Utilizing Low-Ping Frequency Vehicle Trajectory Data to Characterize Delay at Traffic Signals

Abstract

Probe vehicle data is changing the landscape of transportation engineering. The availability of vehicle trajectory data, or GPS waypoint data, has expanded the utility of probe data. However, the low penetration rate of vehicles prevents signal-performance assessment during short-term or low-volume periods, such as special events, seasonal traffic patterns, and overnight timing plans. Current research has used high-ping frequency data or the temporal distributions of waypoints of less than 2 s. This paper evaluates different approaches for using low-ping frequency data to measure delays at signalized intersections. The results of statistical testing show that 30- and 60-s ping data provide delay values that are not significantly different from 1-s ping data. These sampling frequencies increase the number of observable trajectories by 700%. This data allows for scalable approaches to immediately measure delays at signalized intersections nationwide in the US, thereby reducing costly infrastructure needed for signalized performance measures.