Traffic Signal Optimization and Simulation Modeling Software

User Guide
Synchro Studio 11 User Guide

Synchro Studio 11 User Guide

Copyright © 1993 – 2019 Cubic ITS, Inc. All rights reserved.
All rights reserved. This manual, as well as the software described in it, is furnished under license and may be used or copied only
in accordance with the terms of such license. Except as permitted by such license, no part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording, or otherwise, without
the prior written permission of the publisher. This manual is designed to provide authoritative information and guidance in regard
to the subject matter covered. It is provided with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering traffic planning,
roadway design or transportation engineering services. If expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional
should be sought.
Printed in the United States of America.
Published: 12 December 2019.
First Printing: December 2019.

Trademarks
Trafficware, Synchro and SimTraffic are registered trademarks or trademarks of Cubic ITS, Inc. Microsoft and Windows are
registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. HCS 2000, HCS 2010, and TRANSYT-7F are trademarks of University of Florida.
PASSER is a trademark of Texas Transportation Institute (TTI).

Written By
Cubic ITS, Inc.

Published By
Cubic ITS, Inc.
522 Gillingham
Sugar Land, TX 77487
www.trafficware.com
(281) 240-7233

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Keeping Up to Date
To keep this information up to date, Cubic | Trafficware might issue new printings of this manual. New printings reflect minor
changes and technical corrections. The latest version is published to http://www.trafficware.com/synchro-help.html/.

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Acronyms and Abbreviations

CBD – Central Business District

HCM – Highway Capacity Manual

ICU – Intersection Capacity Utilization

LOS – Level of Service

MOE – Measure of Effectiveness

MUTCD – Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices

PED - Pedestrian

PHF – Peak Hour Factor

v/c – Volume to Capacity Ratio

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Table of Contents
– Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 1-1
Introduction .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 1-1
Helpful Documentation........................................................................................................................................................................ 1-3
Additional Resources ............................................................................................................................................................................ 1-3
– Map View and Layout ............................................................................................................. 2-4
Map View .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 2-4
Parts of the Ribbon Bar ........................................................................................................................................................................ 2-5
Ribbon Bar Commands ........................................................................................................................................................................ 2-8
Customize the Ribbon Bar ............................................................................................................................................................... 2-23
MAP View Keyboard Commands .................................................................................................................................................. 2-28
– Initial Synchro Model Set-Up .............................................................................................. 3-1
File Units..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 3-1
Map Settings, Color, and Sizes .......................................................................................................................................................... 3-1
Time Tracker in Synchro ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3-2
Network Settings .................................................................................................................................................................................... 3-3
Lane Settings ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 3-5
Volume Settings ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 3-5
Timings Settings...................................................................................................................................................................................... 3-6
Phases Settings ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 3-8
Simulation Settings ................................................................................................................................................................................ 3-8
Emissions Settings ................................................................................................................................................................................. 3-9
Default Settings ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 3-9
– Scenario Manager ..................................................................................................................... 4-1
Scenario Manager Settings ................................................................................................................................................................. 4-1
Scenario Manager Steps ...................................................................................................................................................................... 4-3
– Background Images ................................................................................................................. 5-1
BingTM Maps .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 5-1
Adding Background Image ................................................................................................................................................................. 5-4
Using Bing™ to Add a Background Image .................................................................................................................................... 5-8
– Coding the Roadway Network ............................................................................................ 6-1
Introduction to Links and Intersections ...................................................................................................................................... 6-1
Mapping out Links and Intersections ............................................................................................................................................ 6-2
Select Intersection ................................................................................................................................................................................. 6-4
Rotate, Scale and Move the Map's Coordinate System .......................................................................................................... 6-9
Drawing Features ................................................................................................................................................................................... 6-9
– Overview of Data Entry Settings........................................................................................ 7-1
Full View Data Entry ............................................................................................................................................................................. 7-1
Side View Data Entry ............................................................................................................................................................................ 7-2
Lanes and Volumes Data Rows......................................................................................................................................................... 7-3
Changing the Name of the Approach Direction ......................................................................................................................... 7-4
– Node Settings ............................................................................................................................. 8-1
Signalized Intersection ........................................................................................................................................................................ 8-1
Unsignalized Intersection ................................................................................................................................................................... 8-1
Node Number ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 8-3
Zone .............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 8-3
Node Coordinates ................................................................................................................................................................................... 8-3
Description ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 8-4
Control Type ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 8-4
Cycle Length .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 8-4
Lock Timings ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 8-5
Optimize Cycle Length.......................................................................................................................................................................... 8-5
Optimize Splits ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 8-5

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Actuated Cycle Length .......................................................................................................................................................................... 8-5

