Inadequately timed traffic signals at intersections are a major contributor to traffic congestion and increased travel times. Adaptive signal timing can detect and respond to real-time vehicle queues, resulting in more efficient vehicle movement through a corridor than traditional traffic signals. A revised max-pressure traffic signal controller could decrease delays and increase vehicle throughput at intersections.
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Making Freeway Travel Times in the Twin Cities Area More Reliable
Providing consistent freeway travel times for Twin Cities area drivers requires careful traffic management and well-planned freeway projects. To effectively respond to incidents and identify the most needed renovations, MnDOT traffic managers need to know precisely where, when and why congestion is happening.
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New Technology and Existing Equipment Improve Statewide Vehicle Classification Counting Process
In a recent study, researchers leveraged previous MnDOT research and existing traffic monitoring infrastructure to refine inductive loop signature technology that counts and classifies vehicles. Positive results have given MnDOT a feasible and cost-effective way to collect vehicle classification data throughout the state for planning and decision-making.
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Urban Rapid Transit Reduces Traffic on Nearby Roads
Light rail transit and bus rapid transit in the Twin Cities provide urban residents with fast, safe and reliable transportation. These transitways have the potential to attract more riders and further reduce automobile traffic, relieving the growth of congestion on nearby roads as people decide to be transitway passengers rather than motorists.
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Impact of Arterial Bus Rapid Transit on Traffic and Users
Video and statistical analyses showed that arterial bus rapid transit (ABRT) along Snelling Avenue in Minneapolis-St. Paul had no significant impact on traffic volume and wait times at intersections. Survey results demonstrated that users prefer the A Line over local bus service and consider it roughly equivalent to express bus, light rail and commuter rail service. Though ABRT has not converted automobile drivers to transit riders, users enjoy its easy payment format, cleanliness, route service and convenience. This study also provided recommendations for future ABRT line design considerations.
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Evaluating the Use of Central Traffic Signal Control Systems
MnDOT sought to determine the full range of intersection control information (ICI) currently used in the state and how it could best be made accessible for state transportation system needs. Researchers created the Regional Database of Unified Intersection Control Information, a machine-readable, cloud-based unified ICI system. They determined steps MnDOT could take toward more effective use of its central traffic signal control system, such as mitigating traffic disruption around construction zones and participating more fully in emerging technologies such as vehicle information systems and vehicle automation.
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Building More Accurate Traffic Modeling for Twin Cities Construction Projects
MnDOT is exploring different software options for developing a “mesoscopic dynamic traffic model” that can more accurately predict road construction impacts than current macroscopic models like the Twin Cities Regional Travel Demand Forecasting Model.
“Dynamic traffic assignment is an emerging model type, and there are a lot of software platforms with different methodologies. MnDOT was interested in reviewing their pros
and cons,” said Jim Henricksen, Traffic Forecaster, MnDOT Metro District, who helped lead a recent research project that analyzed different software packages.
“A team maintains the Twin Cities Regional Travel Demand Forecasting Model. Any mesoscopic model would require a similar maintenance effort to keep the model from becoming obsolete as construction adds new lanes,” said John Hourdos, Director, Minnesota Traffic Observatory, University of Minnesota, and principal investigator for the study.
What Was the Need?
Traffic modeling is a valuable tool used in transportation planning to predict the impacts of new construction or maintenance projects. MnDOT currently has modeling tools available in two scales: macroscopic and microscopic. Macroscopic-scale planning level tools such as the Twin Cities Regional Travel Demand Forecasting Model predict driver route choice and the number of drivers that will travel on a given road at a given time. Microscopic-scale traffic simulation, on the other hand, models driver behaviors such as gap acceptance or acceleration rates. MnDOT uses microscopic-scale simulation to plan capacity-increasing projects, but the tool is only feasible on the corridor level because generating the simulation requires a large amount of data and computing power.
To bridge these two scales, MnDOT is developing a mesoscopic-scale dynamic traffic assignment (DTA) model for the Twin Cities. This model falls between microscopic- and macroscopic-scale modeling in scope and complexity. It simulates the movement of individual vehicles based on traffic flow equations rather than driving rules, which requires less detail and computing time than a microscopic simulation and can be used over a wider area. MnDOT will use this model for applications such as staging construction seasons to minimize the disruption caused by multiple large projects, or coordinating traffic modeling across the road networks operated by MnDOT, counties and cities.
