The Exploratory Advanced Research Program

Next Generation Traffic Control Systems Workshop Summary Report - February 3–4, 2015

PDF Version (6.59 MB)

FOREWORD

The Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA’s) Exploratory Advanced Research (EAR) Program addresses the need to conduct longer term and higher risk breakthrough research with the potential for transformational improvements to plan, build, renew, and operate safe, congestion free, and environmentally sound transportation systems. The EAR Program can accelerate and advance innovative methods by changing the mechanisms used to conduct research and the group of people who have access to research tools by leveraging new information science and communications technologies.

On February 3–4, 2015, at the Turner–Fairbank Highway Research Center in McLean, VA, FHWA’s Office of Operations Research and Development, with support from the EAR Program, convened the 2-day workshop, “Next Generation Traffic Control Systems.” The workshop brought together researchers and technology developers from industry, academia, and public agencies to discuss the direction of technological advances in traffic control systems and sensors. The workshop participants identified research gaps, barriers, and needs that could be addressed to improve the utility of sensors for traffic management. Participants also discussed how to accelerate the development of tools for future signal control research, the need for these tools, the potential benefits, and future considerations for their development and dissemination.

Technical Report Documentation Page

SI* (Modern Metric) Conversion Factors

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION

DAY 1: NEXT-GENERATION SENSORS

• Opening Remarks
• How Can Advances in Science and Technology Enhance or Supplant Current Sensors or Control Systems?
  • Overview
  • Major Themes Discussed
• Advances in Infrastructure-Based Sensors
  • Improving Loop-Detectors
  • Vehicle Signatures
  • Future Applications
  • Improving Data Quality
  • Data Collection
  • Future Testing
• New Applications for Infrastructure-Based Sensor Data
  • Overview
  • Major Themes Discussed
  • Data Management
• Data Standards and Sensors
  • Controlling Traffic Networks
  • Using Sensor Data
  • Using Reidentification Data

DAY 2: NEXT GENERATION SIGNAL CONTROL SYSTEM ALGORITHMS

• Day 2 Introduction
• What Is Wrong With Today's Traffic Control Systems?
  • Overview
  • Suggested Research Topics
• Using Analysis and Information in Control Systems
  • Overview
  • Major Themes Discussed
  • Current Projects
  • Future Research and Near-Term Opportunities
• Making Something Work: The Academic and Industry Perspectives
  • Overview
  • Academic Perspective
  • Industry Perspective
• Tool Applications and Development Considerations
  • Overview
  • Tools for Advanced Traffic Control Systems
  • Tools for Performance Assessment
• Facilitated Discussion—Final Takeaways
  • Building From What We Have
  • New Kinds of Data
  • Using Data More Effectively
  • Engaging with Practitioners—Shorter Term

APPENDIX A: AGENDA

• Day One: Next Generation Sensors
• Day Two: Next Generation Signal Control System Algorithms

APPENDIX B: PARTICIPANT LIST

REFERENCES

List of Figures

• Figure 1. Roadside layout of reidentifying wireless sniffers.
• Figure 2. A traffic controller cabinet used to field test a signature-capable detector card.
• Figure 3. Wireless loop detectors used for a smart-parking system.
• Figure 4. Cumulative distribution function from sampled travel-time data.
• Figure 5. A coordination diagram developed by Purdue University.
• Figure 6. An overview of managing interactive demands and supplies.

List of Acronyms and Abbreviations