Skip to main content

Benefits of SMART Signal system

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 the 2103 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%>

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • CARTES 2013 CITC-EuraRFID video story correction
    November 20, 2013
    The video item about innovative Smart Shopping Solutions in day two of the Daily Video at CARTES 2013 interviewed two people: Romain Tribout, R&D Project Manager at CITC-EuraRFID and Romain Toulotte of Natural Security. Unfortunately their names were transposed. The first interviewee speaking about the smart fitting room was Romain Tribout, CITC-EuraRFID’s R&D Proeject Manager; and the second, speaking about biometric payment, was Romain Toulotte, Product Manager at Natural Security. We apologise for the
  • Kritek and Skyline partner on smart city solutions
    August 17, 2017
    US companies Kritek and Skyline Products have formed a strategic partnership which will see Kritek’s Klover software-as-a-service (SaaS) smart transportation platform integrated with Skyline’s NTCIP-compliant dynamic message signs, with the aim of offering new turnkey smart city solutions. Klover-enabled signs are securely accessible from the cloud, so they can be easily integrated into Klover’s workflows and managed from anywhere at any time.
  • Call for ITS World Congress in Copenhagen now open
    October 11, 2017
    The Call for Contributions for ITS World Congress in Copenhagen 2018 are now open with a deadline for 15 December 2017. Leading up to the event, the City of Copenhagen and the Danish Industry Foundation have hosted the first ITS Hackathon, which aims to motivate Danish businesses to test new ITS solutions in the urban environment.
  • Flir training webinars
    February 19, 2016
    The Flir Traficon Academy is organising a variety of training courses this month, covering covering topics such as the Flir ThermiCam and Flir ITS solutions. More information and registration details are available here. (link www.flir.co.uk/traffic/display/?id=66621