REAL-TIME, TRAFFIC ADAPTIVE SIGNAL CONTROL

This paper summarizes the history of real-time signal control including both its successes and failures. It provides a critical evaluation of these activities that serves as the basis for the future development of real-time control strategies. The paper then describes the Real-Time Traffic Adaptive Control Strategy (RT-TRACS), development by Farradyne Systems, Inc. (FSI), being developed under contract with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The strategies used for this project include a suite of control algorithms that will be applied on the basis of traffic and roadway conditions. RT-TRACS also includes traffic prediction capabilities that employ expert systems concepts. The system will be implemented in a manner that permits both centralized and distributed traffic control. It will also be developed using a modular design to permit application to locations with different levels of surveillance and traffic management requirements.