To assist in developing this system, MnDOT needed information about the capabilities of available modeling software packages in addition to the needs, desires and restrictions of the agencies and consultants who will be using the model.
What Was Our Goal?
The goal of this project was to better understand the capabilities of commercially avail-able modeling software packages to address MnDOT’s modeling and simulation needs.
What Did We Do?
Investigators interviewed stakeholders about their understanding of and need for mesoscopic traffic simulation and DTA. Stakeholders included individuals who have used or requested data from the Twin Cities Regional Travel Demand Forecasting Model maintained by the Metropolitan Council. Investigators also reviewed four case studies of mesoscopic DTA models used in Manhattan; San Francisco; Detroit; and Jacksonville, Florida.
To supplement the findings from the interviews and case studies, investigators conducted a comprehensive review of the claimed capabilities of six commercially avail-able traffic simulation software packages: TransModeler, Aimsun, DynusT/DynuStudio, Dynameq, Cube Avenue and Vissim. Investigators didn’t test the software, but instead reviewed manufacturers’ documentation and literature to identify limitations of their methods and whether those methods are applicable to MnDOT’s needs.
What Did We Learn?
To compare the capabilities of the various simulation software packages, investigators created a matrix that included comprehensive notations about a software package’s claimed features that may not fully meet MnDOT’s simulation needs. For example, some software packages claim to model actuated signals, but they create models based on Highway Capacity Manual assumptions rather than real-world conditions.
DynusT is the most commonly used simulation program, possibly because it is open-source and the easiest software to use, although it requires DynuStudio, a commercial graphical user interface and data management system. DynusT also has some limitations, such as not considering the individual lanes in each roadway segment, which would limit its effectiveness in modeling roads where individual lanes have imbalanced densities.
Most interviewees had only limited experience with mesoscopic modeling. Incorporating traffic signals in a simulation network is a significant challenge, according to interviewees, because currently a database of signal timings isn’t available.
While all four of the DTA case studies reviewed required more data, calibration and validation than older models, each of the developers reported that these challenges had been mitigated, and the models created could answer complex questions that previous models couldn’t.
What’s Next?
Traffic simulation and modeling is a fast-developing field, particularly mesoscopic-scale modeling. Each of the software packages reviewed in this project has had at least two new versions in the past 18 months, and while their modeling approaches are fundamental to the software in some cases, in other cases capabilities will be added or improved as software develops.
The foundation of a mesoscopic model for the Twin Cities has been built and tested in Transmodeler (with significant pro bono work from the software developer). However, MnDOT has also used its existing DynusT model for several projects beyond its initial purpose, and the agency will use the information gathered in this project to determine which approach is more practical for MnDOT and its consultants based on cost, capabilities and data availability. Transmodeler is generally more powerful, but it will also incur greater costs, particularly since every consultant would need to acquire its own copy of the software.
This Technical Summary pertains to Report 2017-10, “Framework and Guidelines for the Development of a Twin Cities Mesoscopic DTA Model,” published April 2017.
Choosing Effective Speed Reduction Strategies for Roundabouts
Using survey results and prior research, this project developed a new resource to enable Minnesota local road engineers to select appropriate speed reduction measures for roundabouts. Further research is needed to determine the relative effectiveness of different measures alone and in combination.
“Although roundabouts are becoming common, single-vehicle crashes from drowsy, inattentive or unfamiliar drivers are still a concern, particularly in rural areas,” said Joe Gustafson, Traffic Engineer for Washington County. “This project provides an overview of existing speed reduction treatments that have been used in both roundabout and nonroundabout contexts, and a framework to properly evaluate the effectiveness of new treatments.”
“Rather than try to identify the right combination of treatments, the research was designed to give engineers a variety of options to consider for a given location,” said Susan Chrysler, Senior Research Scientist, Texas A&M Transportation Institute.
Gustafson served as the technical liaison for the study, and Chrysler was the principal investigator.
What Was the Need?
