Improve the Environment for a Livable Community: Advance the AERIS Program by Developing and Testing Eco-Traffic Signal System Applications
Project Title
Improve the Environment for a Livable Community: Advance the AERIS Program by Developing and Testing Eco-Traffic Signal System Applications
University
University of Idaho
Principal Investigator
U of I Civil & Environmental Engineering
PI Contact Information
U of I Civil & Environmental Engineering
Funding Sources and Amounts Provided
US Department of Transportation — $143,631.88
Idaho Transportation Department — $27,393.04
University of Idaho — $116,238.84
Total Project Cost
$287,263.76
Agency ID or Contract Number
DTRT12GUTC17 UI-KLK901
Start Date
1/1/12
End Date
1/31/16
Description of Research Project
The main goal of this project is to improve the environmental performance of arterial system operations through developing and testing eco-traffic signal system control strategies. The project is also aimed at enhancing the modeling and evaluation tools for estimating transportation system environmental-based performance measures. It also aims at developing a framework for arterial system operations that addresses more reliable and rigorous techniques to model and assess the impact of signal control strategies on fuel consumption and emissions on signalized arterials. The ability of existing signal timing modeling tools to accurately and reliably estimate the impact of signal timing on fuel consumption and vehicular emissions will be examined as part of the project. Guidelines on how to integrate emission estimation tools with traditional traffic modeling and optimization tools to develop and test various signal timing strategies for arterial management will be developed. The impact of several eco-traffic signal system operational strategies, specifically those strategies developed and tested as part of the FHWA’s AERIS program will be tested though microscopic simulation modeling environment. The research outcome should provide transportation professionals with a highly practical set of guidelines to improve signal timing procedures and arterial operations to reduce fuel consumption and vehicular emissions.
Implementation of Research Outcomes
The outcome of this research should provide a practical set of procedures to retime traffic signals and apply other operational measures on urban streets which will minimize the negative impact of traffic operations on the environment. The developed methods and procedures will identify when and what agencies need to do to ensure the most environmentally friendly operations.
- Developed an architecture for a Hardware-in-the-loop simulation environment for connected-vehicle applications for coordinated systems
- Documented the characteristics of corridor signal timing plans optimized through different optimization software using different objective functions
- Tested the performance of corridor signal timing plans optimized using different objective functions using hardware-in-the-loop environment simulation environment
- Developed a real-time traffic signal system instrumentation using NEMA TS2 SDLC as part of the Hardware-in-the-loop simulation environment for connected-vehicle applications for coordinated systems
- Documented the impact of corridor signal timing plans, optimized using different objective functions, on the characteristics of traffic operations for vehicle groups with different origin-destination.
- Provided guidelines on optimizing coordinated corridors to minimize fuel consumptions and emissions.
- Provided guidelines on using advanced controller settings to optimize traffic operation at signalized intersections operating in an isolated mode.
Impacts and Benefits of the Project
Education
- One Bachelor of Science in Civil & Environmental Engineering student graduated and joined the transportation engineering graduate program.
- Four undergraduate Civil & Environmental Engineering students joined as research interns.
- One Ph.D. student graduated in May 2015 and joined the transportation engineering workforce at a lead consultant firm in the area of traffic signal system operations.
Research
- Guidelines for actuated control parameters to minimize fuel consumption and vehicle emissions for fully actuated signaled intersections operating on isolated or free mode of operation.
- An architecture for a Hardware-in-the-loop simulation environment for connected-vehicle applications for corridor operations.
- Guidelines for optimizing coordinated corridors to minimize fuel consumptions and emissions.
- Guidelines on using advanced controller settings to optimize traffic operation at signalized intersections operating in an isolated mode.
Papers
- Sherief Elbassuoni and Ahmed Abdel-Rahim, “Modeling Fuel Consumption and Emissions at Signalized Intersection Approaches: A Synthesis of Data Sources and Analysis Tools”, Proceedings of the 54th Annual Transportation Research Forum, Annapolis, Maryland, March 21-23, 2013, pp. 156-170.
- Christopher (Kip) Davidson, “Actuated Control Parameters to Reduce Vehicle Emissions and Fuel Consumption at Isolated Intersections,” M. Sc. Thesis, University of Idaho, December 2013.
- Christopher Davidson, Sherief Elbassuoni, and Ahmed Abdel-Rahim “Actuated Control Parameters to Reduce Vehicle Emissions and Fuel Consumption at Isolated Intersections,” Paper submitted for presentation at the Transportation Research Board (TRB) 94th Annual Meeting.
- Jacob W. Preston, Richard W. Wall, and Ahmed Abdel-Rahim, “Real-Time Traffic Signal System Instrumentation using National Electrical Manufacturers Association TS2 Synchronous Data Link Control Networks”, CD-ROM, Proceedings of the TRB 94th Annual Meeting, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, Washington, D.C., January 2015, Paper # 15-3047.
- Sherief Elbassuoni,”Guidelines for Eco-Traffic Signal System Operations in Small and Medium Size Cities”, Ph.D. Thesis, University of Idaho, May 2015.
Presentation
- Sherief Elbassuoni, “Guidelines for Eco-Traffic Signal System Operations in Small and Medium Size City Environments”, Doctoral Student Research in Transportation Operations and Traffic Control, TRB 94th Annual Meeting, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, Washington, D.C., January 2015, Presentation #P15-7006.
Web Links
Final Report: Final Report Contract 2013-756 EAST PLLC
Keywords
- eco-traffic system
- transportation
- environmental
Project Status
Complete