GUIDELINES FOR INSTALLING AN INTELLIGENT CONTROL SYSTEM TO DETECT AND PROGRESS PLATOONS AT ISOLATED TRAFFIC SIGNALS

This report contains guidelines for installing an intelligent traffic control system for detecting and progressing platoons at isolated traffic signals located near an upstream traffic signal. The system can also be installed at sites where an upstream signal does not exist but where platoons naturally form. This system uses advanced detection to obtain information about the presence and speed of individual vehicles. Then, it uses an algorithm to identify if a platoon--of a user-specified size and density--is approaching the signal and estimates platoon arrival time at the stopbar. When the system detects a platoon of vehicles, it issues a low priority preemption signal to progress the detected platoon. The duration of the initial preemption signal is based on the platoon's estimated arrival time and the user-specified minimum platoon size used to detect the platoon. Then, the system switches to an extension mode and provides progression to any additional vehicles determined to be in the platoon. It accomplishes this by increasing preemption time until such time as no more vehicles are determined to be in the platoon or the max-timer expires. This document describes the system and provides guidelines for use by the Texas Department of Transportation for installing and operating future systems.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Project Title: Improved Operation of Traffic Signal Controllers at Isolated Arterial Intersections.
• Corporate Authors:

  Texas Transportation Institute

  Texas A&M University System, Information Technology Exchange Center
  College Station, TX  United States  77843

  Texas Department of Transportation

  Research and Technology Implementation Office, P.O. Box 5080
  Austin, TX  United States  78763-5080

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Chaudhary, N A
  • Abbas, M M
  • Charara, H
  • Parker, R
• Publication Date: 2003-8

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures;
• Pagination: 36 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Algorithms; Detection and identification; Guidelines; Installation; Intelligent control systems; Isolated intersections; Progressive traffic signal control; Signalized intersections; Traffic platooning; Traffic signal preemption
• Subject Areas: Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Operations and Traffic Management; I73: Traffic Control;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00987709
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA/TX-05/0-4304-1,, Technical Report 0-4304-1
• Contract Numbers: Project 0-4304
• Files: TRIS, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Mar 15 2005 12:00AM