ENERGY AND EMISSION CONSEQUENCES OF IMPROVED TRAFFIC SIGNAL SYSTEMS

The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the impacts of selected strategies for improvement of traffic signal systems and to develop policy guidelines for the strategies in light of current realities such as increasing passenger delay on surface streets, high costs and scarcity of fuels, and concern about the environment. The existing simulation and optimization model, TRANSYT6C, was applied to a selected study arterial, San Pablo Avenue in Berkeley, California. Two basic categories of traffic signal timing improvement strategies were evaluated: (a) splits and offsets optimization and (b) optimal cycle length selection. A series of sensitivity analyses was conducted to determine variations in the impact effects of the strategies under different operational environments in terms of changed levels of traffic flow. The effects of different objective functions were also investigated and included. The major findings of this investigation include the following. For a given cycle length, optimization of splits and offsets based on either the minimization of passenger delay or fuel consumption also led to near-minimum value for all other measures of effectiveness. Passenger delay and vehicle emission were further reduced by shorter cycle lengths; however, total stops were further reduced by longer cycle lengths. Fuel consumption was relatively less sensitive to changes in cycle length. As the level of traffic flow increased, a moderate cycle length rather than a short cycle length was preferred in order to minimize fuel consumption. Trade-offs between passenger hours saved per gallon of fuel consumed were identified for different cycle lengths and flow levels. (Author)

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1982/881/881-006.pdf
• Summary URL:
  • http://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=ENERGY+AND+EMISSION+CONSEQUENCES+OF+IMPROVED+TRAFFIC+SIGNAL+SYSTEMS&author=S.+Kahng&author=A.+May&publication_year=1982
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• Supplemental Notes:
  • Publication of this paper sponsored by Task Force on Traffic Signal Systems. 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.
• Corporate Authors:

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• Authors:
  • Kahng, Suk June
  • May, Adolf D
• Publication Date: 1982

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 34-41
• Monograph Title: TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES AND TRAFFIC SIGNAL SYSTEMS
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 881
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alternatives analysis; Energy; Exhaust gases; Fuel consumption; Impact studies; Length; Simulation; Traffic delays; Traffic flow; Traffic signal cycle; Traffic signals
• Subject Areas: Energy; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; I73: Traffic Control;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00372262
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 030903468X
• Report/Paper Numbers: HS-034 937
• Files: HSL, TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: May 31 1983 12:00AM