Introducing a Cost-Effective Approach for Improving the Arterial Traffic Performance Operating Under the Semi-Actuated Coordinated Signal Control

Dabiri, Sina; Kompany, Kianoush; Abbas, Montasir · 2018 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.1177/0361198118772691

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Summary

This study addresses the challenge of improving arterial traffic performance under semi-actuated coordinated signal control without incurring additional costs for detector installation or adaptive controller development. Semi-actuated coordination, where minor approaches use detectors while major movements are coordinated without detection, often suffers from inefficiencies when side-street demand exceeds expectations or when unused green time is improperly transferred. The authors propose a cost-effective, simple methodology to enhance pre-optimized timing plans by adjusting green splits. Specifically, the method multiplies the green splits of non-coordinated phases by an "Actuated Factor" (ActF) greater than one, subtracting the added time from coordinated phases to maintain a constant cycle length. This adjustment allows non-coordinated phases to better accommodate fluctuating traffic demand on side streets. The methodology was tested using a three-intersection arterial in Blacksburg, Virginia. The researchers first generated a base optimal timing plan using VISTRO, a macroscopic optimization tool. They then created a "Factored Timing Plan" by applying various ActF values (ranging from 1.00 to 1.30) to the non-coordinated phases. To evaluate performance, the study employed a Design of Experiments (DOE) approach using JMP Pro software, varying external traffic volumes (200–1200 vehicles/hour) and left-turn percentages (10–30%). These scenarios were simulated in VISSIM, a microscopic traffic simulation platform, to calculate average delay. The response variable was the Delay Reduction Percentage (DRP) comparing the Factored TP against the Base TP. A regression analysis was conducted to identify the optimal ActF and determine the significance of traffic volume and left-turn rates on performance improvements. Results from the regression analysis revealed that the Actuated Factor was the only statistically significant variable affecting delay reduction, while traffic volumes and left-turn rates were insignificant. The optimal ActF value was identified as 1.15, which remained effective across a wide range of traffic conditions, from low to high volumes. The study found that this specific factor consistently reduced average delay compared to the standard VISTRO-optimized plans. Furthermore, the proposed method proved most efficient for arterials operating under medium traffic volumes, rather than extreme congested or free-flow conditions. The optimal factor of 1.15 was robust enough to prevent coordinated phase green times from dropping below their minimum required values. The significance of this research lies in providing a practical, low-cost solution for traffic engineers to improve arterial performance without complex hardware upgrades or computationally intensive adaptive systems. By simply applying a multiplication factor of 1.15 to non-coordinated phase green splits, practitioners can enhance the responsiveness of semi-actuated coordinated signals to real-time demand fluctuations. This approach bridges the gap between static macroscopic optimization and dynamic traffic needs, offering a straightforward adjustment that yields measurable delay reductions across diverse traffic scenarios.

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• signaling behavior