Maxband 86 is the only operational traffic signal program that allows progression bandwidth optimization in multiarterial, closed-loop traffic signal networks. The program formulates the problem as a mixed integer linear program and is capable of optimizing network-wide cycle length, signal offsets, and signal phasing sequences. However, hours of computer time may be required to optimize a medium-sized network problem, even on a mainframe computer. This computational inefficiency of maxband 86 makes it impractical for use by the traffic engineering community. However, two heuristic methods efficientlyoptimize network signal timing problems modeled by maxband 86. The experimental results demonstrate that these heuristic methods produce tremendous savings in the computer time required to solve optimization problems in traffic network signal timing. In addition, computational benefits are achieved by explicitly modeling one-way arterials in a network rather than as two-way arterials, as used in maxband 86. This paper appears in transportation research record no. 1324, Communications, traffic signals, and traffic control devices 1991
Abstract