DYNAMIC TRAFFIC SYSTEM

A Research Paper Presented to

The Faculty of E.C.E and E.E Department

Tarlac State University

Tarlac City

In Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirement for EResearch

by

MARK ANTHONY A. BALMOCENA

JOHN ALEXIS P. IBAÑEZ
RAYMART P. VALDEZ
February 2011
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page
APPROVAL SHEET………………………………………………………………..………………………………………….i
ABSTRACT………………………………………………………………………………..…………………………………….ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS………………………………………………………………….……………………………..iii
DEDICATION……………………………………………………………………………………….………………………..vii
TABLE OF CONTENTS…………………………………………………………………………………………….……..vii
LIST OF FIGURES……………………………………………………………………………………………………….…..vii

Chapter

1 THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING

Introduction………………………………………………………………….……………………………...1
Statement of the Problem……………………………………………………………………….…...5
Assumption and hypothesis……………………………………………………………………..…...5
Significance of the Study……………………………………………………………………………….7
Definition of Terms………………………………………………………………………………….……8
Scope and Delimitation…………………………………………………………………………………6
Conceptual Framework..…………………………………………………………………….…..…….3

2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE ANS STUDIES

Related Literature……….………………………………………………………………………………11
Related Studies………..……………………....…………..………………………………….………..14

3 METHODOLOGY

Research Design………………………………………………………………………….………………17
Sampling Technique………………………………………………………………………………..…..17
Research Instruments………………………………………………………………………….……...18
Data Gathering…………………………………………………………………………………….………19
Statistical Treatment…………….….....……………………………………………………..……...20

Bibliography

Appendices
ABSTRACT
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This study could not have been done without the generous efforts of our group,

the undying love and supports of our family, and the help of our subject teacher in

preparing us for our final thesis.

Grateful acknowledgement is due to each of the following persons who made it

possible for us to finish this research work.

To ENGR. Miriam S. Galvez

THIS RESEARCH IS STUDY IS DEDICATED TO

OUR FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND

ABOVE ALL TO OUR ALMIGTHY GOD

 CHAPTER 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING

1.1 INTRODUCTION

Traffic congestion is a severe problem in many cities around the world and has

been causing many critical problems and challenges in the major and most populated

cities. To travel to different places within the city is becoming more difficult. Due to

these congestion problems, people lose time, misses opportunities and get frustrated.

Traffic congestion has great impacts for the companies, due to the traffic congestions

there are losses in productivity from the workers, trade opportunities are lost, delivery

gets delayed and thereby the cost increases.

To solve these congestion problems, we have to build new facilities and

infrastructures but at the same time make it smart. The only disadvantage of making

new roads and facilities is that it makes the surrounding more congested. So, for that

reason we need to change the system, rather than making new infrastructures,

therefore many countries are working to manage their existing transportations systems

to improve mobility, safety, and traffic flows in order to reduce the demand of the

vehicle use.
 Enhancing public transport, route guidance systems, traffic signal improvements,

and incident management, congestion can be reduced greatly. From the statistical

analysis of US department transportation in 2007 , it has been found that half of the

congestion caused is due to the recurring congestion, due to recurring congestion, the

roads have been used repeatedly , when they were not supposed to be used twice,

causing the road to be more vulnerable. These congestions problems are caused by poor

guidance to the travelers. The other half of the congestions are due to the non-recurring

congestions which are due to traffic incidents, work zones, weather on special events.

Non-recurring events dramatically reduce available capacity and reliability of the entire

transportation systems.

To enhance public transport, route guidance systems, traffic signal

improvements and incident management can be done using dynamic traffic systems.

Our idea was formed due to the congestion problems that has been encountered by

travelers. Old traffic system was unable to control congestion. That’s why the number of

accidents was increased, lack of the ability to increase the traffic handling capacity of

roads, lack of ability to reduce the unnecessary stopping and starting of traffic, this in

turn reduce fuel consumption, air pollution and noise, lack of ability to reduce drivers

frustration and road rage, and the lack of the ability to improve journey time of a

traveler. Dynamic Traffic System (DTS) has great advantages over the old traffic system

because it uses reliable source like video detector and processor that highly improve the

traffic system.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Congestion is due to recurring and non-recurring congestions. Traffic congestion

has been causing many critical problems and challenges in the major and most

populated cities. Due to these congestion problems people lose time, miss opportunities

and gets frustrated. It directly impacts the companies, this in turn, there is a lost in

productivity from workers, trade opportunities are lost, delivery gets delayed and

thereby the cost goes on increasing.

