Managing Congestion Levels through Improved Signal Timing

Within the US, there is an on-going need to decrease both congestion levels and air emissions. One of the most cost beneficial ways of achieving this is through improved signal timing. HDR recently completed two projects with widely differing scales. One was located in Westchester County, New York, while the other was in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. The main goal on each project was to improve traffic operations through varying degrees of improved signal timing thus leading to decreased congestion levels. The Westchester County HDR Project (overall project included the analysis of 700 signals by two prime consultants) consisted of 80 corridors that included over 350 signalized intersections including, 15 municipalities in southern Westchester including Younkers and New Rochelle. Due to the size of the study area, a very comprehensive approach was required to complete the project effectively. The paper will provide a brief discussion of the project tasks. For each corridor, two levels of signal phasing/timing improvements were developed. The first used existing signal equipment as is without any improvements, while the second suggested signal equipment improvements along with improved timing plans. The CMAQ (Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality) funded project was intended to improve traffic LOS and decrease emissions, both mobile and idling. The Fort Walton Beach Project focused on one of the heaviest traveled roadways within the Florida Panhandle. The main focus was along US 98 between Beal Parkway and Convention Center/Pier Road. The approach to this project was similar to the Westchester County Project, but on a much smaller scale. Due to the existing congestion levels experienced along US 98, this project also included the use of VISSIM to evaluate the potential benefits that could be achieved both in the short and long term. It was determined that improved signal timing (along with converting intersecting roadways to one-way roadways for the long term) could potentially improve traffic operations for approximately 10 years. The intent of this paper is to reinforce the need to continually monitor and improve signal timing plans to manage and decrease traffic congestion. As traffic continues to increase, managing congestion through improvements in signal timing and signal infrastructure will become more and more important to decreasing air emissions in cities across the country.

• Corporate Authors:

  Institute of Transportation Engineers

  Traffic Engineering Committee, 1099 14th Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20005-3438

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Trueblood, Michael T
  • McLaughlin, Thomas
  • Roseman, Kevin
• Conference:
  • Managing Congestion--Can We Do Better? ITE 2007 Technical Conference and Exhibit
  • Location: San Diego CA, United States
  • Date: 2007-3-25 to 2007-3-28
• Publication Date: 2007

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; Maps; Photos; Tables;
• Pagination: 18p
• Monograph Title: Managing Congestion—Can We Do Better? ITE 2007 Technical Conference and Exhibit

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air quality management; Congestion management systems; Engine idling; Level of service; Pollutants; Traffic congestion; Traffic signal controllers; Traffic signal cycle; Traffic signal timing
• Identifier Terms: Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program
• Subject Areas: Energy; Environment; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Planning and Forecasting; I15: Environment; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning; I73: Traffic Control;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01076824
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Sep 21 2007 1:55PM