TRAFFIC SIGNAL MANAGEMENT

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TRAFFIC SIGNAL MANAGEMENT
TSM
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PURPOSE

• Purpose Foster understanding through development
  of educational outreach materials
• Illustrate benefits and basic techniques
• Share information on new technologies
• Highlight need for multi-municipal cooperation
• Target Audience
• Municipal Officials, Planning Commission Members,
  Municipal Staff Members

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• WHAT IS TRAFFIC SIGNAL MANAGEMENT?

The use of current tools, techniques and
equipment to manage streets and signal systems
more efficiently and in a cost-effective manner
in order to improve safety, economic vitality and
quality of life.
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WHAT IS TRAFFIC SIGNAL MANAGEMENT?

• The 1 investment we can make for immediate
  positive impact.
• Cost-effective way to improve traffic flow.
• Maximizes the benefits of the existing
  infrastructure.

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WHY TRAFFIC SIGNAL MANAGEMENT?

• 2/3 of all miles driven are on signalized roads
• Over 300,000 signals in U.S.
• 75 of the signals could easily be upgraded
• Congestion affects everyones mobility
• Adding capacity
• Expensive
• Long implementation timeframe
• Potentially controversial
• Environmental and social impacts

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WHY TRAFFIC SIGNAL MANAGEMENT?
Properly designed, operated and maintained
traffic signal systems yield significant benefits

• Less Congestion
• Improved Fuel Consumption
• Vehicle Emissions Reduced
• Improved Air Quality

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WHY TRAFFIC SIGNAL MANAGEMENT?

• Cost effective cost ratios of 401
• Low-cost alternative to physical reconstruction
• Arterial management
• Saves time for commercial vehicles, emergency
  vehicles, buses and the public
• Reduces aggressive driving behavior, red light
  running

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WHY TRAFFIC SIGNAL MANAGEMENT?

• Postpone or eliminate need for additional
  capacity
• Safety reduce accidents by providing smoother
  traffic flow with fewer stops
• Maintenance and training streamlined
• Improved pedestrian flow, side-street movements
• Municipal cost and energy savings

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HOW CAN BENEFITS BE ACHIEVED?
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STRATEGIES

• Standardization of equipment
• Remove unwarranted signals
• Install and maintain equipment properly
• Traffic signal retiming
• Implement additional signal plans based on time
  of day/day of week
• Turn lanes and minor intersection improvements

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STRATEGIES

• Traffic Signal Equipment Enhancements
• Isolated or independent signals
• Arterial Interconnected Signals
• Time based coordination
• Closed Loop Systems
• Centrally Interconnected Controlled Systems
• Personal computer (PC) based
• Traffic Operations Centers

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Detection Actuation Strategies

• Fixed Time Operations
• High traffic and pedestrian volume areas,
• Not flexible for changing traffic patterns
• Central Business Districts hours
• Semi Actuated Operations
• Applicable to corridors
• No detectors or actuation on main streets
• Fully Actuated Operations
• Most flexible
• Best for isolated signals

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GOALS

• Centralized coordination of signals
• Coordinate signal operations over jurisdictional
  boundaries
• Integrate traffic flow over larger areas
• Corridor Administrator to set up and implement
• Municipal Training
• Dedicated funding stream
• Administrative hierarchy

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MULTI - MUNICIPAL COOPERATION

• Procurement Methods
• Department of General Services (DGS) COSTAR
  program
• Purchase equipment as public procurement unit
  economies of scale lower costs
• Cost Sharing concept allows municipalities with
  smaller budgets to benefit too

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MULTI - MUNICIPAL COOPERATION

• Equipment better maintained
• Reduced liability
• Maintenance streamlined with standardization
• Funding for larger projects
• Municipality retains basic timing parameters
• Costly reconstruction postponed by utilizing
  existing facilities more efficiently
• Repairs made more quickly

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Traffic Signal System Improvement Program

• Traffic Signal Retiming
• Signal Maintenance Strategies
• Utilize New Technologies

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Traffic Signal System Improvement Program

• Traffic Signal Retiming
• Interconnect signals
• Wireless technology
• Hardwire interconnectivity
• Coordinate signal controllers
• Reassign green time
• General cost range 760 - 2,700 per intersection
• 20-25 hours per intersection

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Traffic Signal System Improvement Program

• Signal Maintenance Strategies
• Preventive Maintenance
• Remedial Maintenance
• Staffing Rules-of Thumb
• One traffic engineer per 75-100 signals
• One signal technician per 40-50 signals
• Consultants often supplement staff
• Eligible for Federal Aid Funds

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Traffic Signal System Improvement Program

• Utilize new technologies
• ACS Lite (Adaptive Control Software) allows older
  software to communicate
• Interconnecting signals
• Spread Spectrum (wireless)
• Actuating Signals
• Develop emergency priority corridors
• Use of LED signal lamps

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LED SIGNAL LAMPS

• SAVINGS
• Signal maintenance costs
• Energy costs

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TESTIMONIALS

• A statewide traffic signal retiming program in
  California found the following benefits
• 7 reduction in travel time
• 14 reduction in delay
• 9 saving in fuel
• Benefit/cost ratio 581

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TESTIMONIALS

• A new signal system and improved signal
  timing conducted in Abilene, Texas (a mid-sized
  urban area) achieved
• 13 reduction in travel time
• 37 reduction in delay
• 6 fuel saving

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TESTIMONIALS

• An advanced traffic control system in Oakland
  County, Michigan (a large suburban area)
  achieved
• 30 reduction in delay
• 19 increase in peak hour speeds
• 6 reduction in accidents
• 33 reduction in stops

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Route 51 Corridor
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SYNCHRO/SIMTRAFFIC MODEL MOEs
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TRAFFIC SIGNAL OPERATIONS SELF ASSESSMENT TOOL

• Help agencies understand opportunities
• for improving their own policies and
• practices
• Designed for any agency responsible for operation
  and maintenance of traffic signals
• One hour to complete
• No data collection required
• Results used anonymously in the 2007 National
  Traffic Signal Report Card
• To use tool http//www.zoomerang.com/recipient/s
  urvey-intro.zgi?pWEB225U6FTB7YM

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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• FHWA Operations web site http//ops.fhwa.dot.gov
• Traffic Signal Operation Self Assessment
  www.ite.org/selfassessment
• MARC Operation Green Light
  www.marc.org/transportation/ogl/
• ACS Lite Software raj.ghaman_at_fhwa.dot.gov
• PennDOT http//www.paits.org/tsop/index.htm
• SPC http//www.spcregion.org/trans.shtml