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2024 Traffic Data
About this data
The Town collects data to determine solutions to traffic flow problems during peak season.
Banff’s threshold for the onset of congestion and delays is considered to be approximately 24,000 vehicles per day entering the town, as measured by counters at the Banff Avenue entrance and the Norquay Road entrance.
The Town’s goal is to minimize delays during peak periods, to under 15 minutes.
The data and traffic cameras are used to determine if interventions are needed such as overriding the traffic lights at key intersections to move more vehicles through, to reduce backlogs.
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July 1-7 Traffic Stats
The below compares the week of July 1-7 with the comparable week in 2019 and 2023.
Main Entrances
Main Entrance Volumes for the week of July 1-7 was 195,443, an increase of 2% from 2023 and increase of 4% from 2019.
Banff Ave Bridge
Banff Ave Bridge Volumes for the week of July 1-7 was 96,697, a decrease of 3% from 2023 and decrease of 17% from 2019.
Mountain Avenue
Mountain Avenue Volumes for the week of July 1-7 was 33,676, a decrease of 6% from 2023 and a decrease of 15% from 2019.
Roam Local Ridership
Roam Local Ridership (Routes 1& 2) for the week of July 1-7 was 27,316 a decrease of 4% from 2023. It should be noted that The Rimrock and Pursuit have additional buses that were not available last year which could be attributable to the decrease in ridership.
Max Travel Time
The Max Southbound travel time recorded over the course of the week from Banff Avenue Entrance to Downtown was 0:21:78.
The Max Northbound travel time recorded over the course of the week from the Rimrock to Downtown was 0:16:83.
Green Overrides
A total of 48 green overrides were ran over the course of the week to help relieve congested traffic.
Data Definitions
VPD at Town Entrances: Vehicles per day. This number references the total number of vehicles recorded (both incoming and outgoing combined) at traffic count stations located at the two main entrances to Town – Mnt Norquay Rd and Banff Ave. Hence, this number equals ((Mnt Norquay incoming volume + Mnt Norquay outgoing volume) + (Banff Ave incoming volume + Banff Ave outgoing volume)). The VPD reported is not representative of the total number of vehicles in town on one day; it is simply how many vehicles are moving in and out of the town over the course of one day (24hrs).
VPD on Banff Ave Bridge: Vehicles per day. This number references the total number of vehicles recorded (both southbound and northbound combined) over the course of one day (24hrs) at a traffic count station located on the north side of Banff Ave Bridge.
VPD on Mountain Ave: Vehicles per day. This number references the total number of vehicles recorded (both southbound and northbound combined) over the course of one day (24hrs) at a traffic count station located on Mountain Ave, around the corner and up the hill from Middle Springs Dr.
Maximum Travel Time: Maximum travel times are based on data obtained from roadside Traffax traffic monitoring sensors which use Bluetooth and Wi-Fi technology embedded in devices and vehicles traveling between key locations and the Banff-Buffalo intersection. Detections from Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are not limited to vehicles, but most pedestrians and slower cyclists are filtered out using various travel time algorithms.
Green Overrides: This number references the total number of green overrides over the course of one day (24hrs) at the intersection of Spray Avenue and Banff Avenue and simultaneously at the intersection of Banff Avenue and Buffalo Street. This unique traffic signal pattern increases the duration of the North-South green light phase from 1 minute to 3 minutes to relieve congestion and travel time delays on northbound Mountain Avenue and Spray Avenue.
July long weekend 2024 Traffic Stats
The Town of Banff Traffic Management Team would like to present the following comparison charts and graphs for the July Long Weekend.
The below compares June 28th to July 1 with the comparable weekend in 2019 and 2023.
Main Entrances
Main Entrance Volumes for the July Long weekend was 114,394, a decrease of 5% from 2023 and decrease of 3% from 2019.
Banff Avenue Bridge
Banff Ave Bridge Volumes for the July Long weekend was 55,284, a decrease of 4% from 2023 and decrease of 21% from 2019.
Mountain Avenue
Mountain Avenue Volumes for the July Long weekend was 19,771, a decrease of 4% from 2023 and decrease of 23% from 2019.
Roam Local Ridership
Roam Local Ridership (Routes 1,2 & 4) for the long weekend was 27,772 a decrease of 5% from the 2023 July Long weekend. It should be noted that The Rimrock and Pursuit have additional buses that were not available last year which could be attributable to the decrease in ridership.
Max Travel Time
The Max Southbound travel time recorded over the course of the long weekend from Banff Avenue Entrance to Downtown was 0:22:26.
The Max Northbound travel time recorded over the course of the long weekend from the Rimrock to Downtown was 0:29:50.
Green Overrides
A total of 35 green overrides were ran over the course of the long weekend to help relieve congested traffic.
Data Definitions
VPD at Town Entrances: Vehicles per day. This number references the total number of vehicles recorded (both incoming and outgoing combined) at traffic count stations located at the two main entrances to Town – Mnt Norquay Rd and Banff Ave. Hence, this number equals ((Mnt Norquay incoming volume + Mnt Norquay outgoing volume) + (Banff Ave incoming volume + Banff Ave outgoing volume)). The VPD reported is not representative of the total number of vehicles in town on one day; it is simply how many vehicles are moving in and out of the town over the course of one day (24hrs).
VPD on Banff Ave Bridge: Vehicles per day. This number references the total number of vehicles recorded (both southbound and northbound combined) over the course of one day (24hrs) at a traffic count station located on the north side of Banff Ave Bridge.
VPD on Mountain Ave: Vehicles per day. This number references the total number of vehicles recorded (both southbound and northbound combined) over the course of one day (24hrs) at a traffic count station located on Mountain Ave, around the corner and up the hill from Middle Springs Dr.
Maximum Travel Time: Maximum travel times are based on data obtained from roadside Traffax traffic monitoring sensors which use Bluetooth and Wi-Fi technology embedded in devices and vehicles traveling between key locations and the Banff-Buffalo intersection. Detections from Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are not limited to vehicles, but most pedestrians and slower cyclists are filtered out using various travel time algorithms.
Green Overrides: This number references the total number of green overrides over the course of one day (24hrs) at the intersection of Spray Avenue and Banff Avenue and simultaneously at the intersection of Banff Avenue and Buffalo Street. This unique traffic signal pattern increases the duration of the North-South green light phase from 1 minute to 3 minutes to relieve congestion and travel time delays on northbound Mountain Avenue and Spray Avenue.
