• Journal of Korean Society of Transportation
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.17-28
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• 2009

There are many limitations in dealing with rapidly changing traffic demand in urban cities. Thus recently, traffic operation and management skills are more emphasized rather than the expansion of traffic facilities. In particular, in the interrupted flow formed by signalized intersections, it is quite important to give optimal signal timing to each intersection with consideration of progression. However, as fixed signal times per direction can affect passing capacity in signalized intersections, the present four-signal phase including a left-turn signal has many limitations, including reduction of directional road capacity when traffic demand is increases dramatically during peak hours. Because of this problem, lots of studies about internal metering techniques for oversaturated signal control skills have progressed but these techniques are not used widely due to the absence of detectors for queue sensing in real-time signal control systems. In this research, a new methodology called the "restrictive left-turn signal control", which is already used at the intersection above Samsung subway station, is suggested in order to reduce control delay of urban arterial roads. The restrictive left-turn signal control allows a driver to make a U-turn and then a right turn instead of turning left in that intersection. With this change, the restrictive left-turn signal control can contribute to increased intersection capacity by reducing the number of signal phases and maximizing the through phase time. However, road structure and traffic conditions at the target intersections should be considered before the adoption of the proposed signal control.