Roundabouts can provide a safer alternative to traditional intersection control devices like traffic signals and stop signs. Roundabouts have been proven to reduce crash severity by requiring drivers to decrease speed during the approach to the intersection. But failure to slow down sufficiently could result in a crash.
Signs and markings are key treatments used to communicate to drivers that they must slow down as they approach the roundabout. When navigated appropriately, roundabouts can eliminate or reduce the severity of crashes, reduce delays and reduce fuel consumption.
What Was Our Goal?
This project had two goals: to analyze existing research and conduct a survey of roundabout design and installation practitioners to determine best practices; and to develop a resource that engineers can use to identify appropriate speed reduction treatments for high-speed approaches to roundabouts.
What Did We Do?
Investigators surveyed transportation engineers from Minnesota and other states, along with technical consultants, to learn their experiences managing roundabouts with high-speed approaches. The survey addressed geometric design parameters and traffic control methods, changes in maintenance practices, crash history and speed reduction measures that were considered or eventually enacted.
Previous research on the subject was studied, including the Federal Highway Administration report Roundabouts: An Informational Guide and National Cooperative Highway Research Program Report 672: Roundabouts: An Informational Guide, Second Edition. Design manuals from four states were reviewed to provide a sample of the material avail-able to practitioners seeking guidance on design of high-speed roundabout approaches.
Based on their research, investigators provided information on the effectiveness of various treatments and on their installation and maintenance costs. They also developed a methodology for conducting a speed study to assist engineers in determining the most effective treatment for a given intersection. Treatments for alerting drivers that a round-about is ahead include traditional signs, pavement markings, illumination and other indicators, plus advanced devices like speed-activated, LED-enhanced warning signs.
What Did We Learn?
Each roundabout presents unique challenges. Local road engineers need to evaluate the characteristics of the intersection being considered (such as geometric design and adjoining land use) and the costs of installation and maintenance before recommending a specific treatment or combination of treatments.
Other findings include the following:
- Speed reduction techniques found effective for horizontal curves, urban-rural transition zones and isolated rural intersections should be effective for rural roundabouts with high-speed approaches.
- In rural locations, speed reduction treatments that have been used at railroad crossings, T-intersections and work zones may also be applicable to roundabouts.
- Some unique treatments used internationally hold promise, but further study is needed before these treatments can be recommended for use in the United States.
What’s Next?
This study was the first phase of research. The findings provide the methodology to select, install and evaluate treatments at different locations. Further research is needed to accomplish the following:
- Analyze the effectiveness of speed reduction treatments at different locations
- Determine the impact of different combinations of treatments
- Establish the comparative benefits of two or more treatments that fall within the same general cost and maintenance grouping
- Analyze the impact of roundabout infrastructure (such as gateway treatments and illumination), various pavement markings and the long-term effects of specific signing treatments.
This Technical Summary pertains to the LRRB-produced Report 2017-14, “Strategies for Effective Roundabout Approach Speed Reduction,” published May 2017.
ATM Queue Warning Systems Can Reduce Freeway Crashes
ATM queue warning systems were developed and deployed on two freeways to alert motorists to queuing conditions ahead that could lead to rear-end crashes. At one test site, the prototype system substantially reduced crashes and near-crashes. At the other site, it reduced speed variances.
“The big lesson learned was that the detection method had to function quickly and display a message that was timely and accurate. This gains the trust and confidence of the motoring public,” said Brian Kary, Freeway Operations Engineer, MnDOT Metro District.
“Deploying the product of this research was not difficult. The challenge came in closing the gap to alert the drivers to slow down,” said John Hourdos, Director, Minnesota Traffic Observatory, University of Minnesota.
Kary served as the technical liaison for the study, and Hourdos was the principal investigator.
What Was the Need?
To reduce congestion and improve safety, MnDOT has deployed active traffic management (ATM) technology on two highways in the Twin Cities freeway network. The ATM system incorporates intelligent lane control signals (ILCS) placed over selected lanes at half-mile increments to warn motorists of incidents or hazards ahead. With advance warning, drivers can slow down and possibly avoid crashes.
The deployed system, however, does not specifically target the prevention of rear-end collisions, which are the most frequent type of crashes on freeways. Research has shown that rear-end collisions tend to occur during extended lines of stop-and-go traffic and at end-of-queue locations. Overhead, real-time electronic messages that warn of queuing conditions ahead can prepare motorists to reduce speed and avoid potential rear-end collisions. Such messages have the added benefit of improving mobil-ity since fewer crashes will improve traffic flow.
