MassDOT Traffic Count Data Collaborative

Traffic Count Data Collaborative

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MassDOT is collaborating with municipalities, regional planning agencies, and private industry to make historical traffic count data more easily accessible to those who need it. Due to the COVID-19 crisis, current traffic volumes have fallen to historic lows. However, the design of transportation projects across Massachusetts is continuing, so it is becoming necessary to utilize traffic data that previously would have been considered out-of-date.

MassDOT is collaborating with municipalities, regional planning agencies, and private industry to make historical traffic count data more easily accessible to those who need it. Due to the COVID-19 crisis, current traffic volumes have fallen to historic lows. However, the design of transportation projects across Massachusetts is continuing, so it is becoming necessary to utilize traffic data that previously would have been considered out-of-date.

The long-term goal is to cooperate with traffic data collection companies to leverage our existing Transportation Data Management System (https://mhd.ms2soft.com/tcds/tsearch.asp?loc=Mhd&mod=) to incorporate raw count data the meets the Department’s QA policies, so that it may be processed, geolocated, and made publicly available. This initiative will lead to the future standardization of how MassDOT will accept count data and will ensure that any count taken for any MassDOT project will be available for public consumption.

In the short-term, MassDOT understands that there may be other actions that can be taken to offer immediate assistance obtaining traffic data. Therefore, MassDOT will also be setting up a traffic count repository where design consultants are encouraged to upload historical count data that they may have collected in the past so that designers and public agencies may all view, share, and utilize for their own projects. In this unprecedented time, this count library will assist with the development of design projects that may otherwise slow down or stop entirely due to the lack of reliable existing traffic data.
Companies that wish to upload count data are very much encouraged to do so but should request approval from their client(s) first. MassDOT hereby gives consent for the upload of any count data (ATRs, TMCs, and/or specialized counts) that it has paid for on traditional project development or planning studies over the date range indicated below.

Priority should be given to count data from January, 2014 through February, 2020. However, earlier count data may be considered for upload if it is deemed relevant by the individual.

If your firm wishes to collaborate with MassDOT on this effort, Email State Traffic Engineer with the phrase “Traffic Count Data” in the subject line along with email addresses from 5 representatives from your company who will serve as the traffic data points of contact listed in the body of the email. MassDOT will provide access to these individuals for the ability to upload count data, and once this has been granted the entire company will have unlimited access to all count files. Instructions for how to upload, file structure and naming convention, and other information will be available on the repository and will be viewable to those who have upload rights.