Specifically, the study attempted to answer the following questions:

 What are the benefits of digital traffic system?

 Is it more convenient to use old traffic system than DTS?

 How does DTS works?

1.3 ASSUMPTION AND HYPOTHESIS

Data are programmed to adjust their timing and phasing to meet changing traffic

conditions. The systems adjust signal phasing and timing to minimize the delay of

vehicles going through the intersection.

The device controller uses output from the video detectors that informs the

processor whether vehicles or other road users are present, to adjust timing and

phasing within the limits set by the controllers programming. It can give more time to an

intersection approach that is experiencing heavy traffic or shortening or even skip a

phase that has little or no traffic waiting for a green light.

 By installing roadway video detector, to automatically analyzed the scene before

the intersection and to detect the presence of vehicles at the intersections.

1.4 SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY

Imagine that a roadway has no traffic system and only a traffic enforcer

controlling the traffic. We all know that more vehicles are passing the roadway time by

time. For an instance, let’s say twenty to thirty vehicles are passing the intersection. The

traffic enforcer might handle that numbers of vehicle passing that intersection. What if a

hundreds of vehicles passing that intersection every day? What might happen to the

traffic enforcer? There is a tendency that he or she may collapse. Assuming there are

three traffic enforcer who are handling traffic in that intersection, it is also not easy for

them to handle or to control the traffic, because of the numbers of vehicles passing in

that intersection. Smoke ,noise, driver frustration and heat coming from the vehicles

and the sun can also harm them which in term they do not control or handle the traffic

very well.

Our concern and awareness of the traffic problems lead us to introduce DTS. DTS

will accommodate the different problems that might be encounter in traffic because it

has the ability to handle and to control in a nice way. We do not need a traffic enforcer

to handle the traffic and we can help them away from the pollution, heat, and trouble.
DTS can handle a large numbers of vehicles which is passing the intersection time-by-

time. Using this system .it can minimize air pollution, noise, and trouble with the

motorist. we can meet the needs of travelers , travelling time- by-time which is less risk

to their part, they will go to their destination on time, it can also detect the scene of

accidents where it happen, and violators have no exceptions on this system because of

the video cameras.

DTS provides satisfaction In the need of handling or controlling traffic, even a

heavy or light traffic. Travelers will travel safe with the guidance of the DTS. DTS will give

discipline to those traffic violators to prevent accidents. These features of DTS have

great benefits in our society which the old traffic system was unable to provide.

1.5 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Digital - usually refers to a data technology that uses discrete (discontinuous) values, in

contrast to analog.

Sensor - is a device that measures a physical quantity and converts it into a signal which

can be read by an observer or by an instrument. For example, a mercury-in-glass

thermometer converts the measured temperature into expansion and contraction of a

liquid which can be read on a calibrated glass tube. A thermocouple converts

temperature to an output voltage which can be read by a voltmeter. For accuracy, most

sensors are calibrated against known standards.

Processor - a specialized microprocessor designed specifically for digital signal

processing.

Road Rage - is aggressive or angry behavior by a driver of an automobile or other motor

vehicle. Such behavior might include rude gestures, verbal insults, deliberately driving in

an unsafe or threatening manner, or making threats. Road rage can lead to altercations,

assaults, and collisions which result in injuries and even deaths. It can be thought of as

an extreme case of aggressive driving.

Traffic - the aggregation of things (pedestrians or vehicles) coming and going in a

particular locality during a specified period of time.

- on roads may consist of pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles,

streetcars and other conveyances, either singly or together, while using the

public way for purposes of travel.

1.6 SCOPE AND DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY

This study limits its coverage on the system that uses only a video camera as a

detector to decide the proper decision to what way of intersection is open or close.

This study focus on congestion problems within the roadway due to the

increasing numbers of vehicles passing everyday, using DTS, it will improve the traffic

systems, it gives guidance to the travelers, it can minimize accidents, and travelers can
go to their destination on time. These concerns can be done with DTS that has reliable

source and can be the hand and eye of DTS.

This feature requires more time because we will be using video camera as a

monitoring system. It also uses sensors which are sensitive, so, it must be reliable to

have a precise performance, and participation of travelers shall be implemented to have

a better and improve traffic system

1.7 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

 CHAPTER 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

This article is composed of discussions of facts and principles to which the

present study is related, aims to provide a complete understanding and ideas to

effectively design the study. The effectiveness of the study must be based upon past

knowledge and this will show us where to start and to know what is already known and

unknown.
2.1 Related Literatures:

As stated by Kayvan Farzaneh (2009) in book “The Intelligent Transportation

System (ITS).” The goal of traffic control systems is to reduce traffic congestions, air

pollutions, traffic accidents, and to save energy and protect the environment. Reducing

traffic congestions can be done by providing intelligent signal controllers. Traffic

message boards can also be helpful by providing traffic condition information to the

drivers.

