Glenoaks Boulevard Adaptive/Responsive Traffic Signal Operation

Glenoaks Boulevard is a major arterial street extending from the Sylmar area in Los Angeles, through Burbank, to downtown Glendale. It parallels the I-5 freeway and is used as a bypass to the freeway, particularly during heavy congestion periods on the freeway. The 3.25 mile section of street in Burbank has 20 traffic signals. The previous operation of the Glenoaks Boulevard signal system used fixed timing plans to manage traffic in the corridor. This system was very inefficient and caused unnecessary vehicle delays and reduced travel speeds. When Caltrans started reconstruction of I-5 through Burbank, a more responsive traffic signal control system was needed. An adaptive/responsive control was selected that would automatically change timing plans with the speed, volume, and directionality of traffic on the street. The new control software from McCain, Inc. was installed with only minor changes to the existing signal infrastructure and traffic control hardware. The total cost of the new system was less than $100,000. Average travel time through the corridor in Burbank was reduced from an average of 10.66 minutes to 8.18 minutes and traffic stops were reduced from an average of 7.85 to 5.35 per trip. The reduction in stops also reduces CO2 emissions in the corridor by about 723 pounds per day. The resulting travel time cost savings from the reduction in travel delays with the adaptive/responsive timing strategy is about $1.2 million per year, and the savings in emissions costs is about $3,320 per year.