Actuated Cycles by Percentile ........................................................................................................................................................... 8-6
Natural Cycle Length ............................................................................................................................................................................. 8-6
Maximum v/c Ratio ............................................................................................................................................................................... 8-6
Intersection Delay .................................................................................................................................................................................. 8-7
Intersection Level of Service ............................................................................................................................................................. 8-7
Intersection Capacity Utilization ..................................................................................................................................................... 8-8
ICU Level of Service ............................................................................................................................................................................... 8-8
Offset Settings .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 8-9
Mandatory Stop on Yellow .............................................................................................................................................................. 8-13
– Lane Settings .............................................................................................................................. 9-1
Lanes and Sharing .................................................................................................................................................................................. 9-1
Street Name............................................................................................................................................................................................... 9-2
Link Distance ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 9-2
Link Speed ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 9-3
Set Arterial Name and Speed ............................................................................................................................................................. 9-3
Travel Time ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 9-3
Ideal Saturated Flow ............................................................................................................................................................................. 9-3
Lane Width ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 9-4
Grade ............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 9-4
Area Type CBD ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 9-4
Storage Length ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 9-4
Storage Lanes ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 9-5
Right Turn Channelized ....................................................................................................................................................................... 9-5
Curb Radius ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 9-5
Add Lanes................................................................................................................................................................................................... 9-5
Lane Utilization Factor ......................................................................................................................................................................... 9-6
Right Turn Factors ................................................................................................................................................................................. 9-7
Left Turn Factors .................................................................................................................................................................................... 9-8
Saturated Flow Rates ............................................................................................................................................................................ 9-8
Right Ped Bike Factor ........................................................................................................................................................................... 9-9
Left Ped Factor ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 9-9
Right Turn on Red (RTOR) .............................................................................................................................................................. 9-10
Saturation Flow Rate (RTOR) ........................................................................................................................................................ 9-11
Link is Hidden ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 9-13
Hide Street Name in Node Title..................................................................................................................................................... 9-14
– Volume Settings................................................................................................................... 10-1
Traffic Volumes .................................................................................................................................................................................... 10-1
TIA Volumes........................................................................................................................................................................................... 10-2
Conflicting Pedestrians ..................................................................................................................................................................... 10-2
Conflicting Bicycles ............................................................................................................................................................................. 10-3
Peak Hour Factor ................................................................................................................................................................................. 10-3
Growth Factor ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 10-4
Heavy Vehicles ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 10-4
Bus Blockages ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 10-4
Adjacent Parking Lane, Parking Maneuvers ............................................................................................................................ 10-5
Traffic from Mid-block ...................................................................................................................................................................... 10-5
Link Origin Destination (O-D) Volumes .................................................................................................................................... 10-6
Adjusted Flow ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 10-10
Traffic in Shared Lane ..................................................................................................................................................................... 10-10
Lane Group Flow ................................................................................................................................................................................ 10-10
– Timing/Signing Settings .................................................................................................. 11-1
Timing Settings ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 11-1
Layout ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 11-1
Signing Settings .................................................................................................................................................................................... 11-2

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Phase Templates .................................................................................................................................................................................. 11-2

Turn Type ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 11-3
Protected and Permitted Phases .................................................................................................................................................. 11-4
Permitted Flashing Yellow .............................................................................................................................................................. 11-5
Detector Phase ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 11-6
Switch Phase .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 11-6
Leading Detector ................................................................................................................................................................................. 11-6
Trailing Detector.................................................................................................................................................................................. 11-6
Minimum Initial and Minimum Split ........................................................................................................................................... 11-7
Total Split ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 11-7
Yellow and All-Red Time .................................................................................................................................................................. 11-7
Lost Time Adjustment ....................................................................................................................................................................... 11-7
Lagging Phase? ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 11-8
Allow Lead/Lag Optimize? .............................................................................................................................................................. 11-8
Recall Mode ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 11-9
Splits and Phasing Diagram ............................................................................................................................................................ 11-9
Pedestrian and Hold Phases ......................................................................................................................................................... 11-10
Sign Control .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 11-10
Median Width and TWLTL Median ........................................................................................................................................... 11-11
Critical Gap ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 11-12
Follow Up Time .................................................................................................................................................................................. 11-12
Roundabout Settings ........................................................................................................................................................................ 11-12
Measures of Effectiveness ............................................................................................................................................................. 11-13
Actuated Effective Green ................................................................................................................................................................ 11-13
Volume to Capacity Ratio ............................................................................................................................................................... 11-14
Control Delay ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 11-15
Queue Delay ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 11-16
Total Delay............................................................................................................................................................................................ 11-16
Level of Service ................................................................................................................................................................................... 11-16
Approach Delay .................................................................................................................................................................................. 11-16
Approach Level of Service ............................................................................................................................................................. 11-17
Queue Lengths .................................................................................................................................................................................... 11-17
Warning Indicators ........................................................................................................................................................................... 11-18
How to Code an Overlap ................................................................................................................................................................. 11-18
Timing Settings Quick Start Guide ............................................................................................................................................. 11-21
– Phasing Settings .................................................................................................................. 12-1
Layout ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 12-1
Percentile Scenarios ........................................................................................................................................................................... 12-2
Ring and Barrier Designer ............................................................................................................................................................... 12-2
Cluster Editor ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 12-4
Minimum Initial.................................................................................................................................................................................... 12-6
Minimum Split ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 12-6
Maximum Split ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 12-7
Yellow Time ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 12-7
All-Red Time .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 12-7
Lagging Phase and Lead/Lag Optimize ..................................................................................................................................... 12-8
Vehicle Extension ................................................................................................................................................................................ 12-8
Minimum Gap ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 12-8
Time Before Reduce ........................................................................................................................................................................... 12-8
Time To Reduce.................................................................................................................................................................................... 12-8
Recall Mode ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 12-8
Pedestrian Phase ................................................................................................................................................................................. 12-9
Walk Time ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 12-9
Flashing Don’t Walk Time................................................................................................................................................................ 12-9
Pedestrian Calls .................................................................................................................................................................................... 12-9

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Dual Entry ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 12-10

Fixed Force Off? .................................................................................................................................................................................. 12-10
Percentile Green Times ................................................................................................................................................................... 12-11
– Detector Settings................................................................................................................. 13-1
Number of Detectors .......................................................................................................................................................................... 13-1
Detector Phase ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 13-2
Switch Phase .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 13-2
Leading Detector, Trailing Detector ............................................................................................................................................ 13-2
Detector Template .............................................................................................................................................................................. 13-2
Detector n Size ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 13-4
Detector n Type .................................................................................................................................................................................... 13-4
Detector n Channel ............................................................................................................................................................................. 13-4
Detector n Extend ................................................................................................................................................................................ 13-5
Detector 1 Queue ................................................................................................................................................................................. 13-5
Detector 1 Delay................................................................................................................................................................................... 13-5
– Simulation Settings ............................................................................................................ 14-1
Storage Length ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 14-1
Storage Lanes ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 14-2
Taper length........................................................................................................................................................................................... 14-2
Lane Alignment .................................................................................................................................................................................... 14-2
Lane Width ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 14-3
Enter Blocked Intersection ............................................................................................................................................................. 14-3
Median Width ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 14-3
Link Offset ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 14-4
Crosswalk Width .................................................................................................................................................................................. 14-5
TWLTL Median ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 14-6
Headway Factor ................................................................................................................................................................................... 14-6
Turning Speed ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 14-6
Lane Change Distances ..................................................................................................................................................................... 14-6
–Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) ......................................................................................... 15-1
Integrity Check ................................................................................................................................................................................... 15-10
Step-By-Step Examples ................................................................................................................................................................... 15-11
- HCM 6th Edition Settings .................................................................................................. 16-1
HCM 6 Edition Settings .................................................................................................................................................................. 16-1
th

