Project Summary
This research aims to explore the possibility of using sec-by-sec traffic signal data provided by the Centracs system to evaluate intersection safety. Intersection safety has long become a national concern. However, traditional methods, either using historical crash data collected from infrequently happened collisions, or potential conflicts estimated from microscopic simulation which assumes “accident-free”, cannot provide accurate and timely evaluation of intersection safety. By contrast, this research estimates potential traffic conflicts using sec-by-sec data extracted from Centracs, therefore has the potential to provide timely and accurate intersection safety information. Centracs has gained more and more popularity in the nation, especially in California, due to its robust capability for improving intersection efficiency. Especially, Centracs collects and archives sec-by-sec traffic and signal data, which can be used to evaluate safety. Using sec-by-sec data, this research proposes an innovative method to estimate potential traffic conflicts and predict red-light violations, which essentially indicate the safety level of intersections. The proposed research will be tested using the data collected from 5 intersections in Anaheim, CA. This research is expected to contribute significantly to the improvement of intersection safety, and build a foundation for future dynamic systems that could alert drivers of emerging and impending hazardous situations.