A Green Light for Urban Efficiency

This article describes how intelligent intersection control systems have a growing role to play in making urban traffic more efficient. The idea of every traffic light turning green as you approach it has long been a dream for many urban drivers and none more so than those driving heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), which are slow and difficult to bring to a halt and then accelerate back to normal travel speed. That dream has become a reality for some drivers in a small number of cities around Europe over the last few years, thanks to the Freilot project. The European Union (EU) co-funded Freilot (Urban Freight Energy Efficiency Pilot) scheme was a cooperative mobility services project that began in October 2010 and tested a range of intelligent systems including energy-efficient intersection control, eco-driving support, loading bay advance booking, and in-vehicle speed and acceleration limiters, that were all designed to help boost safety and efficiency while reducing fuel consumption and vehicle emissions. The pilot was conducted in four European cities – Helmond (The Netherlands), Bilbao (Spain), Lyon (France) and Krakow (Poland). The trial was a striking success, particularly in terms of energy-efficient intersection control. Ensuring that emergency vehicles and heavy trucks could pass through junctions more often on a green light boosted travel times and cut fuel consumption, as well as reduced the kind of collisions that so often occur at intersections.

• Record URL:
  http://www.itsinternational.com/categories/utc/features/intelligent-intersection-control/
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/35183091
• Supplemental Notes:
  • The article was published online with the title: Intelligent Intersection Control.
• Authors:
  • Meczes, Robin
• Publication Date: 2013

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Photos;
• Pagination: pp 48-50
• Serial:
  • ITS International
  • Volume: 19
  • Issue Number: 2
  • Publisher: Route One Publishing Limited
  • ISSN: 1463-6344
  • Serial URL: http://www.itsinternational.com

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Ecodriving; Fuel consumption; Green interval (Traffic signal cycle); Highway traffic control; Intersections; Pollutants; Traffic flow; Traffic safety; Travel time; Trucks
• Identifier Terms: European Union
• Subject Areas: Environment; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Safety and Human Factors; I15: Environment; I73: Traffic Control;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01482865
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jun 3 2013 9:21AM