Signalized Intersection - Automobile Mode ............................................................................................................................ 16-1

Signalized Intersection - Pedestrian Mode ............................................................................................................................ 16-12
Signalized Intersection - Bicycle Mode .................................................................................................................................... 16-19
HCM 6th Edition Unsignalized Intersections .......................................................................................................................... 16-22
Result/Report Notations ................................................................................................................................................................ 16-37
HCM 6th Edition Roundabouts ..................................................................................................................................................... 16-38
- HCM 2010 Settings ............................................................................................................. 17-1
HCM 2010 Settings ............................................................................................................................................................................. 17-1
Signalized Intersection - Automobile Mode ............................................................................................................................ 17-1
Signalized Intersection - Pedestrian Mode ............................................................................................................................ 17-11
Signalized Intersection - Bicycle Mode .................................................................................................................................... 17-16
HCM 2010 Unsignalized Intersections ..................................................................................................................................... 17-18
New Result/Report Notations ..................................................................................................................................................... 17-32
HCM 2010 Roundabout Mode...................................................................................................................................................... 17-32
– Time-Space Diagram ......................................................................................................... 18-1
Parts of a Time-Space Diagram ..................................................................................................................................................... 18-2
Time-Space Diagram Features....................................................................................................................................................... 18-3
Time-Space Diagram Options ........................................................................................................................................................ 18-6
Interacting with the Time-Space Diagram ............................................................................................................................... 18-7
Relating the Time-Space Display to Delays and Queues .................................................................................................. 18-10
– Signal Optimization Routine .......................................................................................... 19-1

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Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 19-1

Overview of Optimizations.............................................................................................................................................................. 19-1
Optimize-Intersection Splits ........................................................................................................................................................... 19-3
Optimize Intersection Cycle Length ............................................................................................................................................ 19-4
Optimize Network Cycle Lengths* ............................................................................................................................................. 19-11
Optimize Intersection Offsets ...................................................................................................................................................... 19-18
Optimize Network Offsets* ........................................................................................................................................................... 19-18
Coordinatability Factor ................................................................................................................................................................... 19-22
– Percentile Delay Method ................................................................................................. 20-1
Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 20-1
Delay Calculations ............................................................................................................................................................................... 20-1
Queue Length Calculation .............................................................................................................................................................. 20-23
Stop Calculations ............................................................................................................................................................................... 20-28
Fuel and Emissions Calculation .................................................................................................................................................. 20-28
Unserved Vehicles Calculation .................................................................................................................................................... 20-29
Dilemma Zone Vehicles and Safety ............................................................................................................................................ 20-30
Intersection Capacity (ICU) Calculations ................................................................................................................................ 20-31
Stopped Delay vs. Signal Delay .................................................................................................................................................... 20-35
Comparison of Analysis Methods ............................................................................................................................................... 20-36
– File and Project Management ........................................................................................ 21-1
File and Project Management Overview ................................................................................................................................... 21-1
Save As* ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 21-1
Save Scenario ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 21-1
Merge Files ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 21-1
Save Part of a File ................................................................................................................................................................................ 21-3
File Extensions ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 21-3
– Synchro – ATMS Integration .......................................................................................... 22-1
Exchange Folders ................................................................................................................................................................................ 22-1
Import ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 22-2
Export ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 22-6
– Reports and Printing ......................................................................................................... 23-1
Printing Views....................................................................................................................................................................................... 23-1
Select Reports Dialog ......................................................................................................................................................................... 23-1
Viewing and Printing Reports........................................................................................................................................................ 23-3
Intersection Queue Report .............................................................................................................................................................. 23-8
Intersection Capacity (ICU) Report ........................................................................................................................................... 23-10
HCM 2000 Signals Report .............................................................................................................................................................. 23-13
HCM 2000 Unsignalized Report .................................................................................................................................................. 23-15
Arterial Level of Service Report .................................................................................................................................................. 23-16
Multi Scenario Comparison Report ........................................................................................................................................... 23-20
Timing Report - Sorted by Phase Number ............................................................................................................................. 23-21
Actuated Green Times Summary ................................................................................................................................................ 23-22
Actuated Start and Green Times Summary ............................................................................................................................ 23-24
Actuated Phase Details.................................................................................................................................................................... 23-25
Permitted Left Turn Factors Report ......................................................................................................................................... 23-27
Coordinatability Analysis Report ............................................................................................................................................... 23-28
Time Tracker Report........................................................................................................................................................................ 23-29
– UTDF, Combined Format ................................................................................................. 24-1
Planning a Network for UTDF ........................................................................................................................................................ 24-1
Reading and Writing UTDF Data .................................................................................................................................................. 24-3
Editing UTDF Data with Other Software ................................................................................................................................... 24-3
Using TMC Files .................................................................................................................................................................................... 24-4
Combined UTDF Specifications ..................................................................................................................................................... 24-4
Minimum Data Necessary to build a Synchro file ............................................................................................................... 24-16
– Errors and Warnings ......................................................................................................... 25-1

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Coding Error Messages ..................................................................................................................................................................... 25-1

