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CONSIDERATION OF ACCEPTANCE OF A DONATION OF TWO (2) PYRO ECO-COUNTER SENSORS VALUED AT $1,200 EACH TO BE USED BY THE TRAFFIC DIVISION FOR THE COLLECTION OF BICYCLE/PEDESTRIAN COUNTS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA GIBBS COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE.
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BACKGROUND: In 2014, the University of Oklahoma Gibbs College of Architecture purchased two Pyro Eco-Counter Sensors for the collection of bicycle and pedestrian counts as part of a research project that evaluated the level of use of various multimodal paths in the City of Norman. Over the last five years, City staff has worked with University researchers and graduate students to place the counters at key locations along the City’s multi-modal path network to collect the needed data.
DISCUSSION: The research project for which these instruments were purchased has been completed. The principal researchers from the university have moved on and the University has no funding to perform routine equipment maintenance (e.g., battery replacement) or to pay for software updates. The estimated annual cost of that maintenance and software update is $500.
For these reasons, the College of Architecture at the University of Oklahoma wishes to donate the equipment to the City and simply asks that future pedestrian and bicycle traffic counts be made available upon request (see attached letter). The acceptance of this donation will enable the City’s Traffic Control Division to augment and streamline its annual traffic data collection program by having state-of-art equipment for the collection of bicycle and pedestrian traffic. If approved, the Public Works Department /Traffic Control Division will fund the required maintenance using funds from its existing operating budget.
RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the donation of two Pyro Eco Counter Sensors from the University of Oklahoma Gibbs College of Architecture be accepted for use as part of the City’s annual traffic counting program.