Pedestrian Counts Leading to New Applications of UCD Data

Our data scientist Tyler Tran has recently been conducting pedestrian counts throughout our district using automated sensors. Pedestrian count data help us estimate the number of people walking on various streets, which we then share with partners to help inform decisions regarding street safety, transit, and real estate.

The pedestrian volume model allows us to look at pedestrian safety in an exposure framework, where we can use crash data (where cars hit pedestrians) and pedestrian volumes to see where most crashes occur, adjusted by the number of people who walk by. We can share this information with City departments looking to make streetscape improvements, or it allows us to target the best location for our own pedestrian safety infrastructure, like pedestrian plazas or crossings. 

This pedestrian data is also useful to partners and businesses looking to learn about the vibrancy of our district, on a block-by-block basis. If a business is interested in opening a storefront in University City, we can provide estimated foot traffic numbers that can inform their decision, given the premise that higher pedestrian traffic will likely lead to more business.

Over the coming months, Tyler aims to create an online portal where people can download raw data of pedestrian counts like the map below, and estimates of pedestrian volume for each street. Tyler will also be submitting a paper to the journal Transportation Research Record with hopes of publication. Stay tuned for more details and updates!