General Coding Errors ....................................................................................................................................................................... 25-1
Synchro Errors and Warnings ....................................................................................................................................................... 25-1
SimTraffic Errors and Warnings ................................................................................................................................................... 25-4
– SimTraffic Operation ......................................................................................................... 26-1
Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 26-1
SimTraffic Operation ......................................................................................................................................................................... 26-2
Map Settings .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 26-5
Map Zooming and Scrolling ............................................................................................................................................................ 26-7
Signal status ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 26-7
Vehicle Status ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 26-8
Create a Video in SimTraffic ........................................................................................................................................................... 26-9
SimTraffic Keyboard Shortcuts ................................................................................................................................................... 26-11
– SimTraffic Input Data........................................................................................................ 27-1
Input Data ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 27-1
Map View Data ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 27-1
Node Settings ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 27-2
Lane Settings Data ............................................................................................................................................................................... 27-3
Volume Settings Data ......................................................................................................................................................................... 27-5
Timing and Signing Settings Data ................................................................................................................................................ 27-6
Phasing Settings Data ........................................................................................................................................................................ 27-7
Simulation Settings ............................................................................................................................................................................. 27-8
Detector Settings ................................................................................................................................................................................. 27-9
Bend Nodes .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 27-10
Coding Pedestrians ........................................................................................................................................................................... 27-10
– SimTraffic Advanced Parameters ................................................................................ 28-1
Advanced Parameters ....................................................................................................................................................................... 28-1
Intervals and Volume Adjustments ............................................................................................................................................. 28-1
Data Access............................................................................................................................................................................................. 28-5
Vehicle Parameters ............................................................................................................................................................................. 28-7
Driver Parameters .............................................................................................................................................................................. 28-8
Calibrating Speeds and Headways ............................................................................................................................................. 28-11
Fuel and Emissions Parameters .................................................................................................................................................. 28-14
Controller Interface (CI) Options ............................................................................................................................................... 28-14
– SimTraffic Reports, Graphics and MOEs .................................................................. 29-1
Reports, Graphics, and MOEs ......................................................................................................................................................... 29-1
Print Settings ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 29-3
Viewing and Printing Reports........................................................................................................................................................ 29-3
Simulation Summary Report .......................................................................................................................................................... 29-4
Measures of Effectiveness ............................................................................................................................................................... 29-6
Queuing and Blocking Report ...................................................................................................................................................... 29-10
Actuated Signals, Observed Splits Report .............................................................................................................................. 29-13
Static Graphics .................................................................................................................................................................................... 29-14
– The SimTraffic Model ........................................................................................................ 30-1
The SimTraffic Model ........................................................................................................................................................................ 30-1
Traffic Generation and Assignment............................................................................................................................................. 30-1
Car Following and Speed Selection ............................................................................................................................................. 30-3
Lane Choice and Lane Changes ..................................................................................................................................................... 30-5
Lane Change Applications ............................................................................................................................................................. 30-10
Unsignalized Operation .................................................................................................................................................................. 30-19
Pre-Timed Signal Operation ......................................................................................................................................................... 30-22
Actuated Signal Operation ............................................................................................................................................................. 30-23
Delay, Fuel and Emissions Considerations ............................................................................................................................ 30-29
– 3D Viewer............................................................................................................................... 31-1
Getting Around 3D Viewer .............................................................................................................................................................. 31-1

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Using 3D Viewer................................................................................................................................................................................... 31-6

– SimTraffic CI ......................................................................................................................... 32-1
Setup ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 32-1
I/O Mapping ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 32-3
Input Data ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 32-4
Operation ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 32-5
Using Overlaps ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 32-6
Modeling a Diamond Interchange ................................................................................................................................................ 32-6

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Figures
FIGURE 2-1 MAP VIEW ................................................................................................................................................................. 2-4
FIGURE 2-2 SYNCHRO RIBBON BAR ................................................................................................................................................. 2-5
FIGURE 2-3 SYNCHRO FILE MENU ................................................................................................................................................... 2-6
FIGURE 2-4 SYNCHRO QUICK ACCESS TOOLBAR ................................................................................................................................. 2-7
FIGURE 2-5 CUSTOMIZE THE QUICK ACCESS TOOLBAR ........................................................................................................................ 2-8
FIGURE 2-6 OPENING CUSTOMIZE THE RIBBON DIALOG .................................................................................................................... 2-23
FIGURE 2-7 RIBBON CUSTOMIZATION WINDOW .............................................................................................................................. 2-24
FIGURE 2-8 CHANGE THE ORDER OF GROUPS WITHIN A TAB .............................................................................................................. 2-25
FIGURE 2-9 CHANGE THE ORDER OF COMMANDS WITHIN A GROUP .................................................................................................... 2-26
FIGURE 2-10 ADD COMMANDS TO A GROUP .................................................................................................................................... 2-27
FIGURE 3-1 SYNCHRO MAP SETTINGS .............................................................................................................................................. 3-1
FIGURE 3-2 TIME TRACKER DIALOG ................................................................................................................................................. 3-2
FIGURE 3-3 NETWORK SETTINGS .................................................................................................................................................... 3-4
FIGURE 3-4 LOAD DEFAULTS DIALOG............................................................................................................................................. 3-10
FIGURE 4-1 SCENARIO MANAGER WINDOW ...................................................................................................................................... 4-2
FIGURE 4-2 SCENARIO MANAGER (DEFAULT SCENARIO 1).................................................................................................................... 4-4
FIGURE 4-3 SCENARIO MANAGER (SCENARIO INFORMATION) .............................................................................................................. 4-5
FIGURE 4-4 SCENARIO MANAGER (DUPLICATING SCENARIO)................................................................................................................ 4-6
FIGURE 4-5 SCENARIO MANAGER (NEW SCENARIO)............................................................................................................................ 4-7
FIGURE 4-6 SCENARIO MANAGER (TRANSFERRING DATA) .................................................................................................................... 4-9
FIGURE 5-1 BINGTM MAPS SETTINGS ............................................................................................................................................... 5-2
FIGURE 5-2 NETWORK POSITIONING ON BINGTM MAPS ....................................................................................................................... 5-3
FIGURE 5-3 SELECT BACKGROUND .................................................................................................................................................. 5-4
FIGURE 5-4 SELECT BACKGROUNDS LIST ....................................................................................................................................... 5-5
FIGURE 5-5 SET BITMAP SCALE AND OFFSET SETTINGS .................................................................................................................. 5-7
FIGURE 5-6 BING REGION LIST ..................................................................................................................................................... 5-8
FIGURE 5-7 DEFINE MAP REGION ................................................................................................................................................. 5-9
FIGURE 5-8 SET SYNCHRO REFERENCE POINT DIALOG ................................................................................................................. 5-10
FIGURE 5-9 BACKGROUND VISIBLE IN MAP SETTINGS................................................................................................................... 5-11
FIGURE 6-1 SELECT INTERSECTION SETTINGS ..................................................................................................................................... 6-5
FIGURE 6-2 LINK MENU OPTIONS ................................................................................................................................................... 6-6
FIGURE 6-3 VIEW PORTS ............................................................................................................................................................... 6-8
FIGURE 6-4 VIEW PORTS SUBMENU ................................................................................................................................................ 6-9
FIGURE 6-5 FREEWAY MERGE ...................................................................................................................................................... 6-10
FIGURE 6-6 FREEWAY DIVERGE .................................................................................................................................................... 6-11
FIGURE 7-1 DATA ENTRY SETTINGS ................................................................................................................................................. 7-1
FIGURE 7-2 FULL VIEW DATA ENTRY, LANES SETTINGS ...................................................................................................................... 7-2
FIGURE 7-3 SIDE VIEW DATA ENTRY, LANES SETTINGS ...................................................................................................................... 7-3
FIGURE 7-4 WARNING SCREEN ....................................................................................................................................................... 7-4
FIGURE 7-5 APPROACH MOVEMENTS .............................................................................................................................................. 7-5
FIGURE 8-1 NODE SETTINGS ......................................................................................................................................................... 8-2
FIGURE 8-2 OFFSET REFERENCE .................................................................................................................................................... 8-10
FIGURE 8-3 SINGLE YIELD POINT ................................................................................................................................................... 8-12
FIGURE 8-4 YIELD POINT BY PHASE ............................................................................................................................................... 8-12
FIGURE 9-1 LANE SETTINGS, FULL VIEW.......................................................................................................................................... 9-1
FIGURE 10-1 VOLUME SETTINGS .................................................................................................................................................. 10-1
FIGURE 10-2 LINK ORIGIN-DESTINATION VOLUMES SETTINGS .............................................................................................................. 10-7
FIGURE 11-1 TIMING SETTINGS .................................................................................................................................................... 11-1
FIGURE 11-2 PHASE TEMPLATE SUBMENU........................................................................................................................................ 11-2
FIGURE 11-3 PHASE TEMPLATE EDITOR ........................................................................................................................................... 11-2
FIGURE 11-4 MULTIPLE PHASING (OVERLAPS) .................................................................................................................................. 11-4

