The FCTrip Traffic Application HELP Manual

This application provides you with the information related to congestion levels as well as road construction throughout the City of Fort Collins. The City of Fort Collins has designed this map to be easy to use, but we realize that any application can benefit from a help manual. This document highlights both how to use and interpret the various elements on the FCTrip map.

Congestion Levels

The map contains four congestion levels (low, moderate, high, and unavailable). The congestion level that is shown has been calculated from live data that is collected every 5 minutes from traffic counting cameras or pucks (electronic discs located at the intersections).

• Low – the road section is not significantly congested and the flow of traffic is not being significantly hindered.
• Moderate – the road section is moderately congested and the flow of traffic is being moderately hindered. Your commuting time will most likely be slowed down.
• High – the road section is highly congested and the flow of traffic is being significantly hindered. Your commuting time will be slower.
• Unavailable – the road section currently does not have any live data available to calculate a congestion level.

Construction Areas

In various locations throughout the map you will notice the symbol. This symbol designates a road construction area. Click on the cone to view the details of the road construction area. The details include the following:

• Location: the street (and possibly the cross street) where the road construction is taking place
• Type of Work: the description of the type of work being done.
• Dates: the registered starting and ending date of the construction
• Full Closure: dictates whether the road has been closed due to the road construction.

Viewing Snapshot Images

At various intersection on the map you will notice the symbol. Clicking on this symbol will pull up a small window on the map that allows you to view a snapshot of this intersection from various directions.

• Selecting Directions – click on one of the bars surrounding the image. For example, clicking the bar with the letter “N” will select a snapshot of the north section of the intersections.
• Congestion Level and Average Speed descriptions – Once you have pulled up a snapshot you will receive information on the congestion level and average speed of the vehicles approaching* the selected intersection.

* Since the snapshot displays the information of vehicles heading towards the camera the direction of the “bound” traffic will be the opposite direction of where the camera is pointed.

RSS Feeds

In addition to the graphical representation of the traffic conditions we provide an RSS feed that provides the congestion levels and average speed. The RSS feed provides this information by intersection. An intersection is named with the East/West street first followed by the North/South street (e.g. Mulberry & College). Intersections are designated by vehicles entering the two named streets. For example, Mulberry & College: Eastbound refers to the section of the road with vehicles traveling east into the Mulberry & College Intersection.

Your Map Options

Located on the right hand side of the web page holding the FCTrip application you will notice a section title “Map Options.” This section of the web page allows you to set your own personal preferences on how the FCTrip map will appear.

Your options are:

• Map size: Click on the size of map you would like
• FCgov.com navigation:
  • Maximize – shows the complete fcgov.com navigation (header and footer)
  • Minimize – shows only the fcgov.com logo and small header.