Abstract: With the rapid motorization process in China, an increasingly complicated highway transportation system has been developed. Reliable national and provincial traffic monitoring systems are becoming necessary. A review of experiences from developed countries in North America can be helpful for highway administrations and agencies to design and implement effective and efficient traffic monitoring systems. Highway agencies in North America have over time developed “standard” traffic monitoring systems based on guidelines from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), and the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). Common practices are adopted based on analyses of system accuracy, reliability, and cost-effectiveness. The common practices can produce equivalent and comparable traffic summary statistics, which are able to support sensible decision-makings at all aspects of highway transportation. The experiences of highway agencies, current practices, and related guidelines in North America are therefore presented first. Principles for guiding development and operation of traffic data programs are then summarized and reviewed. Existing problems and active research for traffic monitoring practices and standards are also identified and discussed. It is believed that the reviewed experiences, guidelines and principles will be helpful for China to establish effective and common-practice based “standard” traffic monitoring systems.

Key words: Traffic monitoring system, North America, Traffic volume monitoring, Vehicle classification monitoring, Truck weight monitoring, Standards, Common practice

摘要： 随着中国机动化进程的加快，高速公路运输系统日益复杂化，建立可靠的国家和地方交通监控系统已成为必须。回顾北美发达国家的经验对于高速公路的管理和设计部门设计和实施有效的交通监控系统是有益的。在联邦高速公路管理局（FHWA），美国州公路和运输官员协会（AASHTO）以及美国材料与试验协会（ASTM）的指导方针下，北美高速公路部门开发了一套“标准的”交通监控系统。基于对系统精确性，可靠性和成本的有效性的分析，所采用的做法能得到相当的及可比较的交通统计数据，这些数据为高速公路的各种决策的制定提供依据和支持。本文首先介绍北美高速公路机构的经验，包括目前的做法以及相关的指导方针，然后总结和评述了一些指导交通数据程序建立与运行的原则。同时，本文也指出和讨论了交通监控存和标准在的问题，并对其进行了相关研究。通过回顾一些经验，指导方针和原则，有助于中国建立有效的基于标准的通用交通监控系统。

关键词: 交通监控系统, 北美, 交通流监测, 车辆分类监管, 卡车重量监测, 标准, 惯例