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June 15, 2015
Modernization of the transportation system is an important part of
the Lake County Division of Transportation (LCDOT) annual road program. The
need for transportation expansions and improvements exceeds the amount of
funding that is available, and the cost of construction continues to rise.
Therefore, if we can’t always make our roads BIGGER,
we have to make our roads
SMARTER.
In 2013, LCDOT began to study several travel corridors to look at signal timings. The 17-month study looked at six corridors during peak travel times in the morning, mid-day, and in the evening. In looking at Travel Times, Stops and the Average Speed, we were able to calculate improvements in Vehicle Delays and Fuel Consumed.
The overall results of the study show that technology enhancements, adjusting the signal timings, and coordinating the signals through the Lake County PASSAGE system, led to a reduction in vehicle delays (1625 hours) and a reduction in fuel consumption (544.8 gallons) per day. Not only does this save money, approximately $9.8 million a year, but this also means less time stuck in the car and more time doing the things you want to do.
*EXAMPLE - Delany Road: A motorist drives southbound on Delany Road in the morning, and then returns home northbound through this corridor in the evening. After the signal timing changes from the study were implemented, the driver saves 186 seconds on the a.m. southbound trip and 71.5 seconds on the p.m. northbound trip. That means the motorist is saving about four minutes and 17 seconds a day which adds up to slightly more than 20 minutes during a five-day work week.
The image above illustrates the total overall results, but here is a breakdown of the individual results from each corridor:
Washington Street - IL Rte. 83 to US Rte. 45
Reduced delay by 130.5 hours and saved 2.7 gallons of fuel per day: $785,947 annual benefit
Old McHenry - Fairfield Road to Quentin Road
Reduced delay by 153.1 hours and saved 112 gallons of fuel per day: $1,059,900 annual benefit
Deerfield Road - Portwine Road to Wilmot Road AND Saunders Road - Deerfield Road to Discover
Reduced delay by 364.7 hours and saved 50.4 gallons of fuel per day: $2,246,578 annual benefit
Aptakisic Road - Brandywyn Lane to Parkway Drive
Reduced delay by 233.5 hours and saved 60.9 gallons of fuel per day: $1,401,550 annual benefit
Rollins Road - Grand Avenue to Hook Drive
Reduced delay by 457.7 hours and saved 191.9 gallons of fuel per day: $3,019,014 annual benefit
Delany Road - US Rte. 41 to Wadsworth Road*
Reduced delay by 285.5 hours and saved 126.9 gallons of fuel per day: $1,281,326 annual benefit
Studies conducted
between September 2013 and February 2015 by Sam Schwartz Engineering and HLR.
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