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%>

Related Content

  • March 10, 2017
    A view of mobility for the next generation
    We wanted to know what mobility will look like for the next generation, so we asked those who would be shaping and using it – the next generation themselves. A group of students studying under Professor Dr Regine Gerike at Technical University Dresden gave us a wide range of stimulating responses. See our website for the full discussion:
  • January 3, 2017
    ITS World Congress 2017 call for demos
    As part of the Montréal World Congress 2017, conference organizers are planning to feature live demonstrations of ITS technologies. The city of Montréal will create a virtual test bed on the streets adjacent to the Convention Centre. This test bed will include an arterial loop circling the Centre and a section of a nearby limited access highway that will be equipped with DSRC roadside units integrated with local signal controllers to support demonstrations of connected vehicle technologies. In order to a
  • September 7, 2014
    GTT displays Canoga 9000 Series
    GTT (Global Traffic Technologies) is unveiling its pioneering detection technology here at ITS World Congress Detroit. The company says best in class reliability and flexibility, specifically designed to address the challenges traffic professionals face today, are at the core of the new Canoga 9000 Series solutions design.
  • December 4, 2012
    Associations News from around the world
    The world’s ITS Associations participated in the ITS World Congress in Vienna, including: New Zealand, which stressed the need for future proof ITS solutions; the Netherlands; Australia called for greater ITS content in road safety strategy; ITS South Africa discussed new strategic opportunities in the country; ITS Nigeria took advantage of the World Congress to stage its global launch; UK ITS professionals were congratulated on their achievements during the Olympic Games by ITS UK; ITS Canada co-hosted a w