Hestia Traffic App

Acknowledgment: This work is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Biological and Environmental Research Urban Integrated Field Laboratories research activity, under Award Number DE-SC0023520.

Help Improve the model !Download The App!

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DOWNLOAD NOW!! Go to App store/Android Play store search “Hestia Traffic” or scan the QR codes below

The Hestia Model

Models fossil fuel CO2 sources across cities at the road segment and building scale with high precision

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Hestia model is built using data from 9 segments — the model shows that the road sector is highest source of CO2.

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1. Electricity production
2. Airport
3. Nonroad
4. Onroad
5. Railroad
6. Commercial
7. Industrial
8. Residential
9. Cement

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Limitations of on road sector data

The current data for Flagstaff is based on data from only 5 locations

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Improving the on road sector data

With the new Hestia Traffic App, community scientists can collect data at a variety (all) locations

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Limitations of on road sector data

The current data for Flagstaff is just a fleet average and does not give detail about which vehicles are on different roads

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Improving the on road sector data

With the traffic app, we can collect detailed vehicle class information at each point → accurate emissions data

The improved data collected using the app will improve the Hestia model!

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Hestia Model benefits

A computer model that precisely models fossil fuel CO2 sources across cities at the road segment and building scale with high accuracy

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An Improved Hestia model will:

Provide actionable data for cities and ADOT to better understand traffic flows so they can implement changes to reduce congestion and optimize bus routes to avoid traffic and improve access

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An Improved Hestia model will:

Provide accurate data for cities to implement changes aimed at reducing emissions through better traffic management and city planning

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An improved Hestia model will:

Provide detailed emissions data on all building, energy, and on road sectors that cities can use to craft policies that will target CO2 hotspots and reduce energy use, mitigating climate change!

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Overall an improved Hestia model can lead to a reduction in air pollution and improve traffic for you and your community!

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A step towards a better future!

All you have to do is download the app and count some cars!

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Once Downloaded

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Needed Settings:

• Create a user account
• Next Slide
• Access internet to get the Lat/Long coordinates
• Set permission to use location information - “precise location” ON
• Set correct time zone (in your case, Arizona time)

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Accurate location and time are vital for an Traffic count data!

Creating/Login to account -

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• Use your google account or Apple ID or NAU email
• remember your password!! (save it to your phone)

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email + pswd (easiest)

When you first open the app -

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This is what your home page

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Holds a variety of resources!!!!

First step is to review the safety tips and basic traffic counting rules

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These will also be available to you at all times

Safety rules

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• Use crosswalk when you need to cross a street (e.g., two-way counting at a wide street).
• Do counting at interstates ONLY when safety is guaranteed (i.e., overpass), and must follow legal restrictions (do NOT enter interstate or shoulders).
• If parking, please park legally.
• At night, don’t count alone. Count only in well lit (bright) area.
• Do NOT enter private property (unless you have permission).

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Traffic counting rules

• Do counting at a safe location (i.e., sidewalk, a corner of parking) –
• Need good visibility in both directions
• Record for at least 5 mins and at least 15 cars. Counting 15 cars may take longer than 5 mins on low traffic roads.
• When you need to pause more than 1-2 mins, start over
• Two way streets - Count both directions

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Step two -

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Return to home page after review safety rules and select the TRAINING tab:

Trainings to learn how to conduct accurate traffic counts

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Training-

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1. Short Quizzes
• on the vehicle classifications
• Must pass to continue
2. Video Practice Test
• A video of traffic to see if you can accurately count moving traffic
• Must pass to continue

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Training -

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Let’s Learn the vehicle classes!

good reference for later on!

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Vehicle Classification

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1. Motorcycle or Electric vehicle
1. Tesla may be the only 100% recognizable EV
2. Electric Buses
3. Electric Amazon Delivery Trucks
2. Small passenger
1. Kias, compact cars, Sudans, etc
3. Large passenger
1. SUV’s , Pickup Trucks, Mini Vans
2. Large Vehicle with Large Tow
3. 4 wheel drive cars are always large (fuel economy is low)
4. Delivery/service Truck
1. Tow Trucks, Ambulances, Fire Trucks, Rv’s, Construction or work trucks
5. Bus
1. All inter/intra city busses, school busses, greyhound, etc
6. Big rigs
1. 18 wheelers, logging trucks, etc

Complete the Short Quizes on Vehicle Classifications NOW (if time allows) you must pass to move on!!

