Design and Implementation of Traffic Signal Coding Software
for the Toronto Network
By Peter Koutsoulias
The development of microsimulation models has recently been the
focus of considerable effort throughout the ITS community. At the
University of Toronto, our efforts in the field of microsimulation
have taken the form of the Toronto Network, an ambitious project
to create a microsimulation model of the entire Toronto Area. 
One of the elements neccessary in building the Toronto Network is
the coding of realistic signalized intersections. In order to address
the problem of coding traffic signals in the Toronto Network, a
signal coding interface had to be developed. The development process
involved several steps. The first was to obtain traffic data from
Metro Transportation. This data then had to be interpreted. The
second step was to determine how this data could be converted to
the Paramics file format language. The final step was the implementation
of the data to the Toronto Network. This was achieved through the
development of SigCI (Traffic Signal Coding Interface).
The end result of our efforts is a program that will allow the
implementation of traffic signal data in the most efficient and
reliable manner possible. During the development of the software
a test was performed on part of the Toronto Network. The results
showed that SigCI mass coded 87% of the signals in seven seconds.
The remaining 13% of the signals were skipped in the automation
process due to their complicated geometric layout. These signals
were also individually coded using SigCI but they required some
additional editing in the SigCI file editor.
SigCI Graphical User Interface
Although SigCI has proven to perform the operation of data implementation
adequately, the program requires further development. Through improvements
in traffic assignment algorithms and continued consultation with
Metro Transportation, SigCI has the capability of mass coding 100%
of the signals in the Toronto network.
In addition to coding traffic signal data to the Toronto Network,
SigCI also has the potential to become a useful design aid. For
instance, Paramics simulation runs of the Toronto Network can produce
a set of statistics on the performance of the signals. Signals can
then be modified by Traffic Analysts in SigCI and the changes written
to the MTSS database. The capability of calibrating and designing
signals in the MTSS Database implies that the program would have
to be modified to write as well as read the MTSS Database. Automating
the process of signal design and testing in a realistic simualtion
network could potentially save considerable time and effort. If
it is decided at a later date that such a program would be of interest,
then the modifications to the program could be made quite easily.
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