Global Positioning System

Using GPS to monitor traffic and improve transportation planning in the Baltimore region

Setting out to drive around in heavy traffic may not seem like a lot of fun, but in order to get important information, that’s exactly what Baltimore Metropolitan Council staff sign up to do just that!

Since 1998, BMC has used Global Positioning System units to collect travel time and travel speeds on 30 of the heaviest traveled roadways.

Why is this important?

Using GPS receivers, we can collect information that will help us to see where and when traffic jams occur on our region’s roads.

How is the information used?

Understanding these traffic patterns helps us to make better decisions about how to manage and improve the transportation system. Results are used to enhance transportation planning activities such as:

• Prioritizing projects in the Long Range Transportation Plan
• Calibrating the BMC travel demand model to improve the accuracy of forecasting

How is the data collected?

Each year, 30 corridors of various road types are studied during the following times:

• Morning rush hour (7 to 9 a.m.);
• Off-peak period (9 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 3 p.m.); and
• Evening rush hour (4:30 to 6:30 p.m.).

To collect the data, drivers are equipped with a GPS unit and a laptop. Using their personal vehicle, the drivers collect travel time and travel speed for each corridor.

Driving is generally conducted four days a week during the fall for the morning rush hour collection and during the spring for the evening rush hour collection. Within these periods drivers travel each corridor seven times in each direction to obtain a proper sample. For off-peak travel, drivers travel each corridor three times in each direction.

Learn more by reviewing our maps, data, and reports!

Data archive for all data collected from 1998 to 2004 (all in pdf):

Complete document (7,030 kb) / Introduction and text (1,691 kb) / 1998 (1,109 kb)  / 1999 (1,068 kb) / 2000 (1,001 kb) / 2001 (608 kb) / 2002 (670 kb) / 2004 (977 kb)

Also check out the reports. They not only provide you with analysis of possible causes for each congested roadway segment, but also show how congestion has changed over time.

• Baltimore Regional Roadway Congestion Trends Analysis 1998-2008 (pdf: 7,799 kb)
• Congestion Monitoring Using GPS in the Baltimore Region: Travel Speeds in the Evening Peak, Spring 2004. (pdf: 1,418 kb)
• Congestion Monitoring Using GPS on Freeways and Arterials in the Baltimore Region: A Comparison of Travel Speeds in 1998 & 2002. (pdf: 2,275 kb)

Earlier reports may be purchased from the Regional Information Center, 410-732-9570 or ric@baltometro.org.

For more information:
Ed Stylc, estylc@baltometro.org or 410-732-0500 x1031.

Links within this web site:

Aerial surveys


Links to other web sites:

Real-time traffic monitoring (Maryland Department of Transportation)

Last Updated on Thursday, 11 August 2011 09:45