Cost-Effective Network Topology for Ubiquitous Bluetooth Reader Deployment in Urban Networks

Abstract

Travel time, an important performance measure for transportation systems, has traditionally been studied indirectly, but new technologies have made it possible to observe travel times directly. An increasingly popular method for travel time estimation is the use of a network of Bluetooth MAC address readers, where sampled addresses can be matched and travel times estimated. While most studies have addressed deployment for single roads, usually freeways or large arterials, the ubiquitous deployment of Bluetooth readers in a dense urban network raises new questions about network topology. In this paper, we explore the pros and cons associated with node (intersection) versus monument (mid-block) deployment of readers for dense, urban networks. A low-cost Bluetooth reader design developed for these experiments is described, and we present findings from four different deployments using these readers. We conclude that locating MAC readers at nodes is easier and more cost effective than deploying at monuments (where previous studies have recommended that readers should be located), without loss of data quality. The results in this paper show that MAC readers located at nodes are able to capture turning movements effectively, and in many cases outperform readers located at monuments.