By reducing the number of times that vehicle have to stop for the traffic

congestions, the traffic pollution as well as noise generated when vehicles are stationary

is reduced. Saving energy can be achieved by making traffic flow smoother and reducing

travel times. The basic functions of a traffic control system are as follow: 1. Automatic

collection of traffic information, such as traffic volumes and congestion, using various

sensors. 2. Control of traffic signals based on this information. 3. Providing drivers with

information such as traffic congestion status via information boards and other devices.

4. Relying instructions from traffic control centers to the local traffic police.

Good practices of ITS usually can be obtained by the integration of multiple

systems. With ITS, the total is nearly always greater than the sum of the individual parts.

Implementation is often complex and there are many obstacles to overcome. Strong

planning, good communications, and effective coordination between interested parties

are essential elements for successful ITS implementation.

 The technical concepts of ITS can be referred to the information technology and

control mechanisms in ITS. Many ITS problems arise from inaccurate and late

information or from the lack of appropriate coordination among the decisions made by

the users in the system. To give an example, about the dangerous accident possibilities

in freeways, a close coordination is required between the traffic management, driver

information and emergency management systems.

Some specific ITS technologies are at the heart of the ITS in which without them,

ITS can not exist. These enabling technologies are required by the different ITS services

and the ITS plan should focus on these technologies. Definitely telecommunication

infrastructure is one of these enabling technologies that enable many ITS services to

communicate. In this regard, there are more concerns about the wireless

communication between the vehicles and the system. The positioning systems like GPS,

has become a practical technical alternative at a reasonable cost for vehicle location

data acquisition, so many ITS service needing the vehicle location information such as

navigators, can benefit from this technology. On the other hand, centralized databases

for digital maps are essential for many ITS services such as traffic data exchange.
2.2 Related Studies:

According to A. Chattaraj, S. Chakrabarti, S. Bansal, S. Halder and A. Chandra. In a

proposal entitled “Intelligent Traffic Control System using RFID.” The system lies in the

fact that this system operates traffic signals based on the current situation of vehicular

volume in different directions of a road crossing and not on pre-assigned times.

The idea is to place two RFID readers (separated by some distance) in each

direction of a road crossing and have a Central Computer System (CCS) to control them

all. As a vehicle passes by a reader, it tracks the vehicle and retrieves its Electronic

Product Code (EPC) data. Currently available hardware can be used to monitor vehicles

traveling at normal speed at a read distance of 10m (33 ft.). The data obtained is then

sent immediately to the CCS by wireless or wired channels (as found convenient at that

location). The CCS contains a Central Database Processing System (CDPS) for processing

vehicular data and a Decision Making Section (DMS) for controlling the traffic signals.

The dynamic database is divided into a number of parts. It arranges the EPC data

of vehicles according to their path and direction of travel. Whenever a vehicle moves

towards or away from the crossing, the two readers in its path detect it and convey the

obtained data to the CCS with some time gap in between. The order of response of the

two readers determines the direction of travel of the vehicle (whether it is moving

towards or away from the crossing). The vehicular data is then sent to any one part of

the database corresponding to its path and direction of travel.

 The CDPS consists of two parts: A dynamic database where the records of

vehicles currently passing the crossing are temporarily stored. Permanent database

which stores the records of all vehicles that have passed the crossing.

At each instant, the CDPS checks the data in various parts of the dynamic

database and computes the volume of traffic for both the roads intersecting at the

crossing. It then sends the computed information to the Decision Making Section of the

CCS which operates the traffic signals according to the current volume of traffic

(showing the Green light in the direction of maximum traffic).

The decision making section contains a decision making algorithm which

determines how the traffic lights are operated. In such factors: 1. the volume of traffic

as received from the CDPS. 2. Since volume of traffic can fluctuate very rapidly, it is not

possible to alter traffic signals based only on this factor. So, a minimum time is set for

which the traffic signals remain constant before checking for the volume of traffic again.

3. A maximum time is set after which a constant traffic signal must change irrespective

of volume of traffic. This is done to ensure that no vehicle has to wait too long at the

crossing.

Each crossing should have a different decision making algorithm depending on

the nature of the two intersecting roads. The various factors like maximum and

minimum time for each direction must be determined by statistical analysis and

research.