Traffic signals are a key element in the safe and efficient movement of all road users – including pedestrians and bicyclists – and all types of traffic, including transit, freight, commercial, and emergency vehicles. The MUTCD notes that traffic signals that are properly designed, located, operated, and maintained can reduce the frequency and severity of certain types of crashes, provide for the orderly movement of traffic, increase the capacity of an intersection, be coordinated to provide progressive movement along a corridor, and be used to interrupt heavy traffic at intervals to allow other traffic (vehicular or pedestrian) to cross.
On the other hand, poorly designed, located, operated, or maintained signals can cause excessive delay, cause increased disobedience, divert motorists to less adequate routes, and increase the frequency of some types of collisions.
So, how do we ensure that our signals are properly located and designed and lend themselves to efficient operation and effective maintenance?
This webinar will address these issues. The development of a design for a signalized intersection must consider multiple factors, including site conditions and intersection geometry, traffic volumes and characteristics, the needs of vulnerable road users, and the expected growth and future changes in the nature of the area – all with an appropriate balance of safety and mobility. The design must also focus on the reliability and maintainability of the signal infrastructure and ultimately, the capability of the installation to provide the desired operational functions for the intersection.
Key to these considerations is the input of multiple stakeholders, including representatives of both the owning and maintaining agencies, utility owners, transit agencies, emergency services, school officials, major nearby traffic generators, and other interested parties. By understanding their needs, the signalized intersection can be designed to provide the optimal mix of safety and mobility.
The objectives of this course are to:
- Identify potential stakeholders in the design of a new traffic signal installation
- Recognize signalized intersection design features that may be appropriate to implement based on identified needs
- Understand the safety and mobility impacts of signal design features.
David Champoux, P.E., PTOE, RSP, 
IMSA Traffic Signal Senior Field Technician (Level III), is a Traffic Signal Timing / Operations Engineer with Mead & Hunt in Florida. He serves a variety of clients as the lead signal timing engineer for various traffic signal operational improvement projects. His previous experience includes operating and managing traffic signal systems for agencies in Georgia and Florida. David has been timing signals for over a decade and thoroughly enjoys the challenge. He excels in solving puzzles to improve the operational efficiency and safety for the communities in which he serves. He has a Bachelors Degree in Civil Engineering from Clarkson University and a Masters of Science in Transportation Engineering from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. When not analyzing signal operations, David enjoys spending time with his wife and their two dogs.
Peter J. (Pete) Yauch, P.E., PTOE, RSP2i, IMSA Level III, is Vice President Emeritus for Iteris, Inc., in the firm’s Tampa, Florida office. During his 47-year career, he has worked in both the public and private sectors, including serving as the Director of Transportation and Public Works for Pinellas County, City Traffic Engineer for the City of Clearwater, Florida, and the District Signal Systems and Safety Engineer for the Tampa Bay area district of the Florida Department of Transportation. His specialties include traffic operations and traffic safety. He has a Bachelor and a Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
RECORDING
To earn Professional Development Hours (PDHs) or a Certificate of Completion for each recorded webinar, you must view the entire webinar. After viewing, please fill out the web form at the link below to request your certificate. The Florida LTAP Center will follow-up within 2-3 weeks.
This webinar will award 1.5 PDHs.
Click the link below to view the recorded webinars
Traffic Signal Design: Addressing a Variety of Stakeholder Needs