CE 474 - Traffic Systems Design
Fall 2007

The Administration page includes information on meeting times, instructor information, office hours, prerequisites, requirements, expectations, learning styles, communications, and students assessments.

The Course Materials page includes information on the schedule for class topics, assignments, and examinations.

The Resources page includes links to websites, reports, and other resources that you will find useful.

About This Course
Consider these questions: Why study traffic signal systems?  Why are they important to our nation's transportation system?  What are the components of a traffic signal system and how does one prepare a design for these systems and their components?  What standards are used by professionals in preparing these designs?  How do traffic controllers work and how do the settings used in these controllers affect traffic flow?  And, how do design teams effectively work together to prepare a design?  You will be able to answer these questions for yourself as we work our way through the course during the next four months.

Consider these points: Our nation needs an efficient, safe, reliable, and secure transportation system.  Our growing and migratory population relies upon the efficient movement of people and goods from place to place.  Efficiency means the shortest possible travel time and the least amount of energy expended.  This efficiency depends, to a large degree, on proper traffic signal management:  nearly two-thirds of all miles driven each year in the U.S. are on roadways that are controlled by traffic signals.  In some urban areas, signals at busy intersections control the movement of more than 100,000 vehicles per day.

Poorly designed, inefficient, and uncoordinated signal timing results in a high cost from wasted time, inefficient use of precious energy resources, damage to the environment, and unsafe conditions for motorists and pedestrians.

A variety of new technologies, generally referred to as Intelligent Transportation Systems or ITS, can help solve the problems caused by inefficient traffic management.  Improvements made in traffic signal timing accounted for over 60 percent of the benefits from ITS investments supporting the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics.  Engineers, knowledgeable about these new tools and techniques, skilled in the implementation of these systems, and aware of the increasingly complex political and social environment in which decisions are made, can play a vital role in the design and operation of efficient traffic systems.

You will find that traffic systems design is more than rocket science since it not only involves advanced technology but people as well: drivers who behave in different and sometimes unpredictable ways and elected officials who may not have a thorough understanding of all of the technical issues involved in traffic signal systems.  You will be exposed to some of each during this course!

I welcome your comments on this course and on the web site.  And I look forward to working with each of you during this semester.

Learning Objectives
I have established the following objectives that will guide your learning during the course:

1. Apply knowledge of math, science, and engineering as evidenced by the ability to:
   a. Understand the basic theory of traffic flow at signalized intersections
   b. Understand the operation of an actuated traffic signal controller
   c. Understand the basic relationships between detector parameters and signal timing parameters

2. Design and conduct experiments as well as analyze and interpret data as evidenced by the ability to:
   a. Use experimental data to determine the optimal cycle length, green split, and offset for a signalized intersections with a given demand and geometry
   b. Apply traffic flow models to simulate the flow of traffic at signalized intersections and optimize traffic signal timing parameters to test a signal timing design

3. Design a system to meet desired need as evidenced by the ability to
   a. Complete a signal timing design that meets specified requirements and criteria

4. Communicate the results to other team members and to outside agency staff through both written reports and oral presentations

5. Understand and successfully apply the factors that make for successful design teams that function effectively and productively in a team of peers

Closing Thoughts
I will make every effort to make this course both challenging and enjoyable.  I will try to create experiences that invite you to learn new things and to apply what you learn to real situations. I hope that you enjoy the material that we will cover during this semester and it helps to broaden your skills and experiences in transportation.  I look forward to working with each of you.