Nevada Department of Transportation

The project, Developing a Quality of Signal Timing Performance Measure Methodology for Arterial Operations, was selected in the Supplemental Categories division in this year's High Value Research Projects contest. The AASHTO Research Advisory Committee annually selects High Value Research Projects (also known as the "Sweet Sixteen") from agency submissions in each of the four AASHTO regions. These projects represent research deemed particularly impactful.

This project was conducted for the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) by Zong Tian and Hao Xu at the Center for Advanced Transportation Education and Research at the University of Nevada, Reno.

Arterial operations play a crucial role in urban transportation management in Nevada, and the quality of arterial signal timing can profoundly affect arterial operational efficiency and travelers’ perception of transportation services. NDOT identified an urgent need for research into the development of such a methodology.

Improved signal timing and coordination has shown significant benefits in both operations and safety. Travelers and society benefit from reduced commuting times (10% to 30%) and reduced fuel consumption and green-house emissions. Crash reductions are also reduced by as much as 20 percent. When this performance measure is implemented, researches estimate Nevada will avoid at least six fatal crashes per year.

Read NDOT's Fact Sheet about the project along with the other 2021 High Value Research Projects here.