**NEW J ERSEY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION**  **Improvements to Signal Systems to Reduce Delays**

**RACM Analysis**

Michael Baker Jr., Inc. Signal Systems

- 1 **Control Measure:** Delays at signalized intersections can be exasperated by poor signal timings and poor signal coordination that results in the increased likelihood of waiting at a red light

. Much of this delay involves high

- emission idling and as such i mprovements to signal operations by installing networked systems, centralized controllers and proper ly adjusting timings can yield measurable air quality benefits. **Description:** Many of the signalized intersections within the state of New Jersey work indep endently of adjoining signals. Also, most signals are not adjusted as local conditions change. This leads to increased waiting and delays at signals which in turn results increase s idling emissions from vehicles. Through proper signal coordination and t iming, delays can be reduced statewide leading to some improvement in regional air quality. To analyze the impact of improving traffic signal operations, the New Jersey Congestion Management System (NJCMS) and specifically its intersection delay model was employed. The NJCMS using both actual and inferred signal data to estimate the additional delay associated with traffic signals. The NJCMS models signa l progression on a scale of 1

- 5: 1 being detrimental signal progression, 3 neutral and 5 being very be neficial progression. For the purposes of this investigation, the signal progression throughout the state was set to 4 except for those intersections already coded as 5. **Methodology :**  The NJCMS analysis for this project considers all the signals coded i n the NJCMS databases . Tables 1 through 4 show the se results county by county and by non

- attainment area. The entire amount of delay was assumed to be idling delay. Idling emission rates were develope d from multiple runs of MOBILE 6.2 using appropriate local inputs. Idling emissions rates were developed for both the summer and winter seasons. Total delay reduced was proportioned by the number of days in each season and multiplied by the appropriate emission rate(s) to get total emissions reduced by sea son. The sum of the seasonal emissions was used for total annual emissions. The daily emissions benefit was calculated by dividing the winter season emissions by the number of days in that season. For the RACM analysis it was acknowledged that some sign als are already coordinated and that not all signals can be improved within the timeframe of this analysis. As such, only 5% of the estimated benefits were considered which represents improvements to approximately 262 intersections.**NEW J ERSEY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION**  **Improvements to Signal Systems to Reduce Delays**

**RACM Analysis**

Michael Baker Jr., Inc. Signal Systems

- 2 **Results: Ty pical Summ**  **er Day /A**  **nnual Emissions** Benefits (Emission Reductions Due to Reduced Queuing): **Emission Reductions (Statewide):**

**Pollutant Ty**  **pe An**  **aly sis Year 2009** 

Tons/Day Tons/Year **VOC** 0. 0206

- **NOx** 0. 0100 2.5012 **PM2.5**

- 0.3949 **SO 2**  - 0. 0148

**Ozone A naly** **sis**
**– Dai**  **ly Benefits in New** **Jersey**

**Benefits (Reductions)**  **Ozone Non -** **At tainment A**  **rea**

**New York -**  **N. New Jersey**  **- Long Island,**  **NY -**  **NJ -**  **CT Philadelphia**  ****

**Wilmin gton**  **- Atlantic City**  **PA -**  **NJ -**  **MD -**  **DE VOC (Tons/Day** **)** 0. 0137 0. 0070 **NOx (Tons/Day** **)** 0. 0061 0.0 039
**PM2.5 A naly** **sis**
**– An**  **nu al Benefits**  **in New Jersey**

**Benefits (Reductions)**  **PM 2.5**  **Non -** **At tainment A**  **rea**

**New York -**  **N. New Jersey**  **- Long Island,**  **NY -**  **NJ -**  **CT Philadelphia**  **** **Wilmin gton**  **PA -**  **NJ -**  **DE NOx (Tons/Year)**  1.6215 0.4347 **PM2.5 (Tons/Year)** 0.2728 0.0571 **SO 2**  **(Tons/Year)** 0. 0100 0.0 023

**Cos t/Benefit A**  **naly sis**  Total costs were estimated as follows:

- Each Intersection signal improvement costs approximately $150,000 for a new controller

- 262 intersections will be improved, 61 in DVRPC, 201 in NJTPA**NEW J ERSEY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION**  **Improvements to Signal Systems to Reduce Delays**

**RACM Analysis**

Michael Baker Jr., Inc. Signal Systems

- 3 - Total Cost of Project: $39,300,000

- $9,150,000 in DVRPC

- $30,150,000 in NJTPA **Cost/Benefit Results**

**Pollutant Cost/Benefit for Each Pollutant**  **Ozone** ***** **PM 2.5 NY**  **- NJ**  **- CT**  **PA -**  **NJ -**  **DE**  

** MD** **NY -**  **NJ -**  **CT PA** **- NJ**  **- DE**  VOC ($/Ton/Day) $8,824,796 $5,261,373

- - NOx ($/Ton/Day) $19,671,426 $9,447,267

- - NOx ($/Ton/Year)

- - $18,593,836 $21,050,557 PM2.5 ($/Ton/Year)

- - $110,540,716 $160,261,760 SO2 ($/Ton/Year)

- - $3,007,187,722 $3,977,593,189 *Daily Costs used in calculation of cost/benefit ratio are A nnual costs divided by 250