Controller Interface Device (CID)
Background
Effective traffic signal operations require adequate data, effective models, and a sound decision making process. For years, traffic engineers relied on anecdotal experience and simplistic analysis methods to develop and maintain traffic signal timing. However, there has been a tremendous increase in the availability of a new class of models and tools that could better model the dynamic traffic environment affecting traffic signal operations. Namely, traffic simulation tools provide a comprehensive and accurate resource that can model complex traffic signal operations. However, these models have not been fully embraced by the traffic engineering community due to a variety of reasons, including resource limitations, data limitations, and inherent shortcomings in accurately modeling the traffic signal controller functions (which could have a drastic effect on operations).
The development of ATAC's controller interface device (CID) was primarily focused on supporting hardware-in-the-loop simulation, which was originally developed for PTV's VISSIM traffic simulation model. Simulation interfaces have also been developed for Cube Dynasim and TSIS-CORSIM 6.0. Using this simulation method, the emulated traffic signal control logic is replaced by actual traffic controller hardware in the simulation model. This ensures accurate results from the simulation and enables the use of controller-specific functions not available in software simulation models. Moreover, new research areas in traffic control, including transit signal priority, coordination recovery methods, railroad preemption, and complex signalized intersections can be evaluated using simulation software and industry standard traffic controller hardware.
In addition, the CID allows users to test and evaluate traffic controller capabilities prior to field installation through its CIDlink software. CIDlink provides an interface for displaying the current signal phase indications and allows users to place vehicles, pedestrians, and preemption calls. An extension of CIDlink, Detector Test, allows users to setup test scenarios for placing calls at various rates and durations for a given period of time.
