Commission summer traffic technicians collect data across the region

The Cape Cod Commission’s transportation department provides data collection services to all 15 towns in the region. To help with data collection for both Commission studies and requests from towns, the Cape Cod Commission hires summer traffic technicians to perform a variety of data collection efforts throughout the region.

Traffic technicians are typically college students working towards a degree in engineering. This year’s traffic technicians, Eric Ierardi and Lillie Ells, began work in May.

Ierardi is a rising Junior at the University of New Hampshire, majoring in Civil Engineering and Sustainability. “I was looking for a job that related more to my major and found this job online,” Ierardi says. “I liked the aspect of being in the field and going to different places.”

Traffic techs install a counter along Route 6A at the Barnstable-Yarmouth town line. The device, in place for 48 hours, counted an average daily total of 13,344 vehicles.

Ells, a rising sophomore at Norwich University in Vermont, majors in civil engineering with a minor in communications. “I’ve heard a lot about the Cape Cod Commission growing up here, specifically the 208 Plan, so when I was looking for a summer job, I reached out to this organization,” says Ells.

Traffic technicians set up radars and tubes along Cape Cod’s roads to track data, including vehicle count, speed, axle type, and direction. The tubes and radars are typically in place for 48 hours, after which the techs take them down and upload data for analysis. Techs also perform Turning Movement Counts, where they will monitor an intersection in person, tracking cars and their direction as they pass. Occasionally, techs will conduct speed studies, simply tracking the speeds of incoming and outgoing vehicles along certain roadways.

Technicians set up traffic tubes and conducted turning movement counts at the busy intersection of Cotuit Road and Quaker Meetinghouse Road in Sandwich, at the request of the town. The town is exploring potential safety upgrades to the intersection. The study, conducted between June 5 and June 13 showed that 2,356 vehicles pass through this intersection during the afternoon peak period (4:15-5:15), with the heaviest approach being Cotuit Road southbound with 787 vehicles during that hour.

The Commission is preparing to conduct a corridor study along Route 6A, a two-year effort that will begin in 2025. This summer, traffic techs are collecting preliminary data along the roadway. To date, traffic counts and speed studies conducted with a handheld radar have taken place. For example, on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, between 2:45 and 3:45 PM, 100 vehicles were observed heading westbound on Route 6A west of Beach Plum Circle in Sandwich, where the speed limit is 45 MPH. It was observed that the average speed was 41 MPH, and the 85th percentile speed was 46 MPH, while the 100 eastbound vehicles were observed to be traveling, on average, 40 MPH with an 85th percentile speed of 44 MPH.

“I believe that this job will be a tremendous learning experience for me and will give me an idea of what to expect when working as a Civil Engineer,” said Ierardi. “Also, I think this job will help me realize what type of Civil Engineering field I want to enter. “I have learned why this data we collect is important and how it is used to help improve safety, how it can help with construction and redirecting traffic, and how it is useful to monitor roads and their conditions.”

Tubes placed along Strawberry Lane in Yarmouthport in June counted an average daily total of 2,560 vehicles over a 48-hour period.

“My time here has allowed me to explore many areas of Cape Cod that I wouldn’t typically and has developed my understanding of traffic engineering,” said Ells. “I’ve learned to set up different equipment and navigate the databases here. This job will help me understand what I’d like to pursue in the future.”

Several Cape Cod Commission employees, including Deputy Director Steven Tupper and Transportation Planner Evan Costa, began their careers as summer traffic technicians.