MICROSCOPIC ANALYSIS OF TRAFFIC FLOW PATTERNS FOR MINIMIZING DELAY ON SIGNAL-CONTROLLED LINKS

AN OPTIMAL SCHEME FOR COORDINATION OF CONSECUTIVE SIGNALS ALONG ARTERIAL ROUTES OR NETWORKS REQUIRES A MICROSCOPIC ANALYSIS OF THE TRAFFIC FLOW PATTERSN ON EVERY LINK OF THE SYSTEM. SUCH AN ANALYSIS WAS CARRIED OUT FOR TWO-WAY LINKS ON A MAJOR ARTERY IN DOWNTOWN TORONTO. ACCURATE PLATOON PROFILES WERE OBTAINED VIA THE DIGITAL COMPUTER SYSTEM CONTROLLING TRAFFIC LIGHTS THROUGHOUT THE METROPOLITAN AREA AND ITS ASSOCIATED VEHICLE-DETECTOR SYSTEM. INDIVIDUAL LINK DELAY FUNCTIONS WERE CALCULATED SUBJECT TO THE PARTICULAR CHARACTERISTICS OF EACH SIGNALIZED TRAFFIC LINK. THESE FUNCTIONS WERE THEN COMBINED IN PARALLEL ACCORDING TO THE PRINCIPLES OF THE BRITISH TRRL COMBINATION METHOD. THE OPTIMAL SETTINGS DERIVED ARE SHOWN TO DEVIATE SUBSTANTIALLY FROM THOSE ESTABLISHED BY CONVENTIONAL COORDINATION METHODS. THE RESULTANT IMPROVEMENT IN DELAY TO TRAFFIC WAS CONFIRMED BY DIRECT FIELD OBSERVATIONS.

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/hrr/1973/445/445-002.pdf
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309021766
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Publication of the paper sponsored by Committee on Traffic Control Devices. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Authors:
  • Gartner, Nathan
• Publication Date: 1973

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 12-23
• Monograph Title: Traffic signals
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Record
  • Issue Number: 445
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Arterial highways; Information processing; Streets; Traffic control; Traffic delays; Traffic flow; Traffic platooning; Traffic signal control systems; Travel patterns
• Uncontrolled Terms: Profiles; Traffic patterns
• Old TRIS Terms: Traffic control systems
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00226786
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309021766
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Apr 11 1974 12:00AM