Strategic Methods for Modernizing Traffic Signal Maintenance Management and Quantifying the Impact of Maintenance Activities
Publication: Journal of Infrastructure Systems
Volume 23, Issue 4
Abstract
In a period of increasingly constrained budgets, traffic engineers must develop more cost-effective maintenance strategies for traffic signal systems. Existing literature suggests that many agencies lack methods to systematically identify signal maintenance opportunities, and even fewer measure the impact of maintenance activities. This paper presents a method of using high-resolution signal controller data to identify intersections with failed inductive loop detection, which can result in substantial misallocation of green times and unnecessary vehicle delay. An application of this methodology is explored on a major urban arterial, with the resulting repairs translating to approximately $900,000 in annual user benefits. The results presented in this paper are easily implementable, given the increasing adoption of high-resolution signal controller data. Such methods can also be used to more clearly communicate maintenance success stories with the general public and elected officials.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
Achillides, C., and Bullock, D. (2004). “Performance metrics for freeway sensors.”, Joint Transportation Research Program, Indiana Dept. of Transportation and Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN.
Audelo, M., Chou, C., Chen, T., and Nichols, A. (2014). “Empirical analysis of controller event data to select vehicle detector fault triggers.” Transp. Res. Rec., 2438, 12–22.
Berk, J. (2009). Systems failure analysis, ASM International, Materials Park, OH.
Blase, J. (1979). Computer aids to large-scale traffic signal maintenance, Hemming Group, Ltd., London.
Cambridge Systematics. (2004). “Signal systems asset management: State-of-the-practice review.”, Federal Highway Administration, Washington, DC.
Chen, C., Kwon, J., Rice, J., Skabardonis, A., and Varaiya, P. (2003). “Detecting errors and imputing missing data for single-loop surveillance systems.” Transp. Res. Rec., 1855, 160–167.
Day, C. M., et al. (2010). “Evaluation of arterial signal coordination: Methodologies for visualizing high-resolution event data and measuring travel time.” Transp. Res. Rec., 2192, 37–49.
Day, C. M., et al. (2014). “Performance measures for traffic signal systems: An outcome-oriented approach.” Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN.
Dougherty, M. (1995). “A review of neural networks applied to transport.” Transp. Res. Part C: Emerging Technol., 3(4), 247–260.
Econolite Control Products. (2009). “Advanced system controllers ASC/3 programming manual.” Glen Burnie, MD.
Grossman, J., Layton, A., Krogmeier, J., and Bullock, D. (2016). “Traffic signal detector error identification using Kolmogorov-Smirnov test.” TRB 95th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers, Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC.
Hendren, P., and Niemeier, D. (2006). “Evaluating the effectiveness of state department of transportation investment decisions: Linking performance measures to resource allocation.” J. Infrastruct. Syst., 216–229.
Hernandez, S., Tok, A., and Ritchie, S. (2016). “Integration of weigh-in-motion (WIM) and inductive signature data for truck body classification.” Transp. Res. Part C: Emerging Technol., 68, 1–21.
Institute of Transportation Engineers. (2012). “National traffic signal report card.” Washington, DC.
Ishak, S. (2003). “Quantifying uncertainties of freeway detector observations using fuzzy-clustering approach.” Transportation Research Board 82nd Annual Meeting, Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC.
Jackson, W., and Jucker, J. (1982). “An empirical study of travel time variability and travel choice behavior.” Transp. Sci., 16(4), 460–475.
Jacobson, L., Nihan, N., and Bender, J. (1990). “Detecting erroneous loop detector data in a freeway traffic management systems.” Transp. Res. Rec., 1287, 151–166.
Klein, L., Mills, M., and Gibson, D. (2006). Traffic detector handbook, 3rd Ed., Federal Highway Administration, McLean, VA.
Li, H., Lavrenz, S. M., Day, C. M., Stevens, A., Sturdevant, J. R., and Bullock, D. M. (2015). “Quantifying the benefits of signal timing maintenance using both travel time and travel time reliability measures.” Transp. Res. Rec., 2487, 55–68.
