Traffic Optimization are the methods by which time stopped in

road traffic Traffic comprises pedestrians, vehicles, ridden or herded animals, trains, and other conveyances that use public ways (roads) for travel and transportation. Traffic laws govern and regulate traffic, while rules of the road include traffic l ...

(particularly, at traffic signals) is reduced.

Need for traffic optimization

Texas Transportation Institute estimates travel delays of between 17–55 hours of delay per person per year relating to congestion on the streets. Traffic device optimization hence becomes a significant aspect of operations.

Techniques

Several techniques exist to reduce delay of traffic. Generally the algorithms attempt to reduce delays (user time), stops,

exhaust gas Exhaust gas or flue gas is emitted as a result of the combustion of fuels such as natural gas, gasoline (petrol), diesel fuel, fuel oil, biodiesel blends, or coal. According to the type of engine, it is discharged into the atmosphere through an ...

emissions Emission may refer to: Chemical products * Emission of air pollutants, notably: **Flue gas, gas exiting to the atmosphere via a flue ** Exhaust gas, flue gas generated by fuel combustion ** Emission of greenhouse gases, which absorb and emit radi ...

, or some other measure of effectiveness. Many optimization software are geared towards pre-timed coordinated systems. Normally optimization of signals along a road is a challenging and expensive task, because the sources for traffic monitoring have been limited to

inductive loop An induction or inductive loop is an electromagnetic communication or detection system which uses a moving magnet or an alternating current to induce an electric current in a nearby wire. Induction loops are used for transmission and reception ...

s, cameras or manually counting. However, due to recent advances in information technology, portable devices with

Bluetooth Bluetooth is a short-range wireless technology standard that is used for exchanging data between fixed and mobile devices over short distances and building personal area networks (PANs). In the most widely used mode, transmission power is limi ...

and

Wi-Fi Wi-Fi () is a family of wireless network protocols, based on the IEEE 802.11 family of standards, which are commonly used for local area networking of devices and Internet access, allowing nearby digital devices to exchange data by radio waves ...

communication are becoming more common, enabling real-time continuous traffic monitoring and adjustments to traffic signal timing. By placing sensors along roads, tracking Bluetooth and Wi-Fi devices in passing vehicles, the solution is able to accurately detect and record how long it takes a car to drive along a corridor, segment by segment and in total. This provides historic data for traditional timing methods but also enables real-time feedback to changes in signal programs along with the ability to continuously detect traffic levels and travel time to trigger transitions among programs. Excessive city traffic can be the most frustrating part about living in urban areas. The solution to metro traffic is a well-balanced mixture of expanded public transit options,

remote work Remote work, also called work from home (WFH), work from anywhere, telework, remote job, mobile work, and distance work is an employment arrangement in which employees do not commute to a central place of work, such as an office building, ware ...

, differentiated hubs within the metro area, and electronic tolls. Public transit will help commuters arrive safely at their place of work while eliminating the stress of bumper to bumper traffic. Toll roads, especially those with fluctuating tolls dependent upon the time of day and/or level of traffic, also help to improve the level of traffic by deterring some from driving the roadways. Some may choose to work remotely, or run their errands at a different time of day. Finally, differentiated business hubs within a metro area can help alleviate traffic by directing it to several different areas, rather than one centralized location. Cities that spend time and resources on making travel efficient within their borders will attract a healthier, wealthier, and happier population.

Real time traffic control

Several systems are capable of monitoring the traffic arrivals and adjusting timings based on the detected inputs. Traffic Detectors may range from Metal Detectors to Detectors that use Image Detection. Metal detectors are the most popular in use. Image detection devices exhibit numerous problems including degradation during bad weather and lighting. Traffic actuated signal systems use detectors to adjust timing for: # Only the main street - semi-actuated system # Both main and cross streets - fully actuated system. The above method is primitive real-time signal optimization at best. This method will optimize one traffic signal at a time. However, in the real world, a motorist's commute involves driving through multiple signals. Thus, multiple traffic signals need to be collectively synchronized in order to be effective. One such system that has gained significant popularity in the United States is InSync.

Criticism

It has been suggested that the benefits of traffic optimization have never been scientifically justified. It inherently favors motorized traffic over alternate modes such as

pedestrian A pedestrian is a person traveling on foot, whether walking or running. In modern times, the term usually refers to someone walking on a road or pavement, but this was not the case historically. The meaning of pedestrian is displayed with ...

s, bicyclists, and transit users and may promote more auto use.Michael J. Vandeman
"Is Traffic Signal Synchronization Justifiable?"
April 15, 1994 It is suggested that an alternate approach could involve

traffic calming Traffic calming uses physical design and other measures to improve safety for motorists, pedestrians and cyclists. It has become a tool to combat speeding and other unsafe behaviours of drivers in the neighbourhoods. It aims to encourage safe ...

, and a conceptual focus on the movement of people and goods rather than vehicles. It can be argued that Traffic optimization inherently calms traffic due to discouraging

speeding Speed limits on road traffic, as used in most countries, set the legal maximum speed at which vehicles may travel on a given stretch of road. Speed limits are generally indicated on a traffic sign reflecting the maximum permitted speed - expres ...

and limits acceleration and deceleration thus reducing the

noise pollution Noise pollution, also known as environmental noise or sound pollution, is the propagation of noise with ranging impacts on the activity of human or animal life, most of them are harmful to a degree. The source of outdoor noise worldwide is mai ...

produced by vehicles.

References

External links