Guidelines for Installing an Intelligent Control System to Detect and Progress Platoons at Isolated Traffic Signals

This report contains guidelines for installing an intelligent traffic control system for detecting and progressing platoons at isolated traffic signals located near an upstream traffic signal. The system can also be installed at sites where an upstream signal does not exist but where platoons naturally form. This system uses advanced detection to obtain information about the presence and speed of individual vehicles. Then, it uses an algorithm to identify if a platoon - of a user-specified size and density - is approaching the signal and estimates platoon arrival time at the stopbar. When the system detects a platoon of vehicles, it issues a low priority preemption signal to progress the detected platoon. The duration of the initial preemption signal is based on the platoon's estimated arrival time and the user-specified minimum platoon size used to detect the platoon. Then, the system switches to an extension mode and provides progression to any additional vehicles detennined to be in the platoon. It accomplishes this by increasing preemption time until such time as no more vehicles are detennined to be in the platoon or the max-timer expires. This document describes the system and provides guidelines for use by the Texas Department of Transportation for installing and operating future systems.