The first all-island traffic count since 1999 is now taking place. 

Motorists may have noticed significant numbers of workers with clipboards along the roadsides over recent days. They are engaged in the National Road Authority’s (NRA’s) 2016 Traffic Data Collection programme for Grand Cayman. 

The workers are collecting comprehensive data on how many vehicles, and of what types, are using roads, intersections and roundabouts.  No disruption to traffic flow is anticipated during the data collection programme but motorists are asked to drive cautiously during the survey duration.

Information derived from this exercise will be vital to road planning. There are two aspects to the ongoing data-collection: monitoring “turning movement counts” over seven-hour durations at the 40 busiest intersections in Cayman; and the placement of 152 “automatic traffic recorders” at highways and arterial roadways. 

NRA Board Chairman Donovan Ebanks said, “The NRA Board recognises that, in order to contribute effectively to the Government’s commitment to ‘build smart modern infrastructure’, we needed to both garner better data and enhance our ability to use it.”

The survey work was begun this week by staff of “Servicios Mexicanos de Ingeniería Civil, SA de CV” (SEMIC). Following a bid process the Mexican engineering firm received the contract to provide these services.

Mr. Ebanks noted, “Unlike counterpart agencies such as CUC and the Water Authority who get monthly measures of their customers’ consumption, the NRA does not. Hence the need for us to collect comprehensive data, at least annually, on how many vehicles and what types are using our roads and going through our intersections and roundabouts.”

He added, “This information will assist in our day-to-day planning and will be a fundamental input into the traffic demand and traffic operational models that we are working towards bringing on line by the end of 2016. 

The combination of regular comprehensive counts and up-to-date traffic models are to transportation planning and road network management what good blood and x-ray labs are to an emergency room and hospital.”

Data collection should be complete within a month. Motorists or other residents with any questions on this exercise may call the NRA on 9467780.

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IMAGE: www.nzta.govt.nz