IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology · 1980 · 482 citations · 0 references
Intelligent Traffic ManagementEngineeringRoad Traffic ControlAdaptive TrafficComputer EngineeringBusinessSystems EngineeringComputer ScienceTraffic EngineeringTraffic MovementAir PollutionTraffic Signal ControlTransportation EngineeringPublic Transport SystemsTraffic Management
Sydney’s arterial roads are increasingly congested despite significant investment in infrastructure and traffic management. The paper outlines the SCAT system philosophy and its expected benefits, aiming to improve arterial traffic flow at low cost and optimize network usage. SCAT is a fully computer‑based, totally adaptive traffic signal system that employs a powerful communication network for flexible management. Initial trials showed 35‑39 % faster journey times during peak periods and broader benefits including reduced delay, improved flow, lower congestion, fewer accidents, less fuel use, reduced air pollution, and enhanced residential amenity.
Sydney, Australia, just as many major cities in the world, has seen traffic movement become more and more congested despite capital expenditure on road construction and widening, on public transport systems, and on traffic management measures. SCAT, the coordinated adaptive traffic signal system, now being installed in Sydney, offers a substantial improvement to movement on arterial roads at low cost thereby enabling usage of the arterial road network to be optimized. An initial trial on a length of arterial road showed advantages in journey time over optimized fixed-time signal coordination of 35-39 percent in peak periods. SCAT is unique in that it consists entirely of computers and is totally adaptive to traffic demand. Its communication network provides extremely powerful yet flexible management of the system. The system, the system philosophy, and the benefits it is expected to yield are described. The benefits are not only in reduced delay, improved flow, and decreased congestion, but also in reduced accidents, lesser usage of petroleum resources, decreased air pollution, and improved residential amenity.