Bluetooth based dynamic critical route volume estimation on signalized arterials

Traffic signal system performance is predominantly dependent on the accurate mode of operationand best selection of timing plans. Recent development in signal timing indicates that it isdesirable to design timing plans utilizing synthetic origin-destination information from loopdetector counts. Detector movement counts are result of amount of green time allotted toassociated phase ultimately to timing plan provided. The relationship between timing plans andtraffic counts is dynamic. Hence the change in volume due to improved timing plans should betaken into account while optimizing for best suitable timing plans. The change in volume due tomodified timing plans is significant for critical routes. Critical routes are those routes on aparticular network which has higher volumes or higher variability in volume or combination ofboth compared to other routes on the same network. The relevant change in volume for criticalroute due to modification in timing plan is termed as dynamic critical route volume. This paperproposes the procedure to derive dynamic critical route volume by applying Bluetoothtechnology. The data obtained from detection of Bluetooth equipped vehicles at variousBluetooth detection unit locations at an arterial was used for identification of critical routes byusing origin-destination trip matrices for different times and days. Prioritization of identifiedcritical routes facilitates the application of traffic signal control strategies. The prioritization canbe done by calculating dynamic volume with the help of amount of OD passing through thisroute and capacity for the movement associated with it. The calculation of dynamic volume isproved effective in generation for timing plans and in process of selecting best suitable timingplans based on performance evaluation.