What Was Our Goal?
This project sought to develop and field-test two different prototypes for ATM queue warning systems. One prototype would address stop-and-go traffic and end-of-queue situations. The other would address shock waves, a crash-facilitating condition where there is a sudden change in traffic movement that causes a cascade of braking. The long-range goal of the project is to develop a unified ATM queue warning system that can be deployed at other locations within the freeway network.
What Did We Do?
Development of two prototype high-resolution ILCS warning systems began in 2014. The systems were then deployed on two high-traffic freeways in the Twin Cities: one on Interstate 35 West (I-35W) and the other on I-94. Both were still in operation in mid-2017.
The two locations have significantly different traffic conditions. On I-35W, congestion creates expanding queues that extend from the Trunk Highway 62 (TH 62) interchange to the 50th Street overpass. At the I-94 location, crashes are most likely to occur due to shock waves that can often quickly develop near the Portland Avenue overpass.
To capture traffic data, researchers used either live video from closed-circuit-camera detector stations or data from existing in-pavement loop detectors. The ILCS units dis-played the message Slow Traffic Ahead, which would direct drivers to reduce speed due to the congested lanes ahead. Other messages, such as Prepare to Stop or Traffic Ahead 10 MPH, were considered but not tested during this initial study.
A server installed at the Minnesota Traffic Observatory at the University of Minnesota archived the time and location of each queue on I-94 and measured its duration and length. This provided the data needed to develop two algorithms that can be used to develop a rear-end-collision warning system that can be installed at freeway locations where similar queuing conditions exist.
What Did We Learn?
The data collected show that warning messages delivered by the ATM system can be effective in alerting drivers to queuing conditions. The ultimate benefit is a reduction in rear-end collisions in downstream locations on the freeway.
Data recorded at the I-35W location revealed that:
- Messages delivered by the ILCS system helped drivers maintain a steady speed and eliminate stop-and-go travel.
- The contents of warning messages should be crafted to have an impact on all motorists. Drivers responded differently to specific messages.
- Queue warning systems can be made more effective through deployment of a real-time, lane-specific ILCS system and collection of high-resolution data.
- Some drivers did not always heed the first queue warning message to decrease speed, but they did slow down further along the roadway.
- There was no significant difference in impact between warning messages issued during the morning peak travel period and those issued during the evening peak.
In the first three months of queue warning system operation, the crash frequency re-corded at the I-94 test site was 9.34 crashes per vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and 51.8 near-crashes. This was a 22 percent decrease from the 11.9 crashes per VMT recorded at the site in 2013 monitoring data, and a 54 percent decrease from the 111.8 near-crashes recorded there in 2013.
The research showed that to prevent potential collisions, the ATM system had to deliver messages quickly and accurately to give drivers enough time to adjust their speeds. Also, the control algorithms developed in this project can provide the queue-estimation projections needed by MnDOT and other transportation departments to enhance the effectiveness of their ATM systems.
What’s Next?
While the deployment of the two queue warning system prototypes was a relatively cost-effective option, a longer trial period of two to three years is needed to ensure that the ATM system delivers sustainable benefits.
This Technical Summary pertains to Report 2017-20, “Development of a Queue Warning System Utilizing ATM Infrastructure System Development and Field Testing,” published June 2017.
Infrared Sensing Not Yet Suitable for HOV/HOT Lane Enforcement
Could the same infrared technology that’s used by security firms to detect trespassers be used to spot carpool lane violators? Not yet, says new research sponsored by MnDOT, which shows that to consistently detect passengers through windshield glass, the system would require a laser that might harm people’s eyes.
“Some vendors have proposed significant investments in sensing technology for HOV/HOT lane enforcement,” said Nikos Papanikolopoulos, Professor, University of Minnesota Department of Computer Science and Engineering. “This research demonstrated that it’s not safe, so the tests saved a lot of money and protected the well-being of drivers.”
“Development is still continuing in the industry, so we will cautiously evaluate sensing technologies as they come along,” said Brian Kary, MnDOT Freeway Operations Engineer. “This research gave us a solid base of knowledge about what we’ll be looking for and what we need to avoid.”
