1. TRAFFIC SIGNAL OPTIMIZATION: A Coordinated Effort Tom Dancey, P.E. Signal System Engineer City of Springfield CITY OF SPRINGFIELD & MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

2. Springfield Where?  Population: 155,000  Regional Hub for Employment Retail Medical Serving 380,000+  7,000,000 Visitors to the Springfield/Branson Region

3. West Bypass 25,000 Kansas Expy 32,000 27,000 33,000 28,000 Glenstone 40,000 31,000 34,000 39,000 Kearney 25,000 11,00025,000 Chestnut Expy 31,000 18,00027,00028,000 Sunshine 27,000 Sunshine 29,000 Campbell 37,000 43,000 National 36,000 9,000 21,000 36,000 37,000 35,000 Sunshine 36,00032,000 Battlefield 31,000 32,00025,00020,00029,000 US 60 50,000 US 65 60,000 I-44 45,000

4. The Need to Coordinate

5. Combined Signal System  Acquired Common Firmware  Unified Central Software  Adopted Common Controller (170E) and Cabinet Standards  Expanded Shared Communications Infrastructure

6. Transportation Management Center  City and State Personnel Work Side-by-Side Monitor Traffic/Signal System Incident Response Special Events Traveler Information  Equal Access to Signal System  Equal Access to CCTV Monitoring System  Separate Maintenance but Shared Responsibility for Ongoing Operations

7. Data Collection  System Detectors (loops and video)  Link Volumes (temporary counters) (collected every 4 years on rotation)  Manual Turning Movement Counts (collected every 4 years on rotation)

8. Data Collection  Travel Time Runs Travel Time Delay Number of Stops Travel Speed  Identify Problem Areas  Baseline for Evaluation of Signal Operations

9. Goal: “Maximize two-way progression with the most efficient cycle length to minimize overall delay” Reality: “Do the best you can within the constraints of the laws of physics”

10. Optimization/Timing Plan Development  Compare Volumes by Location and Day-of-Week  Determine Number of Plans and Time Periods  Determine Coordination Grouping

11. Optimization/Timing Plan Development  Build Analysis Model (geometric data)  Calibrate Model to Existing Conditions (understand output)  Load Volume Data and Determine Peak Volume

12. Optimization/Timing Plan Development  Identify Optimal Cycle Length for Each Intersection  Review Coordination Grouping  Agree/Compromise on Common Cycle Length

13. Optimization/Timing Plan Development  Optimize Splits for Each Intersection Consider Minimums, Pedestrian Clearance, Phase Omits Estimate in Absence of Counts

14. Optimization/Timing Plan Development  Identify the Master Intersection for Each Plan (Two Highest Priority Corridors)

15. Optimization/Timing Plan Development  Optimize Two-Way Progression Use Posted or Observed Speeds Use Model Output as a “Start” Phase Order and Offset Adjustments (Not just for Arterial Band) Minimal Splits for Lagging Left Turns Be Mindful of Actuation Control Platoon Speed Clear Queues Ahead of Platoon if Possible

16. Glenstone Sunshine

17. Glenstone National Sunshine

18. Glenstone Chestnut Expy National Sunshine

19. Kansas ExpyGlenstone Chestnut Expy National Sunshine

20. Kansas ExpyGlenstone Chestnut Expy National Sunshine Battlefield

21. Kansas ExpyGlenstone Chestnut Expy Campbell National Sunshine Battlefield

22. Kansas ExpyGlenstone Kearney Chestnut Expy Campbell National Sunshine Battlefield

23. West Bypass Kansas ExpyGlenstone Kearney Chestnut Expy Campbell National Sunshine Battlefield

24. Program the Signal System  Translate into Signal Software  Understand Software Requirements Permissive Period Sync Phases Phase Order Max Limits etc.  Consider Use of Test Controller

25. “Fine Tune” the Plan  Observe Entire System Corridors Individual Intersections  Utilize CCTV System  Continue Making Adjustments

26. Evaluate the Plan  Compare New Travel Times to “Before”

27. Evaluate the Plan  Ratio of Actual Travel Time to Calculated Free-Flow Travel Time

28. For More Information: Tom Dancey, P.E. Signal System Engineer City of Springfield CITY OF SPRINGFIELD & MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Laurel McKean, P.E. Assistant Traffic Operations Engineer Missouri Department of Transportation tmc@ozarkstraffic.info