McCain adaptive signal control reduces congestion on busy San Diego arterial

McCain has announced results measuring the effectiveness of its adaptive signal control software deployed on the city of San Marcos's new 'smart corridor'. The study revealed the system significantly improved traffic flow on San Marcos Boulevard, the second busiest arterial in San Diego County, California.
May 16, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
772 McCain has announced results measuring the effectiveness of its adaptive signal control software deployed on the city of 798 San Marcos’s new ‘smart corridor’. The study revealed the system significantly improved traffic flow on San Marcos Boulevard, the second busiest arterial in San Diego County, California.

McCain’s QuicTrac adaptive control system, aimed at reducing stop-and-go traffic by coordinating signal timing along the corridor, was surveyed for travel time reductions, associated costs and environmental benefits. The study focused on peak travel times both pre- and post-implementation of the signal control software. During peak travel periods the comparisons revealed that delay times were reduced between 19 and 46 per cent, depending on the time of day. This was significantly higher than anticipated. These reduced travel times provide a 7.8 per cent average reduction in fuel consumption, resulting in reduced harmful emissions.

“Previously, the city of San Marcos optimised this corridor to meet the growing demand of this busy arterial. The city expected successful results from the new software system, but no one anticipated these kinds of results,” said Jason Stack, principal of Stack Traffic Consulting. “Typically, we would see similar results on a corridor that has never been optimised, so gaining this level of improvement is outstanding for the city and residents.”

With an average of 22,000 to 46,000 vehicles traveling the San Marcos Boulevard corridor daily, a solution that would provide the maximum benefit to the public at a minimal cost to the city was sought. The McCain adaptive traffic control system surpassed expectations with a 29.7 per cent average decrease in eastbound delay times by distributing on-demand cycle lengths, alleviating stop-and-go traffic. In addition, the company’s solution delivered the city of San Marcos with an 8:1 benefit to cost ration on travel time.

“We are excited to have received results that truly demonstrate adaptive control software’s range of capabilities,” said Brian Wagner, ITS solutions manager for McCain. “Studies that yield these types of results will further establish adaptive technology as a premier solution in the traffic industry.”
Urban Traffic Control

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Costing transit is complicated case
    August 19, 2015
    David Crawford welcomes fresh thinking from Canada. Public transit improvements can bring society “significantly more value” than conventional transport models normally indicate, argues Canadian researcher Todd Litman. “Traditional evaluation practices originally developed to assess roadway improvements, and focus primarily on vehicle travel speeds and operating costs. “They do not generally quantify or monetise basic mobility benefits, vehicle ownership and parking cost savings, or efficient land developme
    Read More
  • Study reveals in-car devices aid positive changes to driver behaviour
    December 3, 2012
    The results of a four-year study by the Field Operational Tests of Aftermarket and Nomadic devices in Vehicles (TeleFOT) Consortium were presented at a recent conference in Brussels. The study focused on the assessment of the impact of driver support functions provided by in-vehicle aftermarket and nomadic devices on driving and driver behaviour. Coordinated by the Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT) and with a budget of US$19.5 million, the four-year TeleFOT project is one of the biggest traffic IC
    Read More
  • Transcore traffic management, traffic signal timing solutions on display
    May 15, 2015
    At this year’s ITS America Annual Meeting, TransCore will demonstrate two of its traffic management software solutions, TransSuite and SCATS. To better manage traffic flow in Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia, TransCore is deploying its TransSuite software solution at 350 of the city’s busiest intersections. By automatically adjusting traffic signal timing in response to real-time traffic conditions, the traffic signals will be able to handle routine, planned and unexpected traffic conditions. Meanw
    Read More
  • Iteris wins traffic light synchronisation project along major California corridor
    April 19, 2012
    Iteris has been selected by the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) to synchronise 68 traffic lights along Katella Avenue in Orange County, California, as part of the Proposition 1B - Traffic Light Synchronization Program (TLSP). The contract, valued at $674,000, is expected to begin immediately.
    Read More

Highlighted Content