Transportation Research Group University of Nevada, Reno 2012 ITE District 6 Annual Meeting SIGNAL TIMING WITHOUT TRAFFIC COUNTS Zong Z. Tian, Ph.D., P.E. University of Nevada, Reno 1 Presented by Jim Poston Jim Poston Regional Transportation Commission of Washoe County

Transportation Research Group University of Nevada, Reno 2012 ITE District 6 Annual Meeting Overview   Signal timing practice   Case study   My magic tool   Results   Conclusions 2

Transportation Research Group University of Nevada, Reno 2012 ITE District 6 Annual Meeting Signal Timing Practice 3   Turning movement counts (15-30% total cost)   Computer model and timing optimization (50~70%)   Field implementation and fine tune (10~20%)   Timing maintenance (<5%)

Transportation Research Group University of Nevada, Reno 2012 ITE District 6 Annual Meeting Coordination parameters 4   Cycle length   Phase sequence   Phase split   Phase offset

Transportation Research Group University of Nevada, Reno 2012 ITE District 6 Annual Meeting What Is Really Needed? 5   Phase demand/split   How to obtain phase split   estimate based on volumes   existing timing   controller log   Existing splits are generally good if no cycle change is needed

6

7 Intersection and distance NB

Transportation Research Group University of Nevada, Reno 2012 ITE District 6 Annual Meeting Real-world Issues 8   Variable speeds   Early releases   Wrong offset reference   Start or end of coordinated phases   TS2-1 st Green or First Ring   Signal out of coordination   Preemption   Pedestrian   Loss communication   Clock time

9 Cycle = 120

10 NB

Transportation Research Group University of Nevada, Reno 2012 ITE District 6 Annual Meeting Before-After 11 AfterBefore

Transportation Research Group University of Nevada, Reno 2012 ITE District 6 Annual Meeting Before-After 12 AfterBeforeTotal = 4’04”Total = 6’15”

Transportation Research Group University of Nevada, Reno 2012 ITE District 6 Annual Meeting Before-After 13 AfterBeforeTotal = 4’04”Total = 6’15”

Transportation Research Group University of Nevada, Reno 2012 ITE District 6 Annual Meeting SMRT S ignal M onitoring & R etiming T ool 14

Transportation Research Group University of Nevada, Reno 2012 ITE District 6 Annual Meeting 15

Transportation Research Group University of Nevada, Reno 2012 ITE District 6 Annual Meeting 16 GPS

Transportation Research Group University of Nevada, Reno 2012 ITE District 6 Annual Meeting SMRT 17

Transportation Research Group University of Nevada, Reno 2012 ITE District 6 Annual Meeting SMRT 18

Transportation Research Group University of Nevada, Reno 2012 ITE District 6 Annual Meeting SMRT 19

Transportation Research Group University of Nevada, Reno 2012 ITE District 6 Annual Meeting CONCLUSIONS 20   Signal timing can be done without traffic counts (15%+ saving)   Significant improvement by simply changing phasing sequences   15% travel time saving   20~80% saving in stops  “Timer”  My magic “Timer”

Transportation Research Group University of Nevada, Reno 2012 ITE District 6 Annual Meeting ? 21