For the last month eight University of Delaware students have taken a road trip to the Delaware beaches every Friday, Saturday and Sunday — but not to soak up the sun.
The UD students, who log an average of 1,200 miles per weekend, are compiling traffic data using global position system technology to quantify the severity of congestion as part of collaborative research project with the Delaware Department of Transportation DelDOT.
The students travel in two UD vehicles equipped with GPS devices programmed to capture travel time from one point to another, mean travel speed and delay using longitude and latitude measurements taken while the vehicle is in motion.
They cover all roads leading to and from the Delaware beaches, starting at the Pennsylvania border and ending at the Maryland border during peak weekend travel hours from June 14 to Sept. 2.
While one student drives the others collect data both manually and using the GPS unit. As the vehicles cross each predetermined control point, the students record travel time, delay time and delay sources such as accidents, weather and unexpected occurrences.
Each fall, the students present and discuss their findings with DelDOT transportation planners charged with planning future projects, providing a snapshot of current traffic conditions as well as comparison of previous years.
Click on the link below for the full story from the University of Delaware.
via Engineering students collect traffic data using GPS technology.
