Online Implementation and Evaluation of Weather-Responsive Coordinated Signal Timing Operations

• Published in: Transportation research record 2015-01, Vol.2488 (1), p.71-86
• Main Authors: Chen, Ying, Mahmassani, Hani S., Hong, Zihan, Hou, Tian, Kim, Jiwon, Halat, Hooram, Alfelor, Roemer M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Climatology; Detectors; Online; Real time; Time measurements; Traffic management; Weather; Weather forecasting
• ISSN: 0361-1981; 2169-4052
• DOI: 10.3141/2488-08

This paper presents the development and application of weather-responsive traffic management strategies and tools to support coordinated signal timing operations with traffic estimation and prediction system (TREPS) models. First, a systematic framework for implementing and evaluating traffic signal operations under severe weather conditions was developed, and activities for planning, preparing, and deploying signal operations were identified in real-time traffic management center (TMC) operations. Next, weather-responsive coordinated signal plans were designed and evaluated with the TREPS method and a locally calibrated network. Online implementation and evaluation was conducted in Salt Lake City, Utah—the first documented online application of TREPS to support coordinated signal operation in inclement weather. The analysis results confirm that the deployed TREPS, which is based on DYNASMART-X, is able to help TMC operators test appropriate signal timing plans proactively under different weather forecasts before deployment and is capable of using real-time measurements to improve the quality and accuracy of the system's estimations and future predictions through detectors and roadside sensor coverage.