are limited to a short number of hours 
       • What geographic spread are we looking for? 
       • WisDOT and SEWRPC use Eco Counter Pyro Box which uses infrared 
         • Boxes are moved to a different location ever two weeks 
     • UWM is planning on ordering Eco Counter Mobile Multi Units, Viva sensors and Axis camera  
   • Site selection
     • Select for safety, urban, rural, etc. 
     • Different facility types
   • Work with UWM to establish an IPIT website
     • Future data sharing
       • To be used for sharing data as well as uploading data 
         • Users will be certified
       • It should be possible to download data 
         • Excel spreadsheet 
         • Shapefile 
       • Visualization
         • Map
       • Update the progress of the project and communicate with the TAC 
   • Establish methodologies for processing data 
   • Other? 
     • Suggested locations for count sites 
       • UW-Stevens Point – includes a signalized and unsignalized crossing, they are currently exploring a road diet, connect with David Meurett for additional information 
5. Committee timeline
   • Research team to setup project milestones
     • Project website launch 
     • Counter purchase 
     • Presentations 
     • Next subcommittee meeting end of June
6. Discuss how the subcommittees will report progress and the way they work with (expectations from) research team
   • Monthly updates to Amber Yan – Bullet points
     • Amber will pass updates on to TAC 
   • Quarterly official updates to Mike Schwendau 
7. Questions? 

Data to be Collected

• Location ID 
• Count ID 
• ID 
• Organization performing count 
• Location name 
• City 
• WisDOT region 
• Year 
• Types of data collected during session 
• State FIPS code 
• County FIPS code 
• Station ID 
• Roadway classification 
• Direction of route 
• Location relative to roadway 
• Direction of movement 
• Facility type 
• Type of count represented in data row 
• Method of counting 
• Latitude 
• Longitude 
• Month 
• Date 
• Duration 
• Interval 
• Day of week 
• Time of week 
• Time of day 
• Weather 
• Precipitation 
• Total user count during count period 
• Total hours counted 
• Users/hour 
• Hour to week expansion factors 
• Hour to week average expansion factor 
• Week to year expansion factor 
• Estimated annual user volume 
• Notes 

Agenda:

1. Overview of goals/purpose of project
   • Establish permanent and temporary count locations 
   • Evaluate counting technologies 
   • Create Wisconsin Non-Motorist Counting Guide 
   • Meet other needs identified by TAC 
2. Project timeline
   • Receive recommendations from TAC by June 2024 
   • Complete data collection by September 2025 
3. Committee goals/tasks 
   • Identify potential partnerships 
   • Establish methods/frequency/documentation of communication 
   • Site selection 
   • Other? 
4. Committee timeline 
5. Discuss how the subcommittees will report progress and the way they work with (expectations from) research team
6. Questions?

Attendees: 

UW-Milwaukee: Yang Li, Xiao Qin 

TAC:  Michelle Brokaw, Matt Gast, Andrew Levy, Amber Yan, Andi Bill 

Agenda:

Agenda:

1. Overview of goals/purpose of project
   • Establish permanent and temporary count locations 
   • Evaluate counting technologies 
   • Create Wisconsin Non-Motorist Counting Guide 
   • Meet other needs identified by TAC 
     • None identified by committee
2. Project timeline
   • Receive recommendations from TAC by June 2024 
   • Complete data collection by September 2025 
3. Committee goals/tasks 
   • Identify potential partnerships
     • Partners
       • MPO/RPC/WisDOT conference October 2024 – Dave Mack 
       • LTAP Local Technical Assistance Program – Andi Bill 
       • City of Madison – Renee Callaway 
       • City of Milwaukee – Mike Amsden 
       • DNR trail counts – Andi Bill 
       • UW Madison Campus Transportation – Chuck Strawser  
       • Wisconsin Chapter of APBP – quarterly meetings
     • Informed
       • Wisconsin Bike Fed – Jake Newborn 
       • WiNDAC – Ethan Severson 
     • Resources
       • MNDOT 
       • TXDOT 
       • NCDOT 
   • Establish methods/frequency/documentation of communication
     • Conferences and meetings identified previously 
     • Concern about emails not drawing attention 
     • Recommendation to focus on using website 
     • Recommendation to include sign-up for updates option on website 
     • Consider establishing an annual meeting for partners that are conducting counts (hold in late winter/early spring like February, before count season begins) 
   • Site selection
     • Guidance provided regarding locations (copied below) 
     • Also consider special events 
       • Hank Aaron State Trail 5K, candle light walk (short-term) 
     • STH 26 (shared use path on Janesville to Watertown segment) 
     • La Crosse near downtown 
     • National Ave (permanent) 
     • Lake Dr. Shorewood (temporary) 
     • Recommend reviewing count locations within WisDOT’s GIS Resources for equity and appropriate stratification 
   • Other? 
4. Committee timeline
   • Research team to setup project milestones
     • Project website launch 
     • Counter purchase 
     • Presentations 
     • Next subcommittee meeting in July
       • Updates and prep for August 19 TRCC meeting 
5. Discuss how the subcommittees will report progress and the way they work with (expectations from) research team
   • Monthly updates to Amber Yan – Bullet points 
     • Amber will pass updates on to TAC 
   • Quarterly official updates to Mike Schwendau
6. Questions?
   • Request for project description for introductory email to potential partners

Permanent Count

• Downtown zones    • Urban neighborhood commercial streets 

• Major parks          • Mixed residential/industrial sectors 

Temporary Count

• # of counts: 30 to 50 

• Count periods: aligned with the dates specified in the National Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation Project (NBPDP) 
  • May and/or September 
  • July and January 
  • Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays, from 4-6pm; 12-2pm on Saturdays