The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) operates thousands of traffic signals along state highways in the state of Texas, both in rural areas and small cities. The timing and maintenance of these signals are the responsibility of the TxDOT districts in which they are located. As a result, each district has an interest in traffic signal timing design, detection design, and traffic signal maintenance. The local operation and maintenance of traffic signals has served the state well over the years. However, the same local control of signal operation and maintenance has resulted in differences in practice across the state. As traffic on Texas highways increases, these differences may lead to operational inconsistencies and sub-optimal performance, which can increase delays and fuel consumption. This handbook provides guidelines for timing traffic control signals at intersections that operate in isolation or as part of a coordinated signal system. The guidelines are intended to describe best practices, as identified through interviews with TxDOT engineers and technicians, and to identify conditions where alternative practices are equally workable. The handbook is intended to make resource investment in signal timing maintenance cost-effective and signal operation more consistent on an area-wide basis. It is likely to be most useful to engineers that desire quick-response methods for maintaining or improving the operation of existing signalized intersections. (Author/publisher)
Abstract