Evaluation of Actuated, Coordinated, and Adaptive Signal Control Systems: A Case Study
Publication: Journal of Transportation Engineering, Part A: Systems
Volume 143, Issue 9
Abstract
As urban traffic congestion grows, traffic engineers must find ways to maximize the efficiency of traffic signal control. Different control strategies, including actuated, coordinated, and adaptive, have their own strengths and weaknesses; therefore, it is necessary to comprehensively evaluate these control modes to understand which strategy is most appropriate for users. This research carries out a case study to evaluate the adaptive performance of Adaptive Control Software Lite (ACS-Lite) versus conventional coordinated-actuated and fully actuated, noncoordinated control. The test was done along two congested arterials around Disneyland in Anaheim, California. The results indicated that adaptive control did not perform as well as the well-calibrated and finely-tuned time-of-day coordination. These results also indicated that for this type of congested network, the adaptive signal control is best suited to improving the efficiency when traffic demand is unpredictable, variable, and in low volume. During peak hours, when traffic demand was high and predictable, conventional coordinated time-of-day plans performed better. Future research could aim to improve adaptive control by adopting more coordinated features and utilizing high-resolution data to improve the overall efficiency.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
This research was supported by the National Science Foundation (#1536277) and California Department of Transportation through University of California Transportation Center (#0000876).
References
Abbas, M., Bullock, D., and Head, L. (2001). “Real-time offset transitioning algorithm for coordinating traffic signals.” Trans. Res. Rec., 1748, 26–39.
Brilon, W., and Wietholt, T. (2013). “Experiences with adaptive signal control in Germany.” Trans. Res. Rec., 2356, 9–16.
Buckholz, J. W. (1993). “The 10 major pitfalls of coordinated signal timing.” ITE J., 63(8), 26–29.
Centracs. (2016). “Centracs ATMS—Econolite advanced traffic management system.” ⟨http://www.econolite.com/index.php/products/systems/centracs⟩ (Jul. 3, 2016).
Chin, S. M., Franzese, O., Greene, D. L., Hwang, H. L., and Gibson, R. C. (2004). Temporary losses of highway capacity and impacts on performance: Phase 2, U.S. Dept. of Energy, Washington, DC.
CORSIM [Computer software]. U.S. Dept. of Transportation, Washington, DC.
Day, C., et al. (2012). “Performance measures for adaptive signal control.” Trans. Res. Rec., 2311, 1–15.
Day, C., et al. (2016). “Visualization and assessment of arterial progression quality using high resolution signal event data and measured travel time.” Automated Traffic Signal Performance Measure Workshop, National Operations Center of Excellence, Washington, DC.
Day, C., Smaglik, E., Bullock, D., and Sturdevant, J. (2008). “Quantitative evaluation of fully actuated versus nonactuated coordinated phases.” Trans. Res. Rec., 2080, 8–21.
El-Tantawy, S., Abdulhai, B., and Abdelgawad, H. (2013). “Multiagent reinforcement learning for integrated network of adaptive traffic signal controllers (MARLIN-ATSC): Methodology and large-scale application on downtown Toronto.” IEEE Trans. Intell. Transp. Syst., 14(3), 1140–1150.
Fehon, K., and Peters, J. (2010). “Adaptive traffic signals, comparison and case studies.” Western ITE Annual Meeting 2010. Paper 9A-Fehon, Institute of Transportation Engineers, Washington, DC.
FHWA (Federal Highway Administration). (2009). Manual on uniform traffic control devices, Washington, DC.
Ficklin, N. C. (1973). “For and against semi-actuated traffic signal control.” Traffic Eng. Inst. Traffic Eng., 43(6), 20–25.
Gettman, D., Flanigan, E., Fok, E., and Curtis, E., (2015). “Survival of the adaptable.” Transportation Management and Engineering. Spring 2015, Scranton Gillette Communications, Arlington Heights, IL, 13–15.
Haseman, R., Wasson, J., and Bullock, D. (2010). “Real-time measurement of travel time delay in work zones and evaluation metrics using Bluetooth probe tracking.” Trans. Res. Rec., 2169, 40–53.
Hunt, P. B., Robertson, D. I., Bretherton, R. D., and Winton, R. I. (1981). “SCOOT—A traffic responsive method of coordinating signals.”, Transport and Road Research Laboratory, Berkshire, U.K.
Hutton, J. M., Bokenkroger, C. D., and Meyer, M. M. (2010). “Evaluation of an adaptive traffic signal system: Route 291 in Lee’s Summit, Missouri.” ⟨http://library.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports/Ri08026/or10020.pdf⟩ (Nov. 22, 2010).
InSync [Computer software]. Rhythm Engineering, Lenexa, KS.
Jiang, X., Qiu, Y., and Ruan, S. (2011). “An approach to optimize the settings of actuated signals.” J. Model Trans., 19(1), 68–74.
Klein, L. A., Mills, M. K., and Gibson, D. R. (2006). Traffic detector handbook, FHWA, Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center, McLean, VA.
Luyanda, F., Gettman, D., Head, L., Shelby, S., Bullock, D., and Mirchandani, P. (2003). “ACS-Lite algorithmic architecture: Applying adaptive control system technology to closed-loop traffic signal control systems.” Trans. Res. Rec., 1856, 175–184.
MOTION [Computer software]. Siemens AG, Munich, Germany.
Park, B. B., Chen, Y., Cho, H., and Yun, I. (2014). “Quantifying the benefits of adaptive split feature on the operation of coordinated actuated traffic signal system.” KSCE J. Civ. Eng., 19(1), 311–317.
Shelby, S. G., Bullock, D. M., Gettman, D., Ghaman, R. S., Sabra, Z. A., and Soyke, N. (2008). “An overview and performance evaluation of ACS-Lite: A low cost adaptive signal control system.” Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting, Transportation Research Board, Wasington, DC.
Sims, A. G., and Finlay, A. B. (1984). “SCATS: Splits and offsets simplified (SOS).” ARRB Proc., Vol. 12, Australian Road Research Board (ARRB) Group Limited, Vermnt South, VIC, Australia.
Stevanovic, A., Kergaye, C., and Stevanovic, J. (2011). “Evaluating robustness of signal timings for varying traffic flows.” Trans. Res. Rec., 2259, 141–150.
Stevanovic, A., and Zlatkovic, M. (2013). “Evaluation of InSync adaptive traffic signal control in microsimulation environment.”, Transportation Research Board, Wasington, DC.
Vissim 5 [Computer software]. Planung Transport Verkehr AG, Karlsruhe, Germany.
Wu, X., and Liu, H. X. (2014). “Using high-resolution event-based data for traffic modeling and control: An overview.” Trans. Res. Part C, 42, 28–43.
Yarger, B. (1993). Fully actuated vs. semi-actuated traffic signal systems, Yarger Engineering, Indianapolis.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Transportation Engineering, Part A: Systems
Volume 143 • Issue 9 • September 2017
Copyright
©2017 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Aug 11, 2016
Accepted: Mar 17, 2017
Published online: Jun 30, 2017
Published in print: Sep 1, 2017
Discussion open until: Nov 30, 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.