Best Practice Action Detail

All new traffic signals are synchronized with existing traffic signals when installed to minimize idling and maintain optimal traffic flow.

Dakota County has interconnected and synchronized 24 traffic lights along 7 miles of county roads in Apple Valley, including:
"County Road 42 from Elm Drive to Flagstaff Ave. and from Johnny Cake Ridge to Diamond Path
"Cedar Ave. from 140th St. to 160th St.
"County Road 46 from Galaxie Ave. to Flagstaff Ave.

South Loop District Wayfinding (2011, 2015-16)
Increased efficiency of existing roadway network by balancing traffic on the routes within the District, delaying or eliminating the need for geometric improvements. Joint effort by City of Bloomington, Mall of America, and MnDOT.

EECBG Signal Timing Optimization (2010-11)
Reduced average fuel consumption and emissions by improving traffic mobility, decreasing travel times, traffic delays, and the number of vehicle stops at 37 signalized intersections. Estimated annual savings of 112,600 gallons of gasoline, estimated annual reduction of 9,900,071 vehicle stops, estimated annual reduction of 113,137 hours of vehicle delay. Overall project benefit to cost ratio of 24.

PRO (Parallel Route Optimization) (2010-11)
Reduced average fuel consumption and emissions by improving traffic mobility, decreasing travel times, traffic delays, and the number of vehicle stops along the parallel routes to I-494 in Richfield and Bloomington. Joint effort to optimize traffic signals by Cities of Richfield and Bloomington, MnDOT, and Hennepin County.

All of the city's traffic signals utilize loop detectors and a majority are synced with a grouping of other traffic signals. The city does coordinate with MnDOT to synchronize signals along the 210/Washington Street and Business 371 corridors.

" There are 67 signals in the city:
o 22 owned by the City
o 30 owned by the County
o 16 owned by the State

Signals synchronized owned by the City are along Nicollet Avenue and Burnsville Parkway:
o Nic. \Burns. Pkwy.
o Nic.\ Travelers Trail
o Nic.\126th Street
o Nic.\130th Street
o Nic.\134th Street
o Burns. Pkwy. \Harriet Ave.
o Burns. Pkwy.\Pleasant Ave.
o Burns. Pkwy.\Travelers Trail

The City use to have the signals along Southcross Drive synchronized as well but over the last five years we removed them since there wasnt enough traffic on the roadway and the side roads were waiting too long.

Burnsville has worked with Mn/DOT on synchronizing the signals along T.H. 13/ Nicollet Avenue and Burnsville Parkway /35W.

Dakota County has done their own synchronizing on CSAH 42. Burnsville gives input to the County on any issues we have with delay of traffic flow, and works with the County during holidays to make sure traffic flow is changed during that time. The County is installing fiber optic to help with synchronizing their signals on CSAH 42 and the City is helping in financing and giving input. The City has requested the County consider installing a CMAQ grant for software analysis packages which would quickly generates optimum timing plans to minimize delay and to model the traffic flow.

The City works with Anoka County Traffic Engineers to ensure traffic signals maximize efficiency. Coon Rapids has coordinated various roads including busier streets like Coon Rapids Blvd, Round Lake Blvd, Main St and University Ave. When roadways are reconstructed, typically fiber interconnect is added at that time to connect the signals. In 2014 new fiber will be added on Foley Blvd between 101st and Egret Blvd, and on University Ave between 109th and Main St. In addition, Coon Rapids through Anoka County has received Federal funding to purchase Centrax Traffic Signal Monitoring software in 2014 which will be utilized to work further toward monitoring and optimizing our interconnected traffic signal systems. These practices ensure traffic moves efficiently and car idling is reduced whenever possible.

Cottage Grove maintains two traffic signal corridors (80th street and Jamaica) which include signals owned by Washington County. The City is in agreement with Washington County and MnDOT to maintain and corrdinate our signals continuously through those two corridors. The most recent synchronization was in March of 2012 when traffic counts were taken for all intersections, timing changes were made in corrdination with Washington County and MnDOT to be sure signals in all corridors were running efficiently.
Cottage Grove has also implemented flashing yellow lights at the intersection of Jamaica/90th street/East Point Douglas to keep traffic flowing through instead of idling through entire signal rotaion.

