The Islamic University of Gaza

Civil Engineering Department

Traffic Engineering
(Optional Course)
ECIV 5332

Instructor:
Dr. Yahya Sarraj
Associate Prof. in Transportation
Part II
 Determination of
the effective green time.

 The number of vehicles crossing the stop line

depends on:
 Traffic composition

 Saturation flow

 The effective green time.

 Definitions:
 Effective green time is the time during which the
signal is effectively green.
 A cycle is a complete sequence of signal indications,
green, red and amber.
 Determination of the effective
green time.

Saturation flow x effective green time

Maximum no. of vehicles
=
crossing the stop line per hour Cycle time

 The concept of effective green time was

introduced as a means of determining the
number of vehicles that could cross a stop line
over the whole of the cycle.
 Determination of the effective
green time.

 In practice flow cannot commence or

terminated instantly.
See Figure 35.1 p 288, Salter

Note: During amber time vehicles may cross

the stop line!!.
 Determination of the effective
green time.

Definition:
 Lost time

 Starting lost time: the time interval

between the commencement of green and
the commencement of effective green.
 End lost time: the time interval between
the termination of effective green and the
termination of the amber period.
 Determination of the effective
green time.

 In practice:
lost time per phase = starting lost time + end lost time
 2 seconds
Amber time = 3 seconds

Actual green time + amber period = Effective green time + lost time
Effective green time = Actual green time + amber time - lost time
Effective green time = Actual green time + 3 s. - 2s.
 Determination of the effective
green time.

 Problem:
 The lost time due to starting delays and end of
green time on a traffic signal approach = 2s. The
actual green time = 25s.
 Find the effective green time.

 Solution:
Effective green time = Actual green time + amber time -
lost time
= 25 + 3 - 2
= 26 seconds
 Total Lost Time per Cycle

The total lost time per phase =

lost time due to change of phase + lost time during the phase

lost time due to change of phase

= all red time
= inter-green period – amber time

lost time during the phase

= starting lost time + end lost time
 Optimum Cycle Time for an
Intersection (Co)

The O.C.T. depends on traffic conditions.

The cycle time is longer when the intersection is heavily
trafficked
 Degree of trafficking
 The degree of trafficking of an approach (y)

The flow on the approach

y =
Saturation flow of the approach
 Cycle time and delay

The duration of the cycle time affects delay to

vehicles passing through the intersection.
 If cycle time is too short:

The proportion of lost time in the cycle time

is high making the signal control inefficient
and causing lengthy delays.
 If cycle time is too long then:

Waiting vehicles will clear the stop line

during the early part of the green period
 Cycle time and delay

Minimum cycle time = 25s. for safety

considerations
Maximum cycle time = 120s. to minimize delay
and driver frustration
 Cycle time and delay
See Figure 36.1 Salter, p292.
This Figure is obtained by computer simulation of
flow at traffic signals.
This was carried out the Road Research
Laboratory in UK.
The figure shows the variation of average delay
with cycle time at any given intersection when the
flows on the approaches remain constant.
Figure 36.1 Effect on delay of variation of the cycle length
2-phase, 4-arm intersection, equal flows on all arms, equal saturation flows of 1800
pcu/h, equal green times, total lost /cycle 10s.
 Project Update

Design of a road intersection project

 Group formation
 Intersection selection
 Data collection
 Geometric data
 Traffic flow
 Spot speed & ….
 Warrants of traffic signals installation
 Design
 Manual
 Computerized
 How to determine the optimum
cycle time (Co)?

The Road Research Technical Paper 39 showed

that the optimum cycle time (Co) can be
determined by an empirical equation at a
sufficient degree of approximation.
1.5 L + 5
Co = seconds
1 - Y
Where:
L is the total lost time per cycle.
Y is the sum of the maximum y value for all
phases comprising the cycle as explained
above.
See Table 36.1 (Salter p 292) for examples of calculating the
optimum cycle time.
 Calculating the optimum cycle time
step by step:
This can be illustrated by the following flow chart.
Select design hour traffic flows

Consider traffic flows to determine

the number of phases

Determine suitable value of:

• Inter-green periods
• Lost times and
• Saturation flows

Convert traffic flows into

passenger car units

Determine ymax values

for each phase

Calculate optimum cycle time

Calculating the optimum cycle time
Problem:

Example
Calculating the optimum cycle time
Problem:

a) Sketch and explain the relationship between the cycle time and
delay in traffic signals.

b) A four arm intersection controlled by traffic signals is designed

with a 4-phase system. The inter-green period was chosen to be
5 seconds.
The degree of trafficking for each stream in all phases is given
below.
•Determine the optimum cycle time.
•Distribute the green time among phases.

