Evaluation of an Adaptive Traffic Signal System: Route 291 in Lee’s Summit, Missouri

An adaptive traffic signal system was installed on a 12-signal, 2.5-mi arterial in Lee’s Summit, Missouri in the Spring of 2008. An evaluation of travel time, delay, number of stops, fuel consumption, and emissions was conducted, which compared operational measures taken before implementation of the system to the same measures taken 1 month and 5 months after implementation. The evaluation found that travel time through the corridor decreased from 0 percent to 39 percent (as much as 2.5 minutes for some time periods), depending on time of day and direction of travel. In the southbound direction of travel, a statistically significant decrease in travel time was found during each of the study time periods, which included AM peak, morning off-peak, noon peak, PM peak, and night off-peak. In the northbound direction of travel, the AM peak and morning off-peak periods saw no statistically significant change in travel time, while all other periods saw a decrease. Improvements were greater in the southbound direction of travel because the previous timing plan favored travel in the northbound direction, especially during the morning. Decreases in the number of stops, fuel consumption, emissions, and time spent in congested conditions decreased during the time periods when travel time decreased. Minor-approach delay was measured at four intersections along the study corridor that represented a range of minor-street approach volumes. Most changes in minor-street delay ranged from a decrease of 3 seconds to an increase of 12 seconds. The change in minor-street delay did not appear to be related to approach volume, but increases in minor-street delay did correspond to intersections and times of day when mainline delay was most improved. The evaluation results indicate that the adaptive traffic signal system is effective in reducing travel time, delay, number of stops, fuel consumption, and emissions for traffic traveling through the corridor. The increase in delay to minor-street traffic was more than offset by the decrease in major-street delay.

• Record URL:
  https://spexternal.modot.mo.gov/sites/cm/CORDT/or10020.pdf
• 
• Corporate Authors:

  Midwest Research Institute

  425 Volker Boulevard
  Kansas City, MO  United States  64110-2299

  Missouri Department of Transportation

  Organizational Results Division, P.O. Box 270
  Jefferson City, MO  United States  65102

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Hutton, Jessica M
  • Bokenkroger, Courtney D
  • Meyer, Melanie M
• Publication Date: 2010-3

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Appendices; Figures; Maps; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 86p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Arterial highways; Before and after studies; Evaluation and assessment; Exhaust gases; Fuel consumption; Stopping; Traffic delays; Traffic signal control systems; Travel time
• Uncontrolled Terms: Adaptive traffic control systems
• Geographic Terms: Lee's Summit (Missouri)
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; I73: Traffic Control;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01155712
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: OR 10-020, Report No. 110637
• Contract Numbers: RI 08-026
• Files: TRIS, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Apr 29 2010 4:32PM