Some Practice -

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Delivery/ Service Trucks - Category 4

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EV - Category 1

Small Passenger car- Category 2

Motorcycle - Category 1

Small Passenger car- Category 2

Small Passenger car- Category 2

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Big Rigs- Category 6

Delivery/ Service Trucks - Category 4

Buses- Category 5

Large Passenger car- Category 3

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Large Passenger car- Category 3

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Large Passenger car- Category 3

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Buses- Category 5

Small Passenger car- Category 2

Delivery/ Service Trucks - Category 4

Delivery/ Service Trucks - Category 4

Delivery/ Service Trucks - Category 4

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How did you do?

Any clarifying question on vehicle classification types?

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If time allows please watch the video practice test on your devices NOW for practice

When it’s time to conduct a count

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When you are ready to conduct a traffic count click –

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Will then ask if you would like to go to a target location -

You can opt out of the target locations and instead conduct a count wherever you are

What is a target location?

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Target locations are areas around your city we have selected as areas of interest

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High vs. Medium priority

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Tap & hold the blue bar on the middle screen, the detail info will be displayed.

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Tap the calendar icon (i.e., Jan 2025) the user can look back the counts taken in the past month.

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Target Locations in the Phoenix area

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Blue diamond: high priority, Black points: medium priority

Target Locations in the Flagstaff area

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Blue diamond: high priority, Black points: medium priority

Target Locations in the Tucson area

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Blue diamond: high priority, Black points: medium priority

Other areas to collect

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This tab shows the counts that have been record on the app

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By tapping the “My Data” icon, now the user can display on the locations where the user collected data

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Introduction Video

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The About section –

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In this tab a video filmed by Principal investigator Dr Kevin Gurney.

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Watch to get further clarifying information on Vehicle classes, Background and the apps functions (always available to you)

Other things on home page

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Setting tab - adjust your app to fit your own personal preferences and communicate with a team

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The Hestia Traffic app also has a Website → Hestia Traffic App

The app features our data collected thus far

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You can be featured as a top contributor!

!!!!Potential Prizes coming soon !!!!

You can enter your login info and see your individual data - DATA tab

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Why counts at different location, time, & day matters?

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Hourly traffic pattern differs by location

Day of week variation

Holiday vs normal day variation

Fall 2025 student assignments

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• Paired sampling with manual and AI with video at two locations (101777, 10289, or 100543)
• 15 min increments starting just before :00, :15, :30, :45 during rush hour (6am - 9am, 3pm - 6pm)
• Need 6 of these total
• Bring a chair!
• Random sampling: AI counts (without video) at different times and locations - Contest!
• Different time of the day
• Different day of the week

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Fall 2025 student assignments (101777 location - Rte 66 West of Milton)

• You’ll find an ADOT box (CCS counter) nearby the pinned location.
• Park either at the side of the roads (or Chevron parking lot and walk).

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Fall 2025 student assignments (102189 location - Fort Valley)

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Fall 2025 student assignments

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• Paired sampling with manual and AI with video at two locations (101777, 10289, or 100543)
• 15 min increments starting just before :00, :15, :30, :45 during rush hour (6am - 9am, 3pm - 6pm)
• Need 6 of these total
• Bring a chair!
• Don’t forget - also random sampling: AI counts (without video) at different times and locations - Contest!
• Different time of the day
• Different day of the week

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Fall 2025 student assignments (100543 location)

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• You’ll find the ADOT CCS counter at a bit west of the pinned location.
• Walk 10~15 mins from a parking lot (Country Club Terrace).
• Traffic AI App may not be able to recognize vehicles…

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Competition!!

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Any other Questions?

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extra slides

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Background -

Radioisotope Carbon Aspect of the project:

• To ensure the most accurate and comprehensive estimation

Hestia is compared and adjusted to maintain consistency with a novel approach to observing FF-CO2 amounts in the atmosphere

• This novel approach is the collection and grinding of annual plant species and then the radioisotope analysis of those samples

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Download The App - Androids

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Submit Google form!!

Sign-in using your Gmail

Hari (App developer) will email back with a link to install the App - this URL is unique to each user

Link leads you to a google survey!