Traffic Signal Operations 1/27/2022

Brian Pecus, P.E.

Chief, ITS Maintenance Support Branch
District 11
7183 Opportunity Road
San Diego, CA 92111
(858) 467-3025 (Office)
[email protected]

1/27/2022 EE/ITS Workshop Slide 1

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Traffic Signal Operations 1/27/2022

Traffic Signal Operations

Learning Objectives:
1. To be familiar with the basics of Traffic Signal
Operations
2. To be familiar with the various types of signal
phases and their inefficiencies
3. To become familiar with the various types of
traffic interrupters
4. To be familiar with the concept of signal
coordination/synchronization
1/27/2022 EE/ITS Workshop Slide 2

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Traffic Signal Operations

OUTLINE
1. Traffic Signal Operations Development
2. Phasing – Through, Left Turn (Various), All Red, Pedestrian,
Split, Overlap
3. Traffic Signal Cycle Length
4. Pedestrian Walk Times
5. Signal Pre-Emption
6. Signal Coordination/Synchronization – The Future of Signals

1/27/2022 EE/ITS Workshop Slide 3

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Traffic Signal Operations

Traffic Signal Operations Development
• Turn Movement Counts

• Signal Design Plan (Roadway Layout and Geometry,

Signal Equipment Infrastructure)

• Development of Phasing Plan/Signal Timing Plan

1/27/2022 EE/ITS Workshop Slide 4

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Turn Movement Count Example

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Traffic Signal Operations

Phasing (Eight Phase Operation)

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Elm and Pine (City of Noname)

All Schedules
may be on
separate plan
sheet; Phase
Diagram must
remain

Signal Design
Plan SCALE must
be 1” = 20’

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Traffic Signal Operations

Phasing (General)

7/11 Rule
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Traffic Signal Operations

Phasing (General)

Standard Ring-Barrier Diagram

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Signals/Ramp Metering Balance

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Phasing – Through Movement Phase

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Phasing - Protected Left Turn Phase

Efficiency/Inefficiency?
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Phasing - Protected Left Turn Phase

Efficiency/Inefficiency?
Efficiency Inefficiency

• Less wait time to make a left turn – • Vehicle must wait for the “Green Arrow”
especially if the opposing thru move
is heavy • If the left turn volume is high – these
vehicles may block thru traffic
• Provides more safety for both the
vehicle and the pedestrian • If you have multiple left turn lanes, the
opposing traffic will be delayed
• Include an “overlap” and allow the • More for Maintenance to work on with
side street to move with the left the additional “arrows”
turners
• Get a lot of vehicles thru is you have
additional turn lanes

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Phasing - Protected/Permissive Left Turn

Phase

Efficiency/Inefficiency?
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Phasing - Protected/Permissive Left Turn

Phase
Efficiency/Inefficiency?
Efficiency Inefficiency

• Traffic gets served safe during heavy • Traffic has to wait when thru volumes
thru traffic are low

• Traffic does not have to wait for a • Peds have to wait longer to cross
“Green Arrow”

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Phasing - All Red Phase

WHY???

Efficiency/Inefficiency?

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Phasing - All Red Phase

Efficiency/Inefficiency?
Efficiency Inefficiency

• Allows Peds to cross the intersection • All traffic comes to a stop – resulting in
quickly zero throughput

• Reduces delay due to peds

• May slow down emergency vehicles and
• For Safety - Will be used on certain cause other safety issues
ramps with “high speed” approaches
or long straight aways • May see an increase in violators,
thinking that the signal is not operating
“as intended”

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Phasing – Pedestrian Phase

Efficiency/Inefficiency?
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Phasing – Pedestrian Phase

Efficiency/Inefficiency?
Efficiency Inefficiency

• Provides safe passage for Peds • Increases traffic delay

• Only activated when a ped pushes • Stuck ped buttons could cause additional
the button (On Demand) delay

• Can incorporate another movement • Could kick you out of coordination

of traffic with the ped move

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Phasing - All Pedestrian Phase

Efficiency/Inefficiency?
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Phasing - All Pedestrian Phase

Efficiency/Inefficiency?
Efficiency Inefficiency

• Allows Peds to cross the intersection • All traffic comes to a stop – resulting in
quickly zero throughput

• Reduces delay due to peds • May slow down emergency vehicles and
cause other safety issues
• Greater throughput of peds as they
can now cross diagonally • May see an increase in violators,
• Save on phasing (cycle thru faster) if thinking that the signal is not operating
the “side street” traffic is low “as intended”

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Phasing - All Pedestrian Phase

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Don’t Forget The Bikes

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Phasing - Split Phase/Concurrent Phase

Efficiency/Inefficiency?
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Phasing - Split Phase/Concurrent Phase

Efficiency/Inefficiency?
Efficiency Inefficiency

• Provides on demand service for • Take longer for peds to cross

vehicles – reducing delay
• One movement gets priority – causing
• Reduces the likelihood of the main increased delay for the rest
lane being blocked due to left turning
traffic

