Developed by researchers led by civil engineering associate professor Henry Liu at the University of Minnesota, the SMART Signal (Systematic Monitoring of Arterial Road Traffic Signals) system is said to be reducing congestion on roads controlled by traffic lights. The system automatically collects and processes data from traffic signal controllers at multiple intersections. It then creates performance measures, including information on the times and locations congestion occurs on a given road.  Traffic eng
      
  
           
                          
                October 17, 2012
              
            
                          
                Read time: 2 mins
              
                    
                Developed by researchers led by civil engineering associate professor Henry Liu at the University of Minnesota, the SMART Signal (Systematic Monitoring of Arterial Road Traffic Signals) system is said to be reducing congestion on roads controlled by traffic lights.
 
The system automatically collects and processes data from traffic signal controllers at multiple intersections. It then creates performance measures, including information on the times and locations congestion occurs on a given road. Traffic engineers can use these measures to determine whether signals are properly timed and to monitor the overall performance of the system.
 
SMART Signal has been deployed at more than thirty intersections in Minnesota and six intersections in Pasadena, California.
 
According to Steven Misgen, metro traffic engineer at the2103   Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), the system also has benefits for the travelling public, including reduced congestion and improved travel time throughout a given corridor.
 
“As a result, they’ll have a better quality of life, [spending] less time sitting in congested intersections,” Misgen says.
 
A new video from the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Institute highlights the benefits of the system: %$Linker:2   External   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary />   0   0   0   oLinkExternal   www.its.umn.edu/Research/FeaturedStudies/smartsignals/index.html#SMARTSignal   Smart signals   false   http://www.its.umn.edu/Research/FeaturedStudies/smartsignals/index.html#SMARTSignal   false   false %>
      
    The system automatically collects and processes data from traffic signal controllers at multiple intersections. It then creates performance measures, including information on the times and locations congestion occurs on a given road. Traffic engineers can use these measures to determine whether signals are properly timed and to monitor the overall performance of the system.
SMART Signal has been deployed at more than thirty intersections in Minnesota and six intersections in Pasadena, California.
According to Steven Misgen, metro traffic engineer at the
“As a result, they’ll have a better quality of life, [spending] less time sitting in congested intersections,” Misgen says.
A new video from the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Institute highlights the benefits of the system: %$Linker:
 
     
         
        



