Abstract

LiDAR Line of Sight Analysis for Vehicle Detection Equipment
Track: Transportation
Authors: Marshall Ballard

Designing the placement of vehicle detection equipment for the SR 237/I-880 Express Connectors project in Santa Clara County, California was expedited by the use of ArcGIS and various data including Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) elevation data. LiDAR data was processed using United States Department of Forestry Fusion software and ESRI ArcGIS to create a triangular irregular network (TIN) base map. This base map was used for a line of sight analysis of potential locations of vehicle detectors, and their communication antennas. This GIS analysis minimized field work and reduced project costs by providing on-going analysis of multiple locations for detectors and antennas with their respective line of sight. The vehicle detection equipment is vital to the operation of the tolling system located along the Express Lane Corridor. This GIS based analysis approach has proven to be a valuable technique for the design of tolling facilities.