2007 National Traffic Signal Report Card

1. 2007 National Traffic Signal Report Card

2. The 2007 NationalTraffic Signal Report Card • Assess traffic signal operations across the country • Provide benchmarking tool for agencies • Publicize current state of systems • Promote benefits of good signal operation • Make case for additional resources • Present changes from the 2005 Report Card • Highlight success stories

3. What Is the Traffic SignalReport Card? • Management • Signal Operation at Individual Intersections • Signal Operation in Coordinated Systems • Signal Timing Practices • Traffic Monitoring and Data Collection • Maintenance An assessment of traffic signal operations in the following areas:

4. How Was the Traffic Signal Report Card Developed? • Based upon responses to a self-assessment survey tool (50 questions) • Scoring system for each section and overall • Working group consisting of transportation professionals and NTOC members: • American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) • American Public Works Association (APWA) • Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) • Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America) • International Municipal Signal Association (IMSA) • U.S. DOT - Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)

5. How Was the Self-Assessment Tool Distributed? • Significant advertising of the project through NTOC associations • Accessible to everyone via ITE’s Web site (still posted for anyone to use) • E-mailed to more than 500individuals

6. Who Actually Participated? • At least one agency response (state or local) in 47 states • 276 local jurisdictions • 67 counties • 28 Canadian agencies 417 agencies participated in 2007, up from 378 in 2005

7. Representing DifferentSize Signal Systems * This represents about 45% of the 272,000 traffic signals in U.S.

8. What Are the National Results?

9. Noteworthy Findings • Major improvement not realized on national basis • Some agencies experienced significant improvement • Individual intersections section scored highest, except for systems with less than 50 signals • Maintenance section was second highest score – indicates a basic level of operation to ensure safety and protect the agency from liability • Traffic monitoring and data collection section lowest score across all agency types and system size – indicates significant focus is needed • Very small systems (<50 signals) scored markedly lower in all categories • Overall, systems with 150-450 scored the highest – generally indicates balance of system size/complexity with resources

10. Success Stories Results for several agencies showed significant improvement. Characteristics of these programs include: • Used 2005 self assessment to evaluate programs and focus on critical areas • Made targeted life-cycle capital investments to reduce maintenance costs • Placed emphasis on a program of regular timing updates and arterial coordination • Sought independent peer review • Facilitated regional coordination

11. City of Austin, TXScore Improvement: C to A Specific Actions: • Utilized 2005 self assessment tool as a benchmark to identify deficiencies • Proactive management vs. reactive fixes - Scheduled the retiming of signals to every 3 years - Staff assigned to zones, creating sense of ownership Results: • Reduced maintenance calls from 5,000 to 2,500 in one year • 10% overall reduction in travel time for all arterials • 28% reduction in number of stops • 3.5% reduction in gallons of fuel

12. City of Alpharetta, GA Score Improvement: F to C Specific Actions: • Regular timing maintenance program • New technology • Ethernet communications • Internet-based application software Results: • 23% reduction in stops • 8% reduction in fuel consumption • 17% reduction in trip times • 31% reduction in delays • Significant reductions in HC, NOx and CO emissions

13. Section 1 - Management Summary: • Overarching, documented philosophy for how agency operates and times signals • Overseeing traffic operations outside of normal working hours • Coordination and information sharing with the public, emergency service providers and event managers Findings ( D - ): • The overall low score for this section is the most noteworthy finding • Only half the agencies reporting have resources monitoring/managing traffic on a regularly scheduled basis

14. Section 2 - Signal Operation at Individual Intersections Summary: • Regular review of signal timing • Review includes consideration of coordination, operations and safety • Develop and implement timing plans efficiently Findings ( C ): • Close to half of the agencies reported having little or no documented process that triggers a timing review • Once timing developed, installation and management of timing setting is good • Limited consideration and process to support other concurrent safety or operational changes

15. Section 3 - Signal Operation in Coordinated Systems Summary: • Regular review (3 years) of signal timing • Implementing updated timings quickly, once the need is established • Developing timings using a well-defined process • Including timing plans outside weekday peaks (off-peak, holidays, events and incidents) • Coordinating with adjacent jurisdictions Findings ( D ): • Only 2/3 of the reporting agencies are: • Conducting area-wide or corridor based signal timing review within 3 years • Have strong processes to develop signal timing • Coordinating across jurisdictional boundaries

16. Section 4 - Signal Timing Practices Summary: • Applying time-space diagrams, timing parameters, queue discharge and turn bay capacity to signal systems • Field-reviewing timing plans • Adjusting timings for periods of light traffic (i.e. nighttime) Findings ( C - ): • Nearly 60% of reporting agencies perform comparative analysis of cycle, offset, phase sequence, etc. • About 2/3 of the reporting agencies adjust timing for light traffic periods • About 2/3 of the reporting agencies have strong processes for timing actuated controllers

17. Section 5 – Traffic Monitoring and Data Collection Summary: • Regular process for gathering and analyzing traffic volume data • Quality assurance policies to review accuracy of surveillance data • Archiving and sharing data with other jurisdictions Findings ( F ): • Greatest potential for improvement • 43% reported little or no regular on-going program for collecting and analyzing traffic data for signal timing • Half reported that they do not assess data quality

18. Section 6 - Maintenance Summary: • Adequate staffing and policies for signal technicians • Regular assessment of the condition of traffic control equipment • Asset management system to track maintenance, infrastructure and software Findings ( C - ): • More than 2/3 of agencies have process in place to have a technician at an intersection within 1 hour (business hours) to 2 hours (non-business hours) • Almost 70% have regular preventive maintenance and operations review to assess condition of traffic control system

19. Where Do We Go From Here? Improving The Score GOAL: Performance excellence in traffic signal operation. • Proactive program management • Substantial traffic monitoring and data collection • Routine timing updates • Sound maintenance practices • Reasonably current traffic signal hardware * Benefits of investing in signal timing outweigh costs by at least 40:1

20. Program Management Essential Components: • Leadership focus • Strategic planning • Customer and market focus • Measurement, analysis and knowledge management • Workforce development and training • Process management • Focus on outcomes

21. The Benefits of Improvement— We Would See: • Reduction in traffic delay up to 40% and reductions in travel time up to 25% • Reduction in fuel consumption of up to 10% • Reduction in harmful emissions (carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds) up to 22%

22. What Can You Do to Make the Case for More Resources? • Complete the traffic signal self assessment • Review your score • Perform traffic signal system audit • Talk with your agency’s leadership and public information officer • Publicize the efforts you are making to improve traffic signal management and operations

23. What if My Agency Did Not Participate in the Self Assessment? • Complete the self assessment now http://www.ite.org/selfassessment/ • Review the 2007 National Traffic Signal Report Card Technical Report http://www.ite.org/reportcard • Baseline your agency against the national scores • Perform a traffic signal system audit, (see Traffic Signal Audit Guide)http://www.ite.org/reportcard/traffic_audit_FINAL.pdf

24. Questions? • For additional information contact: Lisa Fontana TierneyTraffic Engineering Senior DirectorInstitute of Transportation Engineers1099 14th Street, NWSuite 300 WestWashington, DC 20005 Phone: (202) 289-0222Fax: (202) 289-7722 ltierney@ite.org