{"id":8526,"date":"2020-01-16t07:53:40","date_gmt":"2020-01-16t13:53:40","guid":{"rendered":"\/\/www.dicovercards.com\/?post_type=snyder-projects&p=8526"},"modified":"2023-07-10t14:28:56","modified_gmt":"2023-07-10t19:28:56","slug":"adaptive-signal-technology-a-natural-progression-for-highway-6-clive-urbandale-iowa","status":"publish","type":"snyder-projects","link":"\/\/www.dicovercards.com\/projects\/adaptive-signal-technology-a-natural-progression-for-highway-6-clive-urbandale-iowa\/","title":{"rendered":"adaptive signal technology a natural progression for highway 6: clive & urbandale, iowa"},"content":{"rendered":"

community growth brings congested traffic along corridor<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

with a long history of providing valuable engineering services to communities<\/a> along the highway 6 corridor through clive and urbandale, iowa<\/a>, snyder & associates is spearheading the process to implement adaptive signal control technology (asct) at 15 intersections in this busy and congested area. this project includes intersections extending from nw 156th<\/sup> street in clive to 70th<\/sup> street in urbandale\/windsor heights.<\/p>\n

the existing traffic signal system<\/a> along this corridor is not capable of accommodating short-term changes in traffic demand automatically without manual adjustments. asct, however, uses multiple detection methods to gather real-time traffic information and monitors the performance levels along an entire corridor. this information is quickly evaluated and signal timing improvements are developed by an algorithm. the asct implements the updates continually, sharing information between signals to adjust the system\u2019s timing. these constant adjustments accommodate traffic patterns<\/a> that are different from the peak periods (during which the standard signals were designed to operate) and help keep traffic flowing smoothly.<\/p>\n

systems engineering study determines need for asct<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

to determine if asct was necessary for this corridor, a systems engineering study<\/a> was conducted by the snyder & associates team. a systems engineering study is a meticulous process that follows guidelines established by the federal highway administration (fhwa). this type of study is also a requirement of most state dots to be eligible for grant and other program funding<\/a>.<\/p>\n

because there are numerous adaptive control systems available, it\u2019s critical to know the existing conditions of a corridor before issuing a request for proposals (rfp). to that end, a systems engineering study looks at peak\/off-peak traffic conditions and studies turning movement counts along the corridor. the engineering team also inventoried the current signal controller equipment in use, the communications network in the area, and any geometric concerns that may need to be addressed at individual intersections<\/a>.<\/p>\n

additionally, other improvements to modify signal controller cabinet equipment or update the communication network are considered. fortunately, all of the intersections in the study group already have relatively modern controller cabinets, signal controller hardware, and a strong fiber optic network from prior traffic signal system projects. fiber optic connectivity is a strong necessity for most asct installations to provide the level of communication necessary for optimal performance.<\/p>\n

operational considerations to be addressed by asct<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

there are several challenges and operational considerations along the highway 6 corridor that the asct system would need to address, including:<\/p>\n