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FIGURE 11-5 SPLITS AND PHASING DIAGRAM EXAMPLE ...................................................................................................................... 11-9

FIGURE 11-6 GROUP CONTROL EXAMPLE ....................................................................................................................................... 11-10
FIGURE 11-7 USE OF OVERLAPS AT A DIAMOND INTERCHANGE .......................................................................................................... 11-19
FIGURE 11-8 CODING OVERLAPS IN SYNCHRO ................................................................................................................................. 11-19
FIGURE 11-9 PHASE TEMPLATE .................................................................................................................................................... 11-21
FIGURE 12-1 PHASING SETTINGS.................................................................................................................................................. 12-1
FIGURE 12-2 RING AND BARRIER DESIGNER ...................................................................................................................................... 12-3
FIGURE 12-3 DEFAULT PHASE ASSIGNMENTS IN RING AND BARRIER DESIGNER........................................................................................ 12-3
FIGURE 12-4 INTERSECTION DIAGRAM WITH RING STRUCTURE ............................................................................................................. 12-4
FIGURE 12-5 CLUSTER EDITOR ....................................................................................................................................................... 12-5
FIGURE 12-6 EXAMPLE OF FIXED FORCE OFF................................................................................................................................... 12-11
FIGURE 13-1 DETECTOR SETTINGS ............................................................................................................................................... 13-1
FIGURE 13-2 DETECTOR TEMPLATE SETTINGS ................................................................................................................................... 13-3
FIGURE 13-3 DETECTOR POSITION .................................................................................................................................................. 13-4
FIGURE 14-1 SIMULATION SETTINGS............................................................................................................................................ 14-1
FIGURE 14-2 LANE ALIGNMENT OPTIONS ......................................................................................................................................... 14-2
FIGURE 14-3 LANE ALIGNMENT EXAMPLES ....................................................................................................................................... 14-3
FIGURE 14-4 MEDIAN WIDTH EXAMPLES ......................................................................................................................................... 14-4
FIGURE 14-5 LINK OFFSET EXAMPLES .............................................................................................................................................. 14-5
FIGURE 14-6 CROSS WALK WIDTH ................................................................................................................................................. 14-5
FIGURE 15-1 TIA MANAGE DEVELOPMENTS ..................................................................................................................................... 15-2
FIGURE 15-2 TIA TRIP GENERATION ............................................................................................................................................... 15-3
FIGURE 15-3 TIA IMPORT TRIP GENERATION .................................................................................................................................... 15-4
FIGURE 15-4 TIA ORIGINS AND DRIVEWAYS ..................................................................................................................................... 15-4
FIGURE 15-5 TIA ROUTING ........................................................................................................................................................... 15-5
FIGURE 15-6 TIA MANUAL DEFINE A ROUTE .................................................................................................................................... 15-5
FIGURE 15-7 TIA TRIP DISTRIBUTION .............................................................................................................................................. 15-6
FIGURE 15-8 TIA PASS-BY TRIP DISTRIBUTION .................................................................................................................................. 15-7
FIGURE 15-9 TIA TRIP ASSIGNMENT ............................................................................................................................................... 15-7
FIGURE 15-10 VOLUME SETTINGS WITH TIA RESULTS ....................................................................................................................... 15-9
FIGURE 15-11 TIA TRIP DISTRIBUTION REPORT............................................................................................................................... 15-9
FIGURE 15-12 TIA IMPACTED INTERSECTION REPORT ..................................................................................................................... 15-10
FIGURE 15-13 TIA INTEGRITY CHECK .......................................................................................................................................... 15-10
FIGURE 16-1 HCM 6TH EDITION AUTO MODE TAB ............................................................................................................................ 16-1
FIGURE 16-2 HCM 6TH EDITOIN AUTO MODE FULL SCREEN ................................................................................................................ 16-2
FIGURE 16-3 PLATOON RATIO THRESHOLDS ................................................................................................................................... 16-10
FIGURE 16-4 HCM 2010 PEDESTRIAN SIGNALIZED INTERSECTION MODE TAB ...................................................................................... 16-12
FIGURE 16-5 HCM 6TH EDITION SIGNALIZED INTERSECTION PEDESTRIAN MODE SCREEN ......................................................................... 16-13
FIGURE 16-6 HCM 6TH EDITION CROSSWALK DATA ........................................................................................................................ 16-15
FIGURE 16-7 QUALITATIVE DESCRIPTION OF PEDESTRIAN SPACE ......................................................................................................... 16-17
FIGURE 16-8 PEDESTRIAN COMPLIANCE AT SIGNALIZED INTERSECTIONS ............................................................................................... 16-18
FIGURE 16-9 HCM 6TH EDITION SIGNALIZED INTERSECTION BICYCLE MODE TAB ................................................................................... 16-19
FIGURE 16-10 HCM 6TH EDITION SIGNALIZED INTERSECTION BICYCLE MODE SCREEN........................................................................... 16-19
FIGURE 16-11 BICYCLE COMPLIANCE AT SIGNALIZED INTERSECTIONS ................................................................................................. 16-21
FIGURE 16-12 HCM 6TH EDITION AWSC AUTOMOBILE MODE SCREEN ............................................................................................. 16-23
FIGURE 16-13 GEOMETRY GROUP CONVERSION ........................................................................................................................... 16-27
FIGURE 16-14 HCM 6TH EDITION TWSC AUTO MODE TAB ............................................................................................................ 16-28
FIGURE 16-15 HCM 6TH EDITION TWSC AUTO MODE SCREEN ....................................................................................................... 16-28
FIGURE 16-16 HCM 6TH EDITION TWSC PEDESTRIAN MODE TAB .................................................................................................... 16-33
FIGURE 16-17 HCM 6TH EDITION TWSC PEDESTRIAN MODE FULL SCREEN........................................................................................ 16-34
FIGURE 16-18 HCM 6TH EDITION ROUNDABOUT MODE FULL SCREEN ............................................................................................... 16-38
FIGURE 17-1 HCM 2010 AUTO MODE TAB .................................................................................................................................... 17-1
FIGURE 17-2 HCM 2010 AUTO MODE FULL SCREEN ........................................................................................................................ 17-2

