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

The major concern of National Park Service (NPS) is that the traffic sensors must be visually unobtrusive for minimizing the impact on viewsheds or the disturbance of the historical, cultural landscape. We propose an innovative visually unobtrusive vehicle detection and travel time monitoring system to provide high quality traffic and travel time information. The system is low cost, stand-alone, low power consumptive, and visually unobtrusive. The traffic sensors can be installed on traffic signs and light poles that are unnoticeable to most drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists. The collected data can be transmitted back to the backend NPS data processing computer in real time via cellular communication link, and the data can further be shared with VDOT and MDSHA. The proposed system will be able to improve interagency coordination and traffic management on NPS roadways.