Investigating the Constraints Associated With Running Traffic Control Systems Effectively at Signalized Intersections

Intersections are a critical element of a road section. They are critical locations in the road network in terms of capacity, level of service and safety. In intersections, opposing streams of traffic compete for space and time and road users are required to use the same space. Controlling the order in which the traffic streams from the opposing directions interact becomes imperative to reduce conflict between vehicles and other traffic; including pedestrians and cyclists, to improve the traffic handling capability or capacity of the road network, to enable the pedestrians to cross the road safely, and to reduce delay and stops to side road. Different traffic control types and technologies were implemented in South Africa but were “switched off” at some point. This study investigates the constraints associated with running traffic control systems effectively at signalized intersections in South Africa.