Duluth’s Street Light Utility Division utilizes a continuous signal timing optimization program, Synchro traffic simulation software to develop signal timing plans and to preform signal optimization.
City of Duluth has flashing left turn arrow signals installed at:
Rice Lake Road & Arlington,
Rice Lake Road & Sawyer (MN Power's entrance), Trinity & Mall Drive.
All future installations will be Flashing Yellow Arrows

Interconnected traffic signals and coordination with other jurisdictions:
Currently the County has employed a timing consultant for the Mall Area Signals, all three jurisdictions will be involved, City, County and MN/Dot.
We have other coordinated systems although they are not joint with other jurisdictions.
• Grand Ave. from 44th West to 57th West,
• 21st Ave. East from London Road to St. Marie St on Woodland Ave.
• Downtown Central Business District, which includes 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Streets.
• 10th Ave. East from 1st St. through 3rd St.

All 43 traffic signals in Golden Valley have sensors in the pavement to help the signals work more efficiently which minimizes idling. All of the traffic signals along Highway 55 from Wirth Parkway west to Medina are interconnected to minimize car idling and promote the efficient flow of traffic. Some signals in Golden Valley that are close to Highway 55, such as the Golden Valley Road and Boone Avenue North intersection, are also coordinated. All new County signals are being upgraded to include video detection as well.
There are flashing yellow arrow left turn signals at the intersection of Golden Valley Road and Winnetka Avenue N and at the intersection of Xenia Avenue and Golden Hills Drive. There is a yield on green light left turn signal on Winnetka Avenue and 10th Avenue.

The traffic signal system is owned/operated by MNDOT. MNDOT has recently upgraded and interconnected the city wide signal system to optimize the flow of traffic through the city.

Renovation along White Bear Ave by the Maplewood Mall area included the synchronizing of traffic signals. Other street lights on the main roads of Maplewood are operated by a combination of the city and Ramsey county. One example includes the lights near the 36 & English interchange. A lot of work has been done to synchronize these streets to minimize car idling at intersections but also maintain safe and publicly acceptable vehicle speeds.This is a part of the living streets policy implemented in 2013 to all new construction and renovation projects. There is also a roundabout constructed near the Gladstone area in west Maplewood to reduce traffic congestion and idling times.

The City coordinated with Hennepin County and MNDOT to synchronize all of the traffic signals (which are LED) in the City.

The City currently only has two traffic signals within City owned Right-of way (2 additional traffic signals within State or County ROW). The traffic signals within County or State ROW are coordinated to prevent car back-ups and idling. Previous traffic signals have been replaced with roundabouts which lessens car idling. Examples of roundabouts installed recently include: 2nd ST S and Pinecone RD; Heritage Dr and Pinecone Rd; Scout Dr and Pinecone Rd; 19th Ave and 6th ST S; Co RD 1 and Heritage Dr; Heritage Dr and Roberts Rd.

All City traffic signals are synchronized by MNDot. Flashing yellow signals will be installed in 2014 project by MNDot along Trunk Highway U.S. 61. Loop detectors are installed in majority of signals.

In August 2011, Washington County installed a new coordinated traffic signal control system at along Radio Drive from Afton Road to I94 (10 signals).
On Valley Creek Road, the new system spans from Century to Woodbury Drive (14 signals).
Along Woodbury Drive signals are coordinated from Park Crossing to I94 (7 signals).

There are a total of 58 traffic signals in Woodbury (city, county and state).
- 56 are full traffic actuated with vehicle detection
- 2 are wood pole with no detection
- 14 of the 56 with detection have flashing yellow (an additional 3 will be completed in 2013)

As of May 2013, there are currently twelve roundabouts within the City of Woodbury.

There are eleven (11) sets of traffic signals on Trunk Highway 197 within the City of Bemidji. All of these signals are synchronized by MnDOT in order to minimize car idling at intersections. This reduces levels of pollution while at the same time ensuring safe vehicle speeds and spacing.

Mankato Engineering staff designs signal timer systems to maximize smooth traffic flow and minimize wait times at stop lights, lowering emissions of idling traffic. In-ground sensors detect traffic flow and reduce stop lights at times of low-traffic volume to allow free-flow of traffic at off-peak times.

