Creating a Pedestrian Count Program in Downtown Winnipeg ( breakout presentation )

Abstract

Background In the wake of an increasing number of North American jurisdictions moving to prioritize active modes of travel, research into traffic data collection has progressed beyond its infancy to a point where cities have begun network wide active transportation monitoring programs. This trend motivated by shifting societal values towards environmental sustainability, public health, and urban vibrancy; requires accurate and accessible data to best inform investment decisions and network improvements. Most pedestrian data collection of this variety has been conducted in an ad hoc manner on multi-use paths or simple sidewalk networks and often as a supplement to existing motorized traffic monitoring. In light of this, there is a clear need for a standard approach to collecting and reporting pedestrian volume data in highly urbanized areas. Method Documenting work performed for the City of Winnipeg, this research will provide a summary of actions taken and lessons learned in producing annual pedestrian volume statistics from Winnipeg’s downtown area. Using automated pedestrian counting devices, fourteen-day counts at 45 unique locations were conducted throughout the downtown area to characterize pedestrian activity. Following this, eight locations were selected to be monitored continuously throughout 2016. This enabled a detailed analysis of pedestrian trends throughout the year as well as the opportunity to extrapolate the results of existing short duration counts. Aim This data is currently being used to develop an ongoing pedestrian traffic-monitoring program for the City of Winnipeg. Once complete, this program will be used to estimate annual pedestrian volumes at locations where short duration counts are performed. This will serve as a vital tool to provide insights for transportation professionals, city planners, as well as community and activist groups to support design decisions. Results/Conclusion The two studies performed resulted in over 4.2 million pedestrians counted in 3480, 24-hour counts. This data has been used to distinguish two types of pedestrian activity in Winnipeg’s downtown area which can be used to estimate annual statistics. Additionally, summaries have been produced and presented to the City of Winnipeg, which describe yearly trends in pedestrian activity that will be used for engineering, planning, and policy design purposes.