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FIGURE 17-3 HCM 2010 PEDESTRIAN SIGNALIZED INTERSECTION MODE TAB ...................................................................................... 17-11
FIGURE 17-4 HCM 2010 SIGNALIZED INTERSECTION PEDESTRIAN MODE SCREEN ................................................................................. 17-12
FIGURE 17-5 HCM 2010 PEDESTRIAN MODE CROSSING DIAGRAM.................................................................................................... 17-14
FIGURE 17-6 HCM 2010 SIGNALIZED INTERSECTION BICYCLE MODE TAB............................................................................................ 17-16
FIGURE 17-7 HCM 2010 SIGNALIZED INTERSECTION BICYCLE MODE SCREEN....................................................................................... 17-16
FIGURE 17-8 HCM 2010 AWSC AUTOMOBILE MODE SCREEN ......................................................................................................... 17-19
FIGURE 17-9 HCM 2010 TWSC AUTO MODE TAB ........................................................................................................................ 17-23
FIGURE 17-10 HCM 2010 TWSC AUTO MODE SCREEN................................................................................................................ 17-24
FIGURE 17-11 HCM 2010 TWSC PEDESTRIAN MODE TAB ............................................................................................................ 17-28
FIGURE 17-12 HCM 2010 TWSC PEDESTRIAN MODE FULL SCREEN ................................................................................................ 17-29
FIGURE 17-13 HCM 2010 ROUNDABOUT MODE FULL SCREEN ....................................................................................................... 17-33
FIGURE 18-1 TIME-SPACE DIAGRAM ............................................................................................................................................... 18-1
FIGURE 18-2 PARTS OF A TIME-SPACE DIAGRAM ............................................................................................................................... 18-2
FIGURE 18-3 TIME-SPACE DIAGRAM OPTIONS .................................................................................................................................. 18-7
FIGURE 19-1 OPTIMIZATION STEPS ................................................................................................................................................. 19-1
FIGURE 19-2 PARTITION NETWORK SETTINGS ................................................................................................................................... 19-7
FIGURE 19-3 SELECT CYCLE LENGTHS SUMMARY TABLE ...................................................................................................................... 19-9
FIGURE 19-4 OPTIMIZE CYCLE LENGTH SETTINGS ............................................................................................................................. 19-11
FIGURE 19-5 SELECT CYCLE LENGTHS SUMMARY TABLE .................................................................................................................... 19-13
FIGURE 19-6 OPTIMIZE PHASE WEIGHTING OPTION IN PHASING SETTINGS .......................................................................................... 19-14
FIGURE 19-7 TIMING SUMMARY TABLE ......................................................................................................................................... 19-15
FIGURE 19-8 DETAILED SUMMARY TABLE ...................................................................................................................................... 19-16
FIGURE 19-9 DETAILED SUMMARY TABLE....................................................................................................................................... 19-16
FIGURE 19-10 APPEND TO FILES SCREEN...................................................................................................................................... 19-17
FIGURE 19-11 OPTIMIZE NETWORK OFFSETS SETTINGS .................................................................................................................. 19-19
FIGURE 20-1 VEHICLES QUEUED AT RED LIGHT .................................................................................................................................. 20-3
FIGURE 20-2 SPILLBACK .............................................................................................................................................................. 20-12
FIGURE 20-3 STARVATION ........................................................................................................................................................... 20-12
FIGURE 20-4 STARVATION IN TIME SPACE VIEW............................................................................................................................... 20-15
FIGURE 20-5 STARVATION CAPACITY REDUCTION ............................................................................................................................ 20-16
FIGURE 20-6 REDUCED STARVATION CAPACITY ............................................................................................................................... 20-17
FIGURE 20-7 SPILLBACK IN TIME SPACE VIEW .................................................................................................................................. 20-18
FIGURE 20-8 STORAGE BLOCKING IN TIME SPACE VIEW (THROUGH TRAFFIC) ........................................................................................ 20-19
FIGURE 20-9 STORAGE BLOCKING IN TIME SPACE VIEW (LEFT TURN TRAFFIC) ....................................................................................... 20-19
FIGURE 20-10 STORAGE BLOCKING CAPACITY REDUCTION .............................................................................................................. 20-20
FIGURE 20-11 TWO-WAY BANDWIDTH ....................................................................................................................................... 20-22
FIGURE 20-12 FLOW LINE DIAGRAM ........................................................................................................................................... 20-23
FIGURE 20-13 ARRIVAL DEPARTURE GRAPH ................................................................................................................................. 20-24
FIGURE 20-14 ARRIVAL DEPARTURE GRAPH ................................................................................................................................. 20-28
FIGURE 20-15 DILEMMA ZONE GAP-OUT SHADOW ....................................................................................................................... 20-31
FIGURE 20-16 DELAY VS. VOLUME.............................................................................................................................................. 20-39
FIGURE 21-1 MERGE OPTIONS SETTINGS ..................................................................................................................................... 21-2
FIGURE 22-1 MANAGE EXCHANGE FOLDERS .................................................................................................................................. 22-2
FIGURE 22-2 ATMS IMPORT SELECT TIME & DATE.......................................................................................................................... 22-3
FIGURE 22-3 ATMS IMPORT DATA VALIDATION ............................................................................................................................. 22-4
FIGURE 22-4 ATMS IMPORT CONFIRMATION .................................................................................................................................. 22-5
FIGURE 22-5 ATMS EXPORT ........................................................................................................................................................ 22-6
FIGURE 23-1 PRINT WINDOW SETTINGS .......................................................................................................................................... 23-1
FIGURE 23-2 SELECT REPORTS DIALOG ............................................................................................................................................ 23-3
FIGURE 23-3 INTERSECTION REPORTS .............................................................................................................................................. 23-5
FIGURE 23-4 QUEUES................................................................................................................................................................... 23-9
FIGURE 23-5 SAMPLE ARTERIAL LEVEL OF SERVICE REPORT ............................................................................................................... 23-17
FIGURE 23-6 NETWORK REPORT OPTIONS...................................................................................................................................... 23-18

