APPENDIX B

Implementation of Research Findings and Products

CONTENTS

Introduction

Research Products and Target Audience

Potential Implementation Activities and Leadership

Potential Impediments to Implementation

Introduction

Automated traffic signal performance measures (ATSPMs) are developed from high-resolution controller data to describe current signal operation and traffic service quality. The controller data include signal indication status (i.e., red, green, yellow) and detector events, as recorded every 1/10^th of a second. ATSPMs have been shown to be a promising tool for improving traffic operation by allowing the operating agency to proactively monitor signal equipment health and traffic flow efficiency. By continuously assessing signal performance using ATSPMs, the operating agency has the ability to quickly identify and resolve issues for the purpose of maintaining signal operation at a high level of performance.

The objective of NCHRP Project 17-109 was to quantify (a) the relationship between ATSPM use by agencies and signal system safety, and (b) the relationship between various ATSPMs and intersection safety. The project developed several products that can assist practitioners in the evaluation of signal safety performance using ATSPMs.

This memorandum describes a plan for promoting implementation of the products of Project 17-109. The plan is described in three subsequent sections. The first section lists the research products and their target audience. The second section identifies activities that can be undertaken to facilitate the implementation of these products. It also identifies potential agencies or organizations that could take a leadership role in these activities. The third section outlines some potential challenges that could impede implementation activities.

Research Products and Target Audience

The products of Project 17-109 are intended to assist agencies when evaluating the safety performance associated with an existing or proposed signal operation, as informed by ATSPMs. Some products represent guidelines and tools intended to be used by practitioners to evaluate existing signal timing or proposed alternatives. Other products are intended to facilitate the implementation of the guidelines and tools. Each of these products are described in Table 1.

The most notable product of Project 17-109 is the ATSPM Safety Evaluation Methodology document. This document describes two methodologies. The first methodology presented describes the process for evaluating the safety effect of ATSPM deployment within an existing signal system. It is used to compute the life-cycle safety benefits of ATSPM deployment. The methodology is envisioned to guide the decision of whether to implement ATSPMs in a given signal system, based on an assessment of overall road-user benefits and costs.

The second methodology describes the process for using crash modification factors (CMFs) to quantify the change in crash frequency and severity that is associated with ATSPM-based changes to signal timing or operation at one or more signalized intersections. The methodology is envisioned to guide the use of ATSPMs to improve intersection safety.

The calculations associated with the two methodologies are automated in an Excel-based spreadsheet tool. The document and the tool are developed and described in a manner that is intended to facilitate their use by practitioners.

Agencies that operate one or more signal systems represent the primary audience for the products of Project 17-109. This audience includes State DOT staff, local agency staff, and consultants involved in planning, managing, maintaining or operating traffic signals. The audience also includes employees of AASHTO and FHWA who have job responsibilities related to the oversight of signalized intersections or signal systems.

Table 1. Research Products.

Potential Implementation Activities and Leadership

Implementation Categories

The most effective approach for widescale implementation of research products is to conduct activities in each of the following key implementation categories.

• Training
• Demonstration Projects

• Outreach
• Add Content to Authoritative Reference Documents or Websites

Training

The guidance document, ATSPM Safety Evaluation Methodology, and its companion spreadsheet tool can provide reliable information regarding the safety benefit of using ATSPMs for signal system management. However, training on the correct use of these products will ensure the results are properly interpreted and the computed safety benefits are accurately quantified. The training materials should be developed for two presentation formats. One format would consist of a live, a web-enabled course that can be presented virtually to participants during a scheduled time period. This format would engage participants by providing an active learning environment that includes a hands-on application of the products to example exercises. A second format would consist of a self-paced, web-enabled course that can be scheduled on an individual-participant basis. This format would offer prerecorded course content that includes example exercises.

Demonstration Projects

For this implementation category, the implementation team would identify a small number of agencies that use, or are considering the use of, ATSPMs for signal system management. This effort could involve state, regional and/or local government transportation agencies interested in being early implementers of the research products. The implementation team would work with agency staff to conduct a safety evaluation of the existing signal operation and a proposed signal operation. Ideally, these projects would be identified in collaboration with host agencies that are also interested in training such that any lessons learned could be directly incorporated into training materials.

Outreach

A wide variety of outreach activities are needed to promote the implementation of the project materials. Outreach activities can substantially increase the number of practitioners that are aware of the research products. These activities can include:

• Agency-hosted workshops at transportation-related professional conferences.
• Agency-hosted webinars.
• Publication in agency e-newsletters.

The hosted workshops and webinars should be advertised (possibly in e-newsletters) well in advance of their offering date to ensure that interested participants can plan to attend.

Add Content to Authoritative Reference Documents or Websites

In some cases, research products are suitable for inclusion in an authoritative reference document (e.g., Highway Safety Manual [HSM]). In other cases, the research products may be suitable for inclusion in an authoritative website (e.g., CMF Clearinghouse). These products may supplement guidance in the reference document or website. Alternatively, they may expand the scope of the document or website and thereby make it more useful.

The products of Project 17-109 are well-suited for inclusion in the HSM and the CMF Clearinghouse. In fact, the Implementation Roadmap developed in Task 4 of the project describes specific steps the research team will take to assist the engineers overseeing the HSM and Clearinghouse with the implementation of Project 17-109 findings in their respective reference works.

Recommended Activities and Leadership

For Project 17-109, the agencies believed to have an important leadership role in product implementation are identified in Table 2. The second column of this table identifies the specific activities envisioned for each agency. Of note is the role that AASHTO could have by supporting an implementation project through its NCHRP Implementation Support Program (Project 20-44). The funding obtained from this project would be used to (a) develop and deliver training and (b) support the inclusion of the research products in the HSM and the CMF Clearinghouse. All of these activities will have a significant impact on the degree to which the research products are implemented on a national basis. Implementation project funding could also be used to facilitate the webinars and workshops identified in Table 2.

Table 2. Recommended Implementation Activities and Agencies with Leadership Role.

^a – Details associated with this activity are provided in the Implementation Roadmap developed during Task 4.

As part of their professional service activities, the members of the research team will facilitate product implementation by interacting with two TRB Committees whose mission and scope are consistent with Project 17-109 objectives. The objective of these interactions will be to ensure the committee membership is aware of the project results and to seek their support for a TRB workshop or webinar related to the research products. The two committees include:

• TRB Standing Committee on Local and Arterial Roadway Management (ACF14)
• TRB Standing Committee on Safety Data, Analysis and Performance and Analysis (ACD12)

The research team will encourage the members of these committees to offer ongoing implementation leadership through their website, conference activities, and other social media venues.

Potential Impediments to Implementation

The research team has identified four potential impediments to the successful implementation of the research products. These impediments are listed in the first column of Table 3. The second column of the table describes the team’s suggested approach to mitigating the challenge.

Table 3. Potential Impediments and Mitigation Approach.