• Side street overlap/concurrent traffic

will experience less delay

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Phasing - Overlap Phase

Efficiency/Inefficiency?
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Phasing - Overlap Phase

Efficiency/Inefficiency?
Efficiency Inefficiency

• Turn Movement are cleared sooner • Peds wait longer to cross

• Less chance the left turners will block • Slows down the “major” traffic
the main lanes movement

• Side street overlap/concurrent traffic

will experience less delay

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Overlap Phase (5 Section Head)

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Traffic Signal Operations

Touch Free APS

1/27/2022 EE/ITS Workshop Slide 29

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Overlap Phase (No U Turn)

Restriction of Movement
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Lead & Lag Phase

Left Turn
“LEADs”

Left Turn
“LAGs”
Directional “LEAD”

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Traffic Signal Operations

Blank Out Signs

• For AM or PM Peaks
• Ped & Bike Protection

1/27/2022 EE/ITS Workshop Slide 32

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Traffic Signal Operations

Blank Out Signs
• Freeway Off Ramp

1/27/2022 EE/ITS Workshop Slide 33

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Traffic Signal Operations

Blank Out Signs
• Freeway Off Ramp

1/27/2022 EE/ITS Workshop Slide 34

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Traffic Signal Operations

Blank Out Signs
• Freeway Off Ramp

1/27/2022 EE/ITS Workshop Slide 35

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Traffic Signal Operations

Blank Out Signs
• Freeway Off Ramp

1/27/2022 EE/ITS Workshop Slide 36

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Traffic Signal Operations

Traffic Signal Cycle Lengths

What is a traffic signal cycle length?

1/27/2022 EE/ITS Workshop Slide 37

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Traffic Signal Operations

Traffic Signal Cycle Lengths

• The 170/2070 traffic signal controllers allow a maximum

255 second Maximum Signal Cycle Length. Why?

• Typical Lengths can range from 60 seconds to 120

seconds (60 to 90 seconds in typical urban settings)
4:1 major/minor in coordinated corridors
3:1 major/minor in balanced settings
1/27/2022 EE/ITS Workshop Slide 38

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Traffic Signal Operations

Signal Pre-Emption

• Rail Road

• Emergency Vehicles

• Light Rail Vehicles

1/27/2022 EE/ITS Workshop Slide 39

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Traffic Signal Operations

Traffic Signal Reviews

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Traffic Signal Operations

Operations/Management

Continual jousting of attention by various modes of

traffic and the need by transportation agencies to
efficiently move this traffic based on priorities

1/27/2022 EE/ITS Workshop Slide 41

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Traffic Signal Operations

Signal Coordination

Signal Coordination:

Traffic signal coordination (synchronization) allows a

series of lights to turn green in advance of arriving
traffic based on synchronized timers set to current
traffic conditions and congestion levels.

1/27/2022 EE/ITS Workshop Slide 42

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Traffic Signal Operations

Signal Coordination

Process:
• Traffic Volumes/Lane Configuration/Intersection Spacing
• Simulation Modeling (Synchro)
• Signal Timing Plan/Phasing Scheme
• Agreement
• Implementation
• Review
1/27/2022 EE/ITS Workshop Slide 43

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Traffic Signal Operations

Signal Coordination (OCTA Project “P”)

1/27/2022 EE/ITS Workshop Slide 44

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Future Of Traffic Signals

1. Real-time Communications to Signals
2. Using Software for Signal Optimization
3. Adaptive Signals
4. Transmission of Signal Phasing & Timing
“SPAT” Data to Automated Vehicles
5. PTZ Cameras at All Signals
6. Single Camera Detection Systems
7. High Resolution Video Detection for Bikes
& Peds
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Signal Optimization

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Time Space Diagram

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Adaptive Signals

Lusk Blvd

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Adaptive Signals – Phase 1 (2.5 Miles)

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Adaptive Signals
• Traditional signal control
• Local processors and a global optimizer
• Vehicle count and wait times
• Feeds modified detector data to existing
signal controller
• Can reorder the phases (not skipping any)
• Cycle length is called “Period” length

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Adaptive Signals

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Adaptive Signals

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Adaptive Signals
• A 2014 evaluation of the City’s Lusk Blvd
deployment showed up to
• 70% reduction in number of stops
• 27% reduction in GHG (Green House Gas)
emissions
• 24% reduction in travel time
• 17% improved average travel speeds
• Another study of InSync field implementations
demonstrated crash reductions from 15 –
30%

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Adaptive Signals – Phase 2 (6 Miles)

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Signal Phasing & Timing (SPAT) Data

Safe
Sustainable
Integrated
Efficient

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Video Surveillance & Detection

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Single Camera Detection

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For More Information…

https://dot.ca.gov/-/media/dot-media/programs/traffic-
operations/documents/mobility/traffic-signal-operatons-
manual-1-31-2020-a11y.pdf

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Questions?

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