A SIMULATON-SEARCH TECHNIQUE: AN EXAMPLE APPLICATION FOR LEFT-TURN PHASING

A TECHNIQUE IS PRESENTED WHICH COMBINES SIMULATION AND SEARCH PROCEDURES. THE PARTICULAR SITUATION USED FOR AN EXAMPLE CONCERNS DELAYS TO LEFT TURNING AND OPPOSING TRAFFIC AT AN ISOLATED INTERSECTION WHERE THE LEFT TURN GREEN (LTG) AND FULL GREEN (FG) PHASES OF A PRETIMED TRAFFIC SIGNAL CAN BE SET TO ANY DESIRED VALUE. A TIME- ORIENTED SIMULATION IS MADE OF THE ARRIVALS, PROCESSING AND DELAY OF VEHICLES AT THE INTERSECTION FOR ONE LEVEL OF HOURLY ARRIVAL VOLUMES AND FOR ONE SETTING OF THE LTG AND FG PHASE. THEREAFTER, NEW SETTINGS ARE DERIVED BASED ON THE MEASURED DELAYS. THIS PROCESS CONTINUES UNTIL OPTIMUM SETTINGS HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED. THE SEARCH PROCEDURE UTILIZED IS MULTIDIMENSIONAL AND STOCHASTIC IN NATURE AND RECOGNIZES A LEVEL OF RESOLUTION WITHIN WHICH NO MEASUREABLE DIFFERENCES IN A CONTROL VARIABLE CAN BE DETECTED. THE PROCEDURE ALSO TAKES ADVANTAGE OF ANY PRIOR KNOWLEDGE ON THE PART OF THE USER IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH A STARTING POINT. RESULTS INDICATED THAT MINIMUM DELAY SETTINGS CAN BE FOUND RATHER QUICKLY WITH THE TECHNIQUE EVEN IF THE STARTING POINT IS POORLY SITUATED. /AUTHOR/

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Vol 4, No 4, PP 339-347, 3 FIG, 2 TAB, 11 REF
• Authors:
  • Dickey, J W
  • Montgomery, D C
• Publication Date: 1970

Media Info

• Serial:
  • Transportation Research /UK/
  • Volume: 4
  • Issue Number: 4
  • Publisher: Pergamon Press, Incorporated

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Green interval (Traffic signal cycle); Left turns; Traffic delays; Traffic signal timing; Traffic simulation
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00227316
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jun 11 1971 12:00AM