Intelligent Transportation Systems - City of Oakland

the downtown area) is time-based. Due to this lack of centralized control, it is necessary
to go into the field to assess signal problems when they occur instead of having the
advantage of instantly obtaining timing information on a central computer. Then, after
traffic engineers optimize signal timings in the office it is necessary for personnel to go
back into the field and upload the timings manually. To address these inefficiencies the
City of Oakland has long expressed interest in a centralized, real-time signal control
system which will allow traffic staff to both respond to events immediately, and to
constantly monitor the system.
The emergency operations center (EOC) in downtown Oakland is not currently
integrated with any of the signals, but the need to integrate the EOC with a central signal
control system was expressed by City staff. The EOC already has automatic vehicle
location (AVL) capabilities with its emergency vehicles, and plans to implement
computer aided dispatch (CAD) capabilities within 18 months of this report.
In 1994 DKS Associates assisted Oakland in studying a central computerized traffic
control system, initially to manage 21 signals in the downtown area (referred to as the
North CBD) plus 16 signals in the Hegenberger/73 rd Avenue corridor. The report
distinguishes between distributed control systems (which store and implement signal
timing plans in traffic signal controllers) and central control systems (which store and
implement signal timing plans from a central computer).
Based on the results of that evaluation, it was determined that central control signal
systems would be good candidates for the City of Oakland. The systems studied
(namely MIST, Series 2000, MONARC, TMS, UTCS and IVMS) were scalable and
would give Oakland the capability to operate large and eventually citywide coordinated
systems. It was emphasized that all controllers should be standardized to the same type
to facilitate coordination, allow interchangeability, and avoid extra training and parts
replacement. At the time of that report (1994) it was recommended that the City
purchase a central master computer traffic control system, the MIST traffic signal
system, in order to retain the City’s existing controllers without modifications. Because
no central signal control system was implemented at that time, these previous
recommendations to the City will be revisited as part of this citywide ITS Strategic Plan.
Changes in the ITS industry (pertaining to technologies and costs), new City projects,
and changes in the City’s growth and traffic operations will necessitate more up-to-date
recommendations.
2.2.2 Traffic Signal Controllers
As described in Section 2.2, the City has approximately 700 signals. These signals are
illustrated in Figure 2.1. The current signal inventory was obtained from Metropolitan
Transportation Commission’s (MTC’s) Signals Database as well as from discussions
with City staff, and is listed for reference in Appendix B. As shown in Figure 2.1, most
of the signals are concentrated along the high-priority corridors described in Section
2.1.2, reflecting the City corridors pinpointed in Oakland’s General Plan.
City of Oakland ITS Strategic Plan
9 September, 2003