As we last reported, ELA Group, Inc. (ELA) had been contracted to evaluate over 115 traffic signals along nine (9) corridors and in four (4) boroughs within the borders of the Lancaster Inter Municipal Committee (LIMC). The corridors included Centerville Road, Columbia Avenue, Fruitville Pike, Harrisburg Pike, Lititz Pike, Manheim Pike, New Holland Pike, Oregon Pike and Rohrerstown Road. The Boroughs included Columbia, Manheim, Millersville and Mount Joy.
Based on this previous evaluation, ELA has worked with the Lancaster County Transportation Committee to design the traffic signal timing and coordination plans for four of the above corridors and the work has been successfully completed. The improved corridors include: Lititz Pike, Centerville Road, Rohrerstown Road, and Columbia Avenue.
Improvements to these four corridors include:
- Timing adjustments to traffic signals
- Replacing traffic signal equipment, making all intersections compatible with each other
- Enabling communications between each master controller and the main computer
These improvements yield a state-of-the-art “closed-loop” Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) operation, the benefits of which include:
- Two-way communication between each intersection, the main computer, and ITS operator
- Real-time data transfer between the intersection and on-street controllers that can be analyzed to determine if the traffic signals are operating at optimal conditions
- Complete ability of the ITS operator to upload and download information to each intersection or on-street master controller in order to improve the ITS operation in real-time
Instituting ITS operation improvements (by updating traffic signal timing and coordination plans and interconnecting and coordinating traffic signals) is the most cost-effective method of addressing traffic congestion. ITS operation improvements are also far less costly and disruptive than adding travel lanes. Meanwhile, the benefits of improved systems operation include lessened travel times, reduced delays and stoppages, increased fuel mileage, improved air quality, and decreased driver frustration.
Based on the proven success of the above corridor improvements, ELA is beginning to design the improvements to the other five corridors, improvements that will be similar to those in the first four.
Meanwhile, ELA has also completed several similar projects for:
- Lancaster City (Lancaster County, PA): retiming all 90 traffic signals in the City and replacing 20-miles of interconnect wire with fiber-optic communications cable
- Route 30 Corridor (East Lampeter Township, Lancaster County, PA): retiming 13 intersections (with 4 different time-of-day timing plans) and replacing all intersection controllers
- Lititz Borough (Lancaster County, PA): retiming 8 traffic signals (with 5 different time-of-day timing plans) and replacing all intersection controllers
- Ephrata Borough (Lancaster County, PA): retiming 20 traffic signals (with 5 different time-of-day timing plans) and replacing all intersection controllerss
- Route 61 (Leesport, Berks County, PA): installing 2 new traffic signals, updating 3 traffic signals, and coordinating the timing of all 5 traffic signals
If your municipality has congestion issues, they
could be addressed in a similar fashion by traffic
signal retiming, interconnection and/or coordination.
Our experienced traffic department can fulfill all
aspects of a traffic signalization project from
determining the need for a new traffic signal, to
retiming, interconnection, coordination, analysis,
implementation and follow-up observation. Please
call ELA Group at 717.626.7271 or email Doug
Plank Director of Transportation Services, for more information.
Intelligent Transportation Systems
(ITS) also known as intelligent vehicle highway
systems, utilize advanced and emerging technology in such fields
as computer technology, information technology, electronic communication
and control, artificial intelligence, and electronics. Innovations
in traveler information, traffic management, and vehicle control
can make possible changes in the way that highway systems and
vehicles interact. ITS utitlize synergistic technologies and
systems engineering concepts to develop and improve transportation
systems of all kinds.
Here are some useful Traffic Signal/Intelligent
Transportation Systems links:
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