Low Profile Microwave Radar and WiFi Sensors for Visually Unobtrusive Vehicle Detection and Travel Time Monitoring

National Park Service roadways/parkways have experienced safety and congestion issues similar to other highways in the U.S., especially in the urban areas where NPS parkways are part of the metropolitan traffic network. Visually unobtrusive traffic monitoring and data collection on NPS parkways with minimal impact on viewsheds or disturbance of the historical, cultural landscape is in critical need. Most current vehicle detection products are not designed to be visually unobtrusive and lower power consumption, and their per‐lane cost for traffic monitoring are usually high. We proposes to further develop, test and deploy on George‐Washington Memorial Parkway (GWMP) a low profile, low power‐consumption and visually Unobtrusive Traffic Monitoring System (UTMS) that consists of microwave radars and Wi‐Fi scanner sensors that can either be installed on the back of NPS traffic signs along the roadway, or mounted on bridge piers or light poles, for vehicle volume, speed, travel time measurement and vehicle type classification. Drivers will not be able to perceive the sensor from the viewing angles of both traveling directions. We expect that by the end of Phase II, a fully functional, easy‐to‐use UTMS will be developed and tested for NPS parkway traffic monitoring.