Make any necessary reasonable assumptions.

Calculating the optimum cycle time
Problem:
b) A four arm intersection controlled by traffic signals is designed with a 4-phase
system. The inter-green period was chosen to be 5 seconds.
The degree of trafficking for each stream in all phases is given below.
•Determine the optimum cycle time.
•Distribute the green time among phases.
Make any necessary reasonable assumptions.

Phase y1 y2 y3 y4
I 0.20 0.29 0.15 0.10
II 0.17 0.19 0.14 0.10
III 0.22 0.15 - -
IV 0.25 0.19 - -

Phase I Phase II Phase III Phase IV

 Calculating the optimum cycle time
step by step:

Problem:
Optimum cycle times for an intersection
Solve the problem in Salter p 293
right-turn left-turn
and right turning
left turning

and right turning

left turning

and right turning

left turning

and right turning

left turning
Pcu/h
For non-opposed flows
North approach, ahead and right (nearside lane)
And South approach

right
For non-opposed flows
West approach, ahead and right (nearside lane)
And East approach
Right

right
For non-opposed flows
West approach, left (non-nearside lane)
And East approach, left

left

left
For opposed flows
North approach, left (non-nearside lane)
and South approach, left

left left
left
left
 right
left
right
left
right
left
right
left

right
 straight ahead and right

left
 The Timing Diagram

After selecting the inter-green period

And calculating the optimum cycle time
It is required to calculate the duration of the green
signal aspects (red and green periods).
This can be done in two steps:
First:
Calculate the amount of effective green time available
during each cycle.
Total effective green per cycle = cycle time – total lost time per cycle
Total lost time per cycle = total lost time due start and end of
all phases + total all red time of all
phases
 The Timing Diagram

Second:
Divide the available effective green time between the
phases in proportion to the ymax value for each phase.
Example:
At a given intersection it was decided to have a 3-phase
system for the traffic signals. The following values were
determined:
Co = 82s.
Total lost time per cycle = 12s.
ymax for phase 1 = 0.21
ymax for phase 2 = 0.26
ymax for phase 3 = 0.25
Find the required actual green time for each phase.
 The Timing Diagram

Solution:

Available effective = cycle time – total lost time

green time per cycle per cycle
= 82 – 12 = 70 s.
Summation of ymax = 0.21 + 0.26 + 0.25
for all phases
= 0.72
 The Timing Diagram

 The 70 s. are to be divided as follows:

Effective green Actual green
Phase Ratio
time (s.) time* (s.)
1 0.21/0.72 20 19
2 0.26 / 0.72 25 24
3 0.25 / 0.72 25 24
Total 70 67
* Actual green time = effective green time – amber time
+ lost time per phase (due to start &
end of green)
Actual green time = effective green time – 3 sec. + 2 sec.
Actual green time = effective green time – 1
 Timing Diagram

The actual green time calculated above is the required

green time when using fixed –time signals.
It can be also employed with vehicle-actuated signals
as the maximum green times at the end of which a
phase change will occur regardless of any demands for
vehicle extensions.
 Timing Diagram
 Early Cut-off and late-start facilities
If the number of left-turning vehicles is not
sufficient to justify the provision of a left turning
phase, an early cut-off or a late start of the
opposing phase is employed.
 Early cut-off facility:
This facility allows left-turning vehicles to
complete their traffic movement at the end of
the green period when the opposing flow is
halted.
Using this facility sufficient room should be
provided for left turning vehicles to wait.
 Timing Diagram

 Late-start facility:
This facility allows the discharge of the left-
turning vehicles at the commencement of the
green period by delaying the start of green time
for the opposing flow.
Using this facility a storage space is not as
important as in the early cut-off facility.
 SIDRA INTERSECTION

 SIDRA INTERSECTION
 BY Akcelik & Associates, Australia.

 Download from the internet:

www.Sidrasolutions.com

User ID: A1238

Serial No.: SILOF-9KCKJ-7GCIZ-D7P5A-VI2N6
End of Part II