Nielsen Traffic Count Locations
The Nielsen Traffic Count Database gives marketers the ability to evaluate the impact of traffic flow with nationwide street traffic and highway volume information. This data can be incorporated in site selection evaluation, transportation analysis, outdoor advertising placement and operations routing decisions. Nielsen collects information for the Traffic Counts Database from various municipalities and government agencies. This is the only source of traffic counts on a national level and it provides comprehensive metropolitan area coverage. Data is collected throughout the year and the database is updated annually.
Traffic counts are typically taken in the summer months. They are then compiled over the fall and winter and are released either late winter or in the spring months. The Department of Transportation (DOT) or other agencies will take a count on a road. This count is for 8 hours during a certain portion of the day. This number is then matched against numerous factors to determine a count that gives the best representation for that area. Factors include time of the day and day of the week among many others. The DOT or other agencies then run the count through numerous equations. The compilers of the data apply all known factors in determining the best estimated average daily traffic count on a particular street.
Use traffic counts to:
- Analyze the traffic around potential sites to enhance your site selection process.
- Determine traffic flows to facilitate routing to and from your facilities.
- Conduct transportation analysis to maximize logistical operations.
- Design outdoor advertising placements to focus in high traffic areas.
- Spatially analyze your sites, competitors and customer locations relative to traffic patterns.
- Avoid placing critical operations facilities in hard-to-access locations.
Variables
- Number of traffic locations
- Traffic count
- Cross Street Distance
- Cross Direction
- Survey Year