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FIGURE 23-7 DETAILED MOE REPORT EXAMPLE ............................................................................................................................. 23-19

FIGURE 23-8 DETAILED SCENARIO COMPARISONS ............................................................................................................................ 23-20
FIGURE 23-9 DETAILED ALTERNATIVE COMPARISONS EXAMPLE .......................................................................................................... 23-21
FIGURE 23-10 SAMPLE TIMING REPORT, SORTED BY PHASE ............................................................................................................ 23-22
FIGURE 23-11 SAMPLE ACTUATED GREEN TIMES REPORT ............................................................................................................... 23-24
FIGURE 23-12 SAMPLE ACTUATED START AND GREEN TIMES REPORT ............................................................................................... 23-25
FIGURE 23-13 SAMPLE ACTUATED PHASE DETAILS REPORT ............................................................................................................. 23-27
FIGURE 23-14 SAMPLE SUPPLEMENTAL WORKSHEET FOR PERMITTED LEFT TURNS REPORT................................................................... 23-28
FIGURE 23-15 COORDINATABILITY FACTORS REPORT ...................................................................................................................... 23-29
FIGURE 23-16 TIME TRACKER REPORT......................................................................................................................................... 23-30
FIGURE 26-1 SIMTRAFFIC MAP VIEW .............................................................................................................................................. 26-3
FIGURE 26-2 SIMTRAFFIC MAP VIEW SETTINGS ................................................................................................................................ 26-6
FIGURE 26-3 SIMTRAFFIC SIGNAL STATUS ........................................................................................................................................ 26-7
FIGURE 26-4 SIMTRAFFIC VEHICLE STATUS ....................................................................................................................................... 26-8
FIGURE 26-5 SIMTRAFFIC VIDEO RECORDER PARAMETERS SCREEN ....................................................................................................... 26-9
FIGURE 26-6 SIMTRAFFIC VIDEO RECORDER ICON AND DIALOGUE BOX................................................................................................ 26-10
FIGURE 27-1 MAP DATA............................................................................................................................................................... 27-1
FIGURE 27-2 TWO LANE EXIT CODING ............................................................................................................................................. 27-7
FIGURE 27-3 PEDESTRIAN PHASE ASSOCIATED WITH THROUGH PHASE ................................................................................................ 27-10
FIGURE 27-4 PEDESTRIAN PHASE ASSOCIATED WITH LEFT PHASE ........................................................................................................ 27-11
FIGURE 27-5 PEDESTRIAN PHASE AT A FIVE-LEG INTERSECTION .......................................................................................................... 27-11
FIGURE 27-6 PROTECTED PEDESTRIAN PHASE ................................................................................................................................. 27-12
FIGURE 27-7 PEDESTRIAN PHASE WITH PERMITTED LEFT TURN PHASE ................................................................................................. 27-12
FIGURE 27-8 PEDESTRIAN PHASES FOR ONE WAY STREETS ................................................................................................................ 27-13
FIGURE 28-1 INTERVAL PARAMETERS PAGE ...................................................................................................................................... 28-2
FIGURE 28-2 DATA OPTIONS PAGE ................................................................................................................................................. 28-6
FIGURE 28-3 VEHICLE OPTIONS PAGE.............................................................................................................................................. 28-7
FIGURE 28-4 DRIVER PARAMETERS PAGE ......................................................................................................................................... 28-9
FIGURE 29-1 SIMTRAFFIC SELECT REPORTS DIALOG ............................................................................................................................ 29-1
FIGURE 29-2 SIMULATION SUMMARY REPORT .................................................................................................................................. 29-5
FIGURE 29-3 PERFORMANCE REPORT .............................................................................................................................................. 29-7
FIGURE 29-4 ARTERIAL TRAVEL REPORT MOVEMENTS ........................................................................................................................ 29-9
FIGURE 29-5 QUEUE REPORT....................................................................................................................................................... 29-10
FIGURE 29-6 ACTUATED SIGNAL REPORT ....................................................................................................................................... 29-13
FIGURE 30-1 VEHICLE TURNING RIGHT FROM LEFT LANE ..................................................................................................................... 30-6
FIGURE 30-2 VEHICLE TURNING RIGHT MAKING TWO LANE CHANGES................................................................................................... 30-7
FIGURE 30-3 VEHICLE MAKING TWO LANE CHANGES ......................................................................................................................... 30-8
FIGURE 30-4 FREEWAY OFF-RAMP LANE CHANGE DISTANCES............................................................................................................ 30-11
FIGURE 30-5 VEHICLE MAKING LATE LANE CHANGES ....................................................................................................................... 30-11
FIGURE 30-6 FREEWAY OFF-RAMP LANE CHANGE DISTANCES (THREE-LANE FREEWAY) .......................................................................... 30-12
FIGURE 30-7 LANE DROP AFTER SIGNAL ......................................................................................................................................... 30-13
FIGURE 30-8 CONTROLLING LANE UTILIZATION ............................................................................................................................... 30-14
FIGURE 30-9 LONG TURNING BAY EXAMPLE ................................................................................................................................... 30-17
FIGURE 30-10 LANE CHANGE THROUGH MULTIPLE INTERSECTIONS ................................................................................................... 30-18
FIGURE 30-11 LANE POSITIONING EXAMPLE ................................................................................................................................. 30-19
FIGURE 30-12 CORNER POINTS .................................................................................................................................................. 30-26
FIGURE 30-13 STOP BAR POINTS................................................................................................................................................ 30-27
FIGURE 30-14 RIGHT TURN ISLAND............................................................................................................................................. 30-28
FIGURE 30-15 ROUNDABOUT .................................................................................................................................................... 30-29
FIGURE 31-1 3D VIEWER HOME SCREEN.......................................................................................................................................... 31-1
FIGURE 31-2 3D VIEWER NAVIGTION TOOLS .................................................................................................................................... 31-2
FIGURE 31-3 3D VIEWER PAN TOOLS .............................................................................................................................................. 31-2
FIGURE 32-1 SIMTRAFFIC CI SETUP ................................................................................................................................................ 32-1

