ADAPTIVESIGNALCONTROL

TECHNOLOGY
EddieCurtis,FHWAOfficeofOperations/ResourceCenter
BaltimoreRegionalTrafficSignalForum
May25,2011

Agenda
TheSignalTimingProblem
WhatisASCT
TheBenefitsofASCT
ASCTProgramGoals
ImplementationConsiderations

Accelerating Technology and

Innovation Deployment
WarmMixAsphalt
PrecastBridgeElements
GeosyntheticReinforcedSoil
SafetyEdge
AdaptiveSignalControlTechnology

WhatDoMotoristsWant?
WhydoIhavetowaitwhentheresnobody
elsemoving
Translation:Equitabledistributionofgreentime

CantIjustdrivedownthestreet?
Translation:Progressiondrivingthrough
successivegreens

TraditionalTrafficSignal
TYPICALTrafficSignal
Timing
Timing
VPH (vehicles per hour)

PEAK15Min
4000
3500
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
12:00
AM

AM
2:00
AM

4:00
AM

6:00
AM

8:00
AM

10:00 12:00
AM
PM

2:00
PM

4:00
PM

6:00
PM

8:00
PM

10:00
PM

Time of Day

VariabilityisNormalAndtheProblem
PM Peak Period Demand

PEAK15Min
500

Demand (VPH)

450
SB

400

WBLT

NBLT

350

300NB
EB

WB

250

Time
6

TheBigBoxScenario Year1

Year5

Year9

Year10

10

Year13

11

WhatisASCT?
AdaptiveSignalControlTechnology

12

Delay

SignalTiming&Delay

DoNothing

Complaints

ConstantFineTuning
(ASCT)
PeriodicRetiming

Time(years)
13
Source:CityofAlpharetta

Delay

BenefitsofImproving
SignalTiming

DoNothing

ConstantFineTuning
(ASCT)
PeriodicRetiming

Time(years)
14
Source:CityofAlpharetta

Delay

AdaptiveWithoutPeriodic
Retiming

WOW!!!50%Improvement!!!

Time(years)
15
Source:CityofAlpharetta

AdaptiveinaWellTimedSystem

Delay

RetimingCosts

UserCosts

Time(years)
16
Source:CityofAlpharetta

BenefitsofASCT
Improvesarterialperformancebymaintaining
theeffectivenessofTrafficSignalTiming
Deliversbetterservicetoroadusers

Bettergreentimedistribution:Minimizescongestion
Smootherflowdownthestreet
Morereliabletraveltimes
Lesstimestopped:Reducedfuelconsumption

Solvesproblemsforoperators
Reducescomplaints
Trackschangesindemand

Providesvalue
Reducesagencycostsformundaneretiming
Reducesroadusercosts
Fewerunexpectedstopsmeanssaferoperation
17

ProgramVision
AdaptiveSignalControlTechnology(ASCT)is
utilizedasanoperationsstrategytoimprovethe
performanceoftrafficsignaltimingtoreduce
congestionwheredemandconditionsandagency
capabilitiessupportitsimplementation.

18

Goal
ByDecember2012,TheEDC/ASCTtoolsare
usedtoguidetheimplementationor
programmingof40Adaptivecontrolsystems.

19

WhataretheTools?
Guidance,Training,TechnicalAssistance
Facilitate
Design
TechnologySelection
Operation&Maintenance
Resources

20

WhyTools?

21

940.11RuleRequirements
All ITSprojectsmustbedevelopedusinga
SystemsEngineering(SE)analysis
Theanalysisshallbeonascale
commensuratewiththeprojectscope
Seven(7)Requirements

22

Vee Model

23

Whataremynextsteps?
Imanagealargecity,withover1000traffic
signals,Imconsideringadaptivesignalcontrol
forsomeintersections,buthowdoIdetermine
therightplaceforadaptive?

Imatechnologistandwantto
usethelatestandgreatest.Ijust
heardaboutadaptivecontroland
itsoundsgreat,Iwantone!What
doIdonexttogetit?

Ihaveveryoldtrafficcontrol
system andwithmyrecentgrantI
thinkIcanaffordanewsystem.Is
ittimetoconsideradaptive
control?

Ihavetriedtimeofdaycoordinationandeven
trafficresponsiveplanselection,butIfeellike
therecouldbesomethingbetter.Could
adaptivecontrolbeabettersolution?

Duetonewairqualitystandardsthatareout,I
needtoimprovemynetwork.Isittimeto
consideradaptivecontrol?
Ibeenworkingwithmy
consultant/vendorformanyyearsand
theyhavebeentellingmeaboutnew
adaptivetrafficcontrolsystemsthatI
shouldconsider.Whatlocationswould
bethebestfitforanadaptivecontrol
system?
Iamgettingcallsonacoupleof
myintersectionsandIcannot
solvethecycle/phaseissues.Will
adaptivecontrolhelp?
IhaveacorridorthatIruntimeofday
coordination,butoccasionallydivertingtraffic
overwhelmsthecorridor,couldadaptive
controlprovideabettersolution?

Theplannersaretellingmethatinthenext510years
therewillbea50%growthalongthemaincorridorinthe
city,thecurrenttrafficcontrolsystemwillnothandle
thetrafficbasedonthecurrentcapacity.Isittimeto
consideranadaptivecontrol?

25

EDC/ASCTTools
SystemsEngineering
Workshops/TechnicalAssistance CurrentlyAvailable
Guidance June2011
TrainingMarch2012

Planning&FundingASCT
Training August2011

EvaluationMethodologyforAdvancedTrafficSignal
OperationalImprovements
Guidance Jan2012
Training Early2012
ASCTOutreach
Webinar,Showcase,Articles&Information
26

LongBeachComparison

27

ReadilyAvailableASCT
QuicTrac
Voyage
Multi
criteria
Adaptive
Control

28

Important
Considerations

29

CapitalInvestment
$8,000 $60,000perintersection
Fixed:
Software

License
Warranty
Support
Configuration
Calibration

Hardware
Control
Equipment
Processors
Devices

Configuration
Setup
Calibration
Updates

Variable:
Detection
Communications

30

Operations&Maintenance
Investment
Reactive
ManualDataCollection
OfflineAnalysis&
Modeling
TravelTimeStudies
CitizenComplaints
DetectorFailures
Communications

Proactive

ActiveMonitoring
Adjustment
MaintenanceCritical
Reporting

31