Comparison of Arterial-Level Signal Coordination Features of Five Selected Software Programs
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Authors
Boog, Matthew Ryan
Issue Date
2022
Type
Thesis
Language
Keywords
Comparison , Coordination , Optimization , Simulation , Traffic signal
Alternative Title
Abstract
Synchro, PTV Vistro, TransModeler, Tru-Traffic, and TranSync are software programs that are part of different software packages that can all be used for traffic signal coordination tasks in countries that use ring-barrier signal controllers. Each program has different functions, features, inputs and outputs. Synchro, Vistro, and TransModeler all require volume inputs to make an analysis while Tru-Traffic and TranSync do not require volumes. These five programs were compared on the basis of their ability to assist the engineer in designing an optimized arterial coordination timing plan, which included automatic optimization, editing and viewing information presented on the time-space diagram, and selecting various timing plans and intersections to show the time-space diagram.The same arterial was modeled in all five programs and phase sequence and offset default optimization functions were executed separately for Synchro, Vistro, Tru-Traffic and TranSync. The average vehicle travel time and average number of vehicle stops were simulated using TransModeler, a third-party traffic simulation program to ensure results are not biased. Results showed that Synchro and Tru-Traffic had the lowest peak direction travel time through the whole arterial and the least number of stops. The optimization produced by Vistro and TranSync was 1 minute or 10% slower for the peak direction average travel time than Synchro and Tru-Traffic, which were tied. The southbound travel time for the optimization produced by Vistro was very similar to TranSync, but TranSync had the shortest northbound travel time. The northbound travel time from TranSync was 10% or 1 minute faster than the slowest off-peak (northbound) optimization which was performed by Vistro. TranSync had the greatest number of features for the time-space diagram and timing plan options compared to the other four programs.This research reviewed the features of each software package so practitioners can make a better educated decision on which program they would like to use. Using the right tool for the task can save project resources (time, budget, etc.) and contribute to efficiently designed timing plans.