Project: #372 Better Boulevard Analytics Progress Report - Reporting Period Ending: March 31, 2022 Principal Investigator: Ray Gastil Status: Active Start Date: July 1, 2021 End Date: June 30, 2022 Research Type: Applied Grant Type: Research Grant Program: Private Funding Grant Cycle: 2021 Traffic21 Progress Report (Last Updated: March 31, 2022, 6:28 a.m.) % Project Completed to Date: 45 % Grant Award Expended: 45 % Match Expended & Document: 0 USDOT Requirements Accomplishments Goals: Walk Bike Shaler, with the support of the Township of Shaler, will partner with CMU researchers to inform and contribute to the Better Boulevard initiative. CMU, providing urban design and computer vision expertise, will deploy cameras for visual data, develop computer vision algorithms to analyze data, and develop mobility/urban design recommendations from the data and responsive to community priorities. Shaler’s pattern of a long Main Street in a suburban context is a mobility/urban design case study relevant to numerous municipalities in Southwestern PA and nationally. Accomplished to Date: In depth scoping meetings to establish town leadership support, camera location, and project parameters. Regular meetings through first quarter with team. Site visits regarding camera locations and installation opportunities. Meeting with Town Manager, Town Engineer, and Chief of Police. Follow up with Chief of Police. Meetings regarding and developing materials to address privacy concerns regarding use of cameras. Ongoing dialogue re opportunities for related planning and infrastructure initiatives (see Impacts). Continuing site visits/research, including site visit with Walk Bike Shaler leaders and town residents at Shaler Homecoming, when Mount Royal Boulevard is pedestrianized, offering the opportunity to walk the site, including key areas for sidewalk infrastructure. To Accomplished in the Next Six Months: Newsletter. Install Cameras. Update on Project for Traffic21/Mobilty21/Metro21. Data Collection. Develop Algorithms. Outreach Event. Meet with Stakeholders to Present Project Update. Outreach Event. Traffic21/Mobility21/Metro21 Update Presentation/Discussion on Work-in-Progress. Impacts Walk Bike Shaler incorporated input and dialogue with the full team to advance a proposal for the Town of Shaler to apply for sidewalk improvement at the core of the study area (where cameras will be deployed) in the SPC (MPO) TIP 2023 process. Update: This work continues, and the team continues to coordinate with project team to insure that the research work is coordinated with sidewalk improvement and related projects. Other Established a website link that will take interested parties to basic information about the project, cameras and privacy, and visual data analytics. Update: Now that cameras are deployed, as of March 4, will be updating link and related information. Outcomes New Partners The Town of Shaler leadership is fully aware of and supportive of the project, and increasingly supportive of improving pedestrian infrastructure. Issues Cameras will be installed in October, which will not facilitate as high a level of pedestrian and bike movements as earlier, warmer months in 2021. Depending on data available in cooler months, project may adapt by further developing/refining data from warmer months in 2022. Update: Cameras were deployed and fully operational as of March 4. After extensive discussion and deliberation with project partners, cameras capture different aspects of key intersection, where surrounding land uses include schools, multifamily housing, shopping center, library, single-family homes, and the street to the prime community park. This intersection is served by transit (PAAC bus), is signalized but without crosswalks, has no or minimal bus stop infrastructure, and no or little sidewalk infrastructure. It is a key test site for review and analysis of driver, pedestrian, bike, and other mobility, and will contribute to related planning and ultimately anticipated implementation of improved infrastructure at this intersection. Team is underway with GIS mapping/analysis of the roadway and surrounding land use patterns. Team will coordinate public outreach to inform and engage re the tool, anticipated and preliminary analytics, building towards further analysis, conclusions, and recommendations.