Georgia’s Regional TrafficOperations Program

Christopher Barrow, E.I.T.Traffic Engineer II

Overview

• Background Information• Maintaining Agencies of

Traffic Signals in Georgia• Regional Traffic Operations

Program (RTOP)• Future Funding

Background on Georgia

• Population over 9.5 million – 18.3% population growth

between 2000 to 2010– 7th fastest growing state

• Atlanta is the largest city – 55% of population lives in the

Atlanta Region• ≈ 8500 Traffic Signals

– Over 50% located in the Atlanta Region

– 47% located on State Routes

Who Operates the Traffic Signals?• Maintaining Agencies:• 7 GDOT Districts• 54 Counties• 36 Cities

• Top 5 maintaining agencies:• GDOT: 1536 signals• City of Atlanta: 975 signals• Gwinnett County: 674 signals• DeKalb County: 661 signals• Cobb County: 543 signals

Atlanta Region’s Signal Operators• In most major

metropolitan areas:• State DOT

manages the freeway network

• Local agencies manage arterials

• In Atlanta:• 4 GDOT Districts• 15 Counties• 22 Cities

•Traffic Signal Maintenance and Repair Issues• Regional Focus Mainline Priority Cross-Jurisdictional• Actively Manage Traffic Flow

Mission: To increase travel throughput by minimizing congestion and reducing delays along regional commuter corridors through improved signal operations.

RTOP’s Role

Regionally Significant Corridors RTOP 1

Regionally Significant Corridors RTOP 2

What have we been doing?• Preventative/Routine maintenance• Repair of equipment• Communications to traffic signals• Surveillance at key locations• Active signal timing adjustments

Preventative Maintenance

Before After

Aug-10Sep-10

Oct-10Nov-10

Dec-10Jan-11

Feb-11Mar-1

1Apr-1

1

May-11Jun-11

Jul-11Aug-11

Sep-11Oct-1

1Nov-11

Dec-11Jan-12

Feb-12Mar-1

2Apr-1

2

May-12Jun-12

Jul-12

70%

75%

80%

85%

90%

95%

100%

Operational Detection

Vehicle Detection

Pedestrian Detection

SR 6 Vehicle Detec-tion

SR 6 Pedestrian De-tection

Perc

ent O

pera

tiona

l

Equipment Repair

Program Goal

(770) 547-2984

(678) 215-2486

(770) 500-2027

(404) 406-8791

(770) 715-7554

(404) 357-6631

(678) 521-3393

(770) 608-6071

(678) 559-4556

(404) 275-5745

(770) 596-3147

(404) 293-7868

Corridor Managers

Remote Communications

• 196 Currently accessible from the TMC

Accessible from TCC

Accessible from TMC

No remote communications

Surveillance• Cameras on GDOT

network• Delcan to include

local agency cameras

Under Construction

Online

Planned

Active Management• Control from a

single location• AM Peak• 6 AM to 10 AM

• PM Peak• 3 PM to 7 PM

Real Time Traffic Signal Adjustments

Support of Construction Activities

• RTOP Does Not Go Away When Construction Projects Start

Use of Technology

• Travel Time Pilot Project• Ethernet Over Copper –

City of Atlanta• Ethernet Wireless• Non Intrusive Detection• Alternative Detection• IVDS Over Ethernet• IP Cameras• Regional Video Sharing

Traffic Responsive Operation

Communications Plan

Communications Plan

Award Winning Program• 2010 Outside the Box Award – ITS

Georgia

• 2010 ITS America Smart Solution Spotlight – ITS America

• 2012 Outstanding Public Agency Award – ITS Georgia

Spring 2012 Comparison to Baseline

• During the AM/PM peaks:• Reduced number of stops by 8.3%• Reduced stopped time delay by 12%• Traffic Volume increased by 9%

Project Benefit• Over the last year during AM/PM peaks:

• Eliminated 1.2 million hours of delay

• Saved 700,000 gallons of fuel

RTOP Funding

$3MPI 0009543

$8MPI 0009544

$10MPI 0009545

$12.75MPI 0009546

$16.25MPI 0009547

$16.25MPI 0009548

$16.25MPI 0009549

• Late start the first year – funding cut• Success in 2011 and 2012 lead to increased funding• Program now in expansion phase

Thank you

Christopher Barrow E.I.T.Traffic Engineer II

cpbarrow@dot.ga.gov