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Ben Franklin COG presents 2024 regional traffic‑count results; Franklin County had 126 count sites
Summary
The Ben Franklin Council of Governments reported July 9 that its biennial tube‑counter program collected data at 718 sites in 2024 with 126 sites in Franklin County; heavy‑vehicle percentages and several high growth corridors were highlighted.
The Ben Franklin Council of Governments reported on July 9 that its regional traffic‑count program collected data at 718 sites in 2024, including 126 locations in Franklin County, and released an analysis of high‑volume locations and heavy‑vehicle percentages.
"In 2024, we collected data at a total of 718 sites and then a 126 of those were located in Franklin County or requested by Franklin County," said the COG presenter (Martin). The program uses midweek pneumatic tube counters during spring and fall, with data collected when school is in session to capture typical traffic conditions.
Why this matters: the counts support planning, prioritizing infrastructure investment, safety projects and grant applications. The COG emphasized the data’s role in identifying corridors with high heavy‑vehicle traffic and roads with the largest increases in daily volume over time.
Highlights from the 2016–2024 comparison and 2024 analysis: - Sites counted in 2024: 718 total; 126 located in Franklin County (COG presentation). - Program cadence: counts conducted every two years in even years; midweek spring/fall collections to represent typical traffic volume. - Largest percentage increase between 2016 and 2024: Burns Road, east of Dent Road — just over a 54% increase in average daily traffic (COG presentation). - Highest heavy‑vehicle percentage: Glade Road south of Clark Road — just over 20% heavy vehicles in the count; Taylor Flats (south of Self Landing Road) averaged over 15% heavy‑vehicle percentages. - Top 3 highest average daily‑traffic locations were near the City of Pasco city limits, the presenter said.
The group discussed grant funding for projects informed by the counts. The COG reported receipt of a $2.1 million lump‑sum allocation to distribute for projects from 2026–2029 and indicated more funds will be available later in the federal funding cycle if the region meets obligation targets. The COG is also developing a regional freight plan with a 25‑year forecast to 2050 to account for expected freight shifts from planned distribution centers and other regional changes.
Commissioners asked about how counts are averaged (the presenter confirmed counts produce average daily volumes from midweek collections) and about the prospects for federal and state grant funding. The presenter said federal allocations depend on obligation targets and that Franklin County received a portion of a recent call‑for‑projects distribution.
Ending: The COG presenter said staff would continue the biennial program in 2026 and would include freight planning and stakeholder input for longer‑range forecasts; commissioners thanked the presenter and asked staff to track funding opportunities linked to the data.