Papanikolopoulos served as the research project’s principal investigator, and Kary served as technical liaison.
What Was the Need?
High-occupancy vehicle/high-occupancy toll (HOV/HOT) lanes have gained popularity in recent years as a way to address highway congestion in urban areas. However, enforcing the provisions that either prohibit or charge a toll to single-occupant vehicles in HOV/HOT lanes can be challenging. Currently, enforcement is handled by law enforcement officers, but this is a labor-intensive process that can’t catch every violator and can create a traffic safety hazard.
Obtaining technology to assist officers with enforcement is a goal for MnDOT and many other agencies that operate HOV/HOT lanes, and several manufacturers are working to develop enforcement cameras. But this has proven to be a difficult task. Window tinting and glare from sun-light can thwart common sensing technologies like video cameras and microwave radar (commonly used in speed limit enforcement). Previous research using near-infrared sensors has shown promise, but none has produced completely successful results.
This study tested Honeywell’s Tri-Band Infrared (TBI) sensor, which was originally used to automatically detect intrusions at high-security entrance gates. In addition to a black-and-white camera and an illuminator, the TBI has two co-registered near-infrared cameras. The system takes advantage of the fact that human skin reflects infrared light much more effectively at wavelengths below 1400 nanometers. The TBI’s infrared cameras are sensitive to different wavelengths, one below and one above that threshold, and fusing the images from these two cameras makes silhouettes of faces more prominent.
What Was Our Goal?
The goal of this project was to evaluate whether the TBI sensor is suitable for HOV/HOT lane enforcement applications.
What Did We Do?
Investigators first tested the sensor outdoors on oncoming vehicles with known positions that ranged from 25 to 140 feet from the sensor. These tests demonstrated that the sensor had limited ability to penetrate modern vehicle glass, possibly because the system’s illuminator component was ineffective.
Investigators purchased two infrared lasers providing illumination at wavelengths of 1064 nanometers and 1550 nanometers to increase the TBI sensor’s ability to detect people through windshield glass. Then they conducted indoor tests to compare the impact of these illuminators with that of the original illuminator: With a test subject holding front passenger windows from several manufacturers in front of his face, the lasers were aimed at the subject while the TBI attempted to detect him.
Finally, investigators conducted outdoor tests using the TBI to detect people in three test vehicles from the front and the side under both sunny and cloudy conditions. These tests were conducted both without illumination and with the aid of high-power incandescent spotlights modified to output infrared light, and with the sensor at several different distances from the vehicles.
What Did We Learn?
The indoor tests demonstrated that when aided by supplementary illuminating lasers, the TBI sensor was capable of detecting humans through commonly manufactured vehicle window glass.
However, to achieve successful results, these lasers must operate with high power in a narrow range of wavelengths. Despite operating outside the visible spectrum, they can damage human eyes when operating at the necessary power level to enable effective detection through glass. While investigators conducted this project’s indoor tests with adequate protection, there is currently no way to ensure safe usage of the lasers in real-world applications.
In the second outdoor tests, the unilluminated sensor successfully detected a passenger only once out of 24 attempts. With illumination, the sensor successfully detected people in some cases, particularly when there was no direct sunlight or reflective glare. One surprising discovery was that high-band (above 1400 nanometers) infrared light penetrated window glass more consistently, even though the low band had more spectral energy.
What’s Next?
Due to safety concerns about using the illuminating laser at a high enough power to penetrate all windshield glass, the system is not suitable for HOV/HOT lane enforcement. There is some indication that sensor technology has improved since the release of the TBI, and MnDOT will continue to monitor industry developments, but it has no current plans to pursue using infrared cameras for this application.
The technology may be suitable for other sensing applications that do not require high-power illumination. For example, the sensors might be useful in systems that provide information to drivers in real time, such as applications that identify available truck parking spaces in rest areas or that alert drivers to the presence of workers in work zones.
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This Technical Summary pertains to Report 2017-05, “Sensing for HOV/HOT Lanes Enforcement,” published February 2017. The full report can be accessed at mndot.gov/research/reports/2017/201705.pdf.
Crossroads 