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FIGURE 32-2 CI OPTIONS DIALOG................................................................................................................................................... 32-2

FIGURE 32-3 MAP BUILDER DIALOG ............................................................................................................................................... 32-4

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Tables
TABLE 8-1 SIGNALIZED INTERSECTION LEVEL OF SERVICE ........................................................................................................................ 8-8
TABLE 8-2 TWSC, AWSC AND ROUNDABOUT LEVEL OF SERVICE CRITERIA ............................................................................................... 8-8
TABLE 8-3 LEVEL OF SERVICE CRITERIA FOR ICU ANALYSIS ..................................................................................................................... 8-9
TABLE 8-4 REFERENCE POINT WITH MULTIPLE REFERENCE PHASES ........................................................................................................ 8-10
TABLE 9-1 ADJUSTMENT FOR LANE WIDTH ......................................................................................................................................... 9-4
TABLE 9-2 LANE UTILIZATION FACTORS .............................................................................................................................................. 9-7
TABLE 9-3 SELECTING A RIGHT TURN TREATMENT .............................................................................................................................. 9-10
TABLE 10-1 SUGGESTED PEAK HOUR VALUES .................................................................................................................................. 10-3
TABLE 10-2 PARKING MANEUVER CODING EXAMPLES ...................................................................................................................... 10-5
TABLE 11-1 WHAT MAKES A LANE GROUP "PHASE-ABLE" ................................................................................................................. 11-5
TABLE 12-1 PHASE TERMINATION CODES ..................................................................................................................................... 12-12
TABLE 16-1 TOTAL NUMBER OF LANES VS. NUMBER OF THROUGH LANES ALONG MAJOR ROADWAY ...................................................... 16-32
TABLE 16-2 AVERAGE EFFECT OF PEDESTRIAN CROSSING TREATMENTS ON MOTORIST YIELD RATES ........................................................ 16-35
TABLE 16-3 TWO-WAY STOP CONTROL PEDESTRIAN LEVEL OF SERVICE (HCM 6TH EDITION).................................................................. 16-36
TABLE 16-4 ROUNDABOUT LEVEL OF SERVICE (HCM 6TH EDITION) .................................................................................................... 16-40
TABLE 16-5 ROUNDABOUT LANE UTILIZATION (HCM 6TH EDITION) ................................................................................................... 16-41
TABLE 16-6 ENTRY HV ADJUSTMENT FACTOR (HCM 6TH EDITION) ................................................................................................... 16-41
TABLE 17-1 PLATOON RATIO (HCM 2010) .................................................................................................................................... 17-8
TABLE 17-2 UNSIGNALIZED INTERSECTION LEVEL OF SERVICE (HCM 2010) ........................................................................................ 17-18
TABLE 17-3 GEOMETRY GROUP CONVERSION ............................................................................................................................... 17-22
TABLE 17-4 TOTAL NUMBER OF LANES VS. NUMBER OF THROUGH LANES ALONG MAJOR ROADWAY....................................................... 17-27
TABLE 17-5 AVERAGE EFFECT OF PEDESTRