Rather than using traditional time-of-day coordinated signal timing plans to improve their signal timing and traffic flow challenges, The City of Longmont, Colorado decided to use innovative new technology — the In|Sync adaptive traffic control system. Based on previous successful deployments of In|Sync along the 10th Street in Greeley, Colorado, and the U.S. Highway 85, Colorado Department of Transportation (DOT) staff chose the same adaptive system on 13 signalized intersections along SH 119 to reduce congestion and maximize benefits of signal timing.
The traffic on the corridor caters to local traffic, visitors, pass-through trips, and shopping center visitors. The corridor provides direct access to most of the major North-South arterials serving the area, the downtown central business district, and residential areas located directly adjacent to the highway.
The City of Longmont hired an independent engineering firm, Atkins North America, Inc, to conduct a before-and-after traffic study[i] on the intersections on which In|Sync was deployed.
The study showed that the In|Sync deployment along SH 119 reduced driver delay by 52 percent, traffic stops by 41 percent, and travel time for motorists by 22 percent. The stop reductions and improvements in travel time seen on this individual corridor reflect similar positive results deriving from In|Sync’s previous deployments in Colorado. By reducing stops and improving traffic flow, In|Sync creates significant reductions in traffic accidents as well as in wasted time and fuel for motorists passing through Longmont.
Larry Haas, a former Traffic Operations Engineer at Colorado DOT, says that the city was so impressed with the In|Sync technology, they will be installing the adaptive system on other roads within the city. “Our primary goal was to reduce congestion and gain efficiency of traffic flow. With the installation of In|Sync on SH 119 and US 287, we see a significant reduction in travel time and delay. We experience smoothly flowing traffic and the best part is that we have fewer public complaints.”
[i] Atkins North America, Inc. (2018). U.S. Highway 287. Adaptive Signal Timing. Evaluation of the InSync System Implementation.
