Guidelines for the Use of Flashing Operation at Signalized Intersections

摘要

Over the years, many agencies have used flashing traffic signal operation during low-volume conditions to minimize delay without sacrificing safety. But does it truly minimize delay in comparison to normal operation of a fully actuated signal? And what about safety? The findings of previous research studies suggest that accidents are more frequent with flashing operation, although surveys of traffic engineers using flashing operation indicate that accidents do not increase. In an effort to identify existing guidelines and develop recommendations for flashing signal operation, the Texas Transportation Institute conducted a research study of flashing signal operation.