Peering through the lens: multimodal camera counts 

In our bustling community, safety on our roads is a top priority. That’s why we’re excited to share some fascinating findings from a recent initiative aimed at understanding how our most vulnerable road users—bicyclists and pedestrians—interact with the High Injury Network (HIN). 

In 2017, Hillsborough County launched its Vision Zero Action Plan, a bold commitment to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries. As part of this effort, the plan identified specific corridors within our county—the High Injury Network—where crash rates were alarmingly high. 

To gain deeper insights into how bicyclists and pedestrians navigate these critical corridors, the Hillsborough Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) led a mission to conduct a comprehensive series of multimodal camera counts. 

Why Cameras? Cameras don’t just capture Instagram-worthy moments. They’re also our secret weapon for recording precise data on road users. Here’s why: 

1. Accuracy: Video equipment ensures accurate counts of both bicyclists and pedestrians. No more guesswork! 

2. Location Tracking: These cameras pinpoint where road users are—whether they’re on the road, strolling along a sidewalk, or zipping through a crosswalk. 

3. Direction Matters: We’re not just counting heads; we’re tracking movement. Cameras reveal the direction in which our fellow citizens travel. 

80 cameras were strategically deployed across Hillsborough County along the High Injury Network corridors and one location recommended by the TPO’s Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC). 

For a minimum of 24 consecutive hours, these cameras worked tirelessly. They captured every transportation movement—motor vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists alike. And here’s the cool part: near public schools, we timed the counts during school hours to avoid skewing our data. No, we didn’t want the kids’ lunchtime soccer game to mess things up! 

Humans watched all the videos and tallied the counts unveiling a bustling scene. Hundreds of bicyclists and pedestrians were spotted at various locations during those 24-hour windows.  

• Bayshore Blvd North of Gandy Blvd: A whopping 692 pedestrians graced this stretch. Perhaps they were enjoying the bay views or practicing their power walks! 
• 15th St between Fowler Ave and Fletcher Ave: Cyclists ruled the asphalt here, with 224 bike enthusiasts pedaling their way through. 

Our analysis is now underway, and we’re asking some intriguing questions. We will be working to unravel the mysteries of our roads, and how they are used and work toward a safer, more pedestrian-friendly Hillsborough County. 

If you would like to see the findings as presented to the TPO Board and committees, those can be found here: Presentation // Multimodal Counts Report. For more information, you can contact Ben Gordon at [email protected].