TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS HANDBOOK Prepared for FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION By DUNN ENGINEERING ASOCIATES In association with Siemens Intelligent Transportation Systems OCTOBER 2005 Notice This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the Department of Transportation in the interest of information exchange. The United States Government assumes no liability for its contents or use thereof. This report does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation. The United States Government does not endorse products or manufacturers. Trade and manufacturers’ names appear in this report only because they are considered essential to the object of the document. Technical Report Documentation Page 1. Report No. 2. Government Accession 3. Recipient’s Catalog No FHWA-HOP-06-006 No 4. Title and Subtitle 5. Report Date Traffic Control Systems Handbook October 2005 6. Performing Organization Code 7. Authors 8. Performing Organization Report Robert L. Gordon, P.E., Warren Tighe, P.E. No. 9. Performing Organization Name and Address 10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS) Dunn Engineering Associates, P.C. 66 Main Street 11. Contract or Grant No. Westhampton Beach, NY 11978 12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address 13. Type of Report and Period Office of Transportation Management Covered Federal Highway Administration 1200 New Jersey Ave, SE Washington, DC 20590 14. Sponsoring Agency Code 15. Supplementary Notes FHWA Contracting Officer Technical Representative (COTR): David Gibson, Office of Operations R&D (HRDO- 4) 16. Abstract The Traffic Control Systems Handbook updates the 1996 edition (FHWA-SA-96-032). It serves as a basic reference in planning, designing and implementing traffic control systems. Specific chapters include introduction, summary of available and emerging traffic control system technology, control concepts for urban and suburban streets (traffic control parameters, descriptions of traffic control concepts and their application), a brief summary of control and management concepts for freeways, traffic detectors, local controller operation, traffic control system architectures, a brief summary of traffic control system communications, traveler information systems, the processes required for selection of a system, design and implementation, and systems management. The Handbook concludes with a discussion of ITS plans and programs. The Traffic Control Systems Handbook references other FHWA handbooks for more detailed information on freeway management, communications, and traffic detectors. 17. Key Words 18. Distribution Statement Traffic control systems, traffic signal controllers, intelligent transportation systems, traveler No restrictions. information systems 19. Security Classification (of this 20. Security Classification (of this 21.No. of Pages 22.Price report) page) 367 Unclassified Unclassified Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72) Reproduction of completed page authorized. Table of Contents Chapter 1 Introduction Section .................................................................................................................................................... Page 1.1 Scope and Objectives .................................................................................................................. 1-2 1.2 Summary of Handbook Contents .............................................................................................. 1-3 1.3 Role and Impact of Traffic Control Systems ............................................................................ 1-6 1.4 Travel Demand Management (TDM)........................................................................................ 1-6 1.5 System Evolution......................................................................................................................... 1-7 1.6 Present Status-Traffic Surveillance and Control ................................................................... 1-10 1.7 National ITS Architecture........................................................................................................ 1-11 Logical Architecture.................................................................................................................... 1-14 Market Packages ......................................................................................................................... 1-14 ITS Standards.............................................................................................................................. 1-17 1.8 Relationship to Other FHWA Handbooks.............................................................................. 1-17 References ...................................................................................................................................... 1-20 Chapter 2 Available and Emerging Traffic Control System Technology 2.1 Introduction................................................................................................................................. 2-2 2.2 Control and Management Functions......................................................................................... 2-3 2.3 Integrated Transportation Management Systems.................................................................... 2-4 Information Sharing Among Agencies and Management Centers................................................ 2-4 Coordination of Operations Among Agencies .............................................................................. 2-4 2.4 Range of Agency Needs and Range of Available Options........................................................ 2-5 Transportation Systems Management (TSM) Relationship .......................................................... 2-7 Control System Options ................................................................................................................ 2-9 Criteria for Selection..................................................................................................................... 2-9 2.5 Available Technology................................................................................................................ 2-11 Hardware..................................................................................................................................... 2-11 Software ...................................................................................................................................... 2-12 2.6 A Look to the Future................................................................................................................. 2-12 Hardware in the Loop.................................................................................................................. 2-12 Non-Pavement Invasive Traffic Detectors .................................................................................. 2-13 Support of Emergencies and Evacuations ................................................................................... 2-14 Advanced Transportation Controller........................................................................................... 2-14 Advanced Signal State Transition Logic..................................................................................... 2-14 i Table of Contents Chapter 2 (Continued) Section .................................................................................................................................................... Page Improved Transit Priority Systems.............................................................................................. 2-14 References ................................................................................................................................................ 2-15 Chapter 3 Control Concepts – Urban and Suburban Streets 3.1 Introduction................................................................................................................................. 3-3 3.2 Control Variables........................................................................................................................ 3-4 3.3 Sampling ...................................................................................................................................... 3-9 3.4 Filtering and Smoothing ............................................................................................................. 3-9 3.5 Traffic Signal Timing Parameters ........................................................................................... 3-15 3.6 Traffic Signal Phasing............................................................................................................... 3-15 Phasing Options .......................................................................................................................... 3-16 Left-Turn Phasing......................................................................................................... 3-16 Phase Sequencing ......................................................................................................... 3-18 3.7 Isolated Intersections ................................................................................................................ 3-18 Traffic Flow ................................................................................................................................ 3-20 Types of Control ......................................................................................................................... 3-21 Intersection Timing Requirements .............................................................................................