As part of the 35W MNPASS construction, all lights on Mounds View Blvd in Mounds View/Ramsey County along with the light at Spring Lake Road and County 10 (Mounds View Blvd.) have been timed and, new technology was incorporated uses satellite clock timing that automatically resets and synchronizes all lights to the same time. Previously, traffic pre-emption (emergency vehicles) use would alter the timing and requiring manual resetting of all lights. The new technology automatically resets all.

City currently collaborates with MnDOT.

The only corridor in Northfield where traffic lights are located is on MN TH3. These signals have been optimized by MNDOT and detectors have been installed in all six signal locations. Just recently we incorporated a safe bicycle crossing signal detector at TH3 & Second Street. This allows bicycles to trigger the light as well more efficiently.

There are two signalized intersections in Robbinsdale that are owned/maintained by the city, the rest are owned by Hennepin County. Hennepin County times their signals and has coordinated their signals with the two city-owned intersections. One city-owned intersection (36th Ave and Noble Ave) has a video detection system that is optimized for traffic flow based on traffic volume.

St. Cloud manages ELMS (Electric Light Management System) in an effort to promote traffic efficiency and safety as well as to minimize car idling. In the past few years, five roundabouts were built in the St. Cloud area also reducing idling time.

Our City engineers coordinate traffic signals and/or optimize signal timing so as minimize car idling at intersections yet maintain safe and publicly acceptable vehicle speeds.

On June 14, the Minnesota Department of Transportation implemented the signal timing plans on Highway 169 in Saint Peter. The adjustment provided improved traffic operations on HighWay 169 and allow for advanced performance monitoring through a central traffic management system. Motorists hits more green lights when traveling the speed limit but may experience a bit more delay in crossing or turning onto HighWay 169. Signal timing was also checked to ensure adequate walk/don't walk crossing times.

The traffic lights in the city have been coordinated to minimize car idling.

- Warren has decided to prioritize signage over signals allowing the city to meet the expectations of Action No. 4 as this has allowed the city to coordinate and synchronize the signage while optimizing timing to minimize car idling without comprising safety or legal vehicle speeds.

Over 50% of city traffic signals have loop detectors that allow better flow of traffic. Current policy is for all future city traffic signals to be controlled with loop detectors as they are replaced in the future.

The City, in partnership with Dakota County, has synchronized traffic signals on PK Rd, YD Rd and Cliff Rd for directional rush hours. The City also has 2 Round-abouts and 2 flashing yellow left turn arrow signals to reduce idling time. 3 more FYA's planned for 2011.

Traffic signal lights in Fergus Falls go into “flash mode” during certain hours of the day to minimize car idling at intersections.

Hopkins has traffic signals on fully actualized systems wherever possible to minimize car idling at intersections, specifically on Excelsior Blvd and Hwy 7. The lights are either triggered by an overhead camera detecting a car's presence or from the pavement and a magnet loop. Traffic signals are only on timers if the traffic is considered too consistent. The benefit of this is minimized car idling to give off less CO2 emissions.

La Crescent's only traffic signal is optimized using signal timing and sensors to minimize car idling and maintain safe and publicly acceptable vehicle speeds.

In 2011, a flashing yellow turn signals were installed at 42nd and Nevada avenues. In 2018, flashing yellow turn signals will be installed at 36th and Winnetka avenues, easing congestion and reduce the idling of cars.

While we don't have many traffic signals in succession in town, the City continues to explore intersections that could be replaced with roundabouts. Most recently, the City replaced two traffic signals on Main Street with roundabouts to help traffic move more efficiently and have less idling. As of 11/4/2022, New Prague has a total of eight roundabouts in City limits.

The Prairie Island Indian Community police department has a traffic management plan to deal with heavy traffic related to big events, such as concerts at Treasure Island Casino. At the beginning of the event, the traffic is split into four lanes separated by traffic cones: three entry lanes and one exit lane. At the end of the event, traffic is split into three exit lanes and one entry lane. This way the traffic is always moving which limits idling from cars. The traffic management plan also uses portable message boards to clearly display directions to help reduce idling.

In 2012, downtown intersections will be updated to allow for synchronization.

Done on most or all high traffic streets. Contact: Rochester Traffic Engineer Gary Shannon

Traffic lights are synchronized in coordination with Hennepin County. The City has 4 signal lights that flash yellow arrows during peak traffic times.

The traffic signals on Silver Lake Road are synchronized by Ramsey County to reduce car idling at intersections.