Short answer. A single-intersection turning movement count typically costs between $250 and $700 depending on hours counted and classification detail. A parking occupancy study runs from roughly $1,500 to $8,000 depending on site size and survey days. A full traffic impact study, including data collection, analysis and documentation, generally falls between $5,000 and $30,000, with three to five intersections and one horizon year sitting near the lower half of that range.
Why nobody publishes prices
Search for what a traffic study costs and you will find consultancy pages that explain the variables and then invite you to request a quote. The reason is real: scope genuinely varies by an order of magnitude, and a published number gets quoted back during a negotiation about a different scope. But the effect is that buyers cannot form a budget expectation before entering a procurement process, which wastes everyone's time.
So here are ranges. They are what work of this type actually costs in the US market in 2026, based on the studies we support. Treat them as a budgeting starting point, not a quotation.
Traffic count costs
| Item | Typical range (USD) | Assumptions |
|---|---|---|
| Turning movement count, one intersection, 2 + 2 hr peaks | $250 – $450 | 4 legs, standard 3-class vehicle split |
| Turning movement count, one intersection, 12 hr | $500 – $900 | 4 legs, 15-minute bins throughout |
| Classified count, FHWA 13-bin | add 25 – 50% | Substantially more analyst time per hour of video |
| Pedestrian and cycle counts added to a TMC | add $40 – $120 | Same footage, marginal additional processing |
| Automatic tube or radar volume count, per site per week | $300 – $700 | Volume and speed only, no turning movements |
| Queue length survey, one approach, one peak | $200 – $400 | Cycle-by-cycle observation |
| Saturation flow study, one lane group | $350 – $650 | Requires sufficient saturated cycles |
Two structural points. First, video-based processing separates the field cost from the analysis cost: recording is cheap, and you pay for analyst hours proportional to how much detail you specify. Second, mobilisation is a real cost — five intersections in one corridor cost materially less per intersection than five scattered across a metro area.
Parking study costs
| Item | Typical range (USD) | Assumptions |
|---|---|---|
| Single lot occupancy study, one weekday | $800 – $1,800 | Hourly sweeps, occupancy only |
| Lot occupancy plus duration and turnover | $1,500 – $3,500 | Plate matching between sweeps |
| Multi-block CBD kerbside study | $4,000 – $12,000 | Scales with block count and survey days |
| Garage entry/exit counts, one week | $1,200 – $3,000 | Video at access points |
| Hospital or campus parking study | $6,000 – $20,000 | Multiple user groups, several days, zones |
Traffic impact study costs
| Study scale | Typical range (USD) | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Minor — trip generation letter or memo | $1,500 – $4,000 | No new counts, or one intersection |
| Small TIS | $5,000 – $12,000 | 2 – 4 intersections, AM/PM peaks, one horizon year |
| Standard TIS | $12,000 – $22,000 | 5 – 8 intersections, two horizon years, mitigation testing |
| Large or contested TIS | $22,000 – $60,000+ | 10+ intersections, corridor modelling, multiple scenarios, hearings |
Data collection is typically 15% to 30% of a study fee. It is the part most often cut to win a bid, and the part most often responsible for a resubmission.
The six variables that move the price
- Number of study intersections — the single biggest driver, and set at scoping, not by you
- Hours counted per location — a 12-hour count is roughly double a peak-periods-only count
- Classification detail — 3 classes versus 13 bins is a large difference in analyst time
- Number of horizon years and scenarios — each one multiplies the analysis, not the data
- Whether mitigation is contested — hearings, revisions and responses can exceed the original fee
- Geographic spread — mobilisation and travel are real, and corridors are cheaper than scattered sites
Where you can genuinely save
- Negotiate scope at scoping. Removing one intersection from the agency's list saves more than any discount you will negotiate later.
- Record once, analyse twice. One good video can yield a turning movement count, a queue survey, a saturation flow study and pedestrian counts. Commissioning them separately means paying to record the same intersection three times.
- Batch by corridor and by week rather than ordering site by site as projects land.
- Specify the classification you will actually use in the analysis, not the most detailed available.
- Send your own Excel template. Reformatting is unpaid time on your side, not a saving.
- Outsource the tallying, keep the engineering. Analyst hours cost less than licensed engineer hours doing repetitive counting.
When cheap costs more
The genuinely expensive outcome in this work is a resubmission. An agency that rejects counts as unrepresentative, or a reviewer who finds a default peak hour factor where a calculated one was required, costs a new data collection cycle plus a second review cycle — commonly four to ten weeks. Against that, the difference between a careful count and a cheap one is trivial. The cost question worth asking is not what the count costs, but what a rejected appendix costs.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a turning movement count cost?
Between roughly $250 and $450 for a standard four-leg intersection over AM and PM peak periods, and $500 to $900 for a full 12-hour count. Detailed vehicle classification adds 25% to 50%.
How much does a traffic impact study cost?
Most studies fall between $5,000 and $30,000. A small study of two to four intersections with one horizon year typically runs $5,000 to $12,000; large or contested studies with corridor modelling and hearings can exceed $60,000.
Why do quotes for the same study vary so much?
Usually because the scopes are not the same. Compare the number of intersections, hours per location, classification detail, horizon years and whether responding to agency review comments is included before comparing the totals.
Is video-based counting cheaper than field counting?
Generally yes, and the more useful advantage is that the footage is auditable and re-analysable. If a reviewer disputes a number, the video can be re-checked without returning to site.
What share of a study fee is data collection?
Typically 15% to 30%. It is also the most common target for cost-cutting and the most common cause of resubmission, which makes it a poor place to economise.
The service behind this guide
Traffic Impact Study Data
Existing-condition counts, peak hour factors and classification data, formatted for the trip generation and capacity analysis stages of a TIA.
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We process traffic, parking and pedestrian surveys from your video and return them in your own template, typically within 48 hours.