Timing traffic signals using coordination zones of one to three signalized intersections was tested as an approach for reducing speeding opportunities on urban arterials. Short coordination zones can reduce speeding opportunities because they allow cycle length to be shorter at most intersections, with less excess arterial green time during which vehicles can pass through unconstrained; they also avoid the outcome, common to long coordination zones, of having large clusters of intersections with simultaneous green, which create an incentive to speed. In a case study of Boston’s Huntington Avenue performed using microsimulation, existing coordinated control over a stretch of nine intersections was compared with control short coordination zones with one to three intersections per zone, with each zone’s cycle length tailored to the needs of its intersections. Speeding opportunities per hour—defined as the number of vehicles entering an intersection on a stale green and with no vehicle ahead of them for at least 5 s–fell by 46%–51% midday and by 24%–33% in the AM peak, depending on the base of comparison, while vehicle delay was unchanged in the AM peak and increased by only 9% midday, and average pedestrian delay crossing the arterial fell substantially.

    Cities and citizens alike are concerned with improving safety and livability by controlling traffic speed on arterial roads. An approach is presented for reducing speeding on multilane arterials by using traffic signal timing to reduce speeding opportunities and incentives. Because the experiment was conducted in a simulation environment, evidence cannot be determined regarding actual speeding behavior; however, evidence is presented for how the approach reduces speeding opportunities in comparison with conventional approaches for arterial traffic signal timing, together with delay reductions to pedestrians and little or no impact on vehicle delay.


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    Title :

    Reducing Speeding Opportunities on an Urban Arterial Using Short Coordination Zones


    Additional title:

    J. Transp. Eng., Part A: Systems


    Contributors:


    Publication date :

    2024-07-01




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English



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