Development of a Traffic Signal Performance Measurement System (TSPMS)

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to examine the type of performance measures that could be collected at an intersection and develop a system for automatically collecting these performance measures in the field. The authors began the research by conducting an assessment of the needs of the Texas Department of Transportation practitioners for an automated system to collect intersection and traffic signal performance measures. They then examined capabilities of some of the existing traffic signal controllers and detection systems to produce the desired performance measures. Based on the findings of the needs assessments and an evaluation of the limitation of the existing detection system, they developed a series of innovative performance measures that practitioners could use to assess traffic operations and the effectiveness of the signal timing at intersections. They then developed a prototype system for automatically collecting these data in the field. They installed the prototype system in two different locations that exhibited different operating characteristics and assessed the ability of the system to collect meaningful and appropriate performance measures.