Microscopic Control Delay Modeling at Signalized Arterials Using Bluetooth Technology

Real-time control delay estimation is an important performance measure for any intersection to improve the signal timing plans dynamically in real-time and hence improve the overall system performance. Control delay estimates helps to determine the level-of-service (LOS) characteristics of various approaches at an intersection and takes into account deceleration delay, stopped delay and acceleration delay. All kinds of traffic delay calculation especially control delay calculation has always been complicated and laborious as there never existed a low-cost direct method to find them in real-time from the field. A recent validated technology called Bluetooth Median Access Control (MAC) ID matching traffic data collection technology seems to hold promise for continuous and cost-effective traffic data collection. Bluetooth traffic data synchronized with vehicle trajectory plot generated from GPS probe vehicle runs has been used to develop control delay models which has a potential to predict the control delays in real-time based on Bluetooth detection error parameters in field. Incorporating control delay estimates in real-time traffic control management would result in significant improvement in overall system performance.