Mashayekh, Y., and Hendrickson, C. (2013). “Benefits of proactive monitoring of traffic signal timing performance measures—Case study of a rapidly developing network.” Green Streets, Highways, and Development, ASCE, Reston, VA, 202–211.
Meenen, B. (2016). “Interagency cooperation daily detector alarms.” Automated Traffic Signal Performance Measures Workshop, Utah, DOT, Salt Lake City.
Parapar, S. (1973). “Computerized reporting for traffic signal maintenance.” Traffic Eng., 43(10), 47–51.
Park, B., and Chen, Y. (2010). “Quantifying the benefits of coordinated actuated traffic signal systems: A case study.” Virginia Dept. of Transportation, Richmond, VA.
Patel, S. (2016). “SPM in Las Vegas.” Automated Traffic Signal Performance Measures Workshop, Utah DOT, Salt Lake City.
Payne, H., and Thompsom, S. (1997). “Malfunction detection and data repair for induction-loop sensors using I-880 data base.” Transp. Res. Rec., 1570, 191–201.
Peeta, S., and Anastassopoulos, I. (2002). “Automatic real-time detection and correction of erroneous detector data using Fourier transforms for on-line traffic control.” Transp. Res. Rec., 1811, 1–11.
PennDOT (Pennsylvania Department of Transportation). (2010). Guidelines for the maintenance and operation of traffic signals, Harrisburg, PA.
Randeniya, D., and Kim, H. K. (2013). “Estimation of ITS sensor operational states by analyzing measurements with errors using a hidden Markov model.” KSCE J. Civ. Eng., 17(7), 1740–1748.
Remias, S., et al. (2013). “Performance characterization of arterial traffic flow with probe vehicle data.” Transp. Res. Rec., 2380, 10–21.
Sadek, A., Kvasnak, A., and Segale, J. (2003). “Integrated infrastructure management systems: Small urban area’s experience.” J. Infrastruct. Syst., 98–106.
Siemens Energy and Automation. (2009). “SEPAC local controller software reference manual.” Alpharetta, GA.
Skabardonis, A. (2001). “ITS benefits: The case of traffic signal control systems.” Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting, Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC.
Smaglik, E. J., Sharma, A., Bullock, D. M., Sturdevant, J. R., and Duncan, G. (2007). “Event-based data collection for generating actuated controller performance measures.” Transp. Res. Rec., 2035, 97–106.
Small, K., Noland, R., Chu, X., and Lewis, D. (1999). “Valuation of travel-time savings and predictability in congested conditions for highway user-cost estimation.”, Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC.
Sturdevant, J. R., et al. (2012). “Indiana traffic signal hi resolution data logger enumerations.” Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN.
Sunkari, S. (2004). “The benefits of retiming traffic signals.” ITE J., 74(4), 26–29.
Taylor, M. (2016). “Overview of UDOT SMP system.” Automated Traffic Signal Performance Measures Workshop, Utah DOT, Salt Lake City.
Thompson, P., Ford, K., Arman, M., Labi, S., Sinha, K., and Shirole, A. (2012). “Estimating life expectancies of highway assets.”, Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC.
Turner, S. (2007). “Quality control procedures for archived operations traffic data: Synthesis of practice and recommendations.” Texas Transportation Institute, Federal Highway Administration, College Station, TX.
Uddin, W., Hudson, W., and Haa, R. (2013). Public infrastructure asset management, 2nd Ed., McGraw Hill Professional, New York.
Wetzel, C. (2016). “Signal performance metrics Seminole County Florida.” Automated Traffic Signal Performance Measures Workshop, Utah DOT, Salt Lake City.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
©2017 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Oct 28, 2015
Accepted: Dec 8, 2016
Published online: Apr 11, 2017
Discussion open until: Sep 11, 2017
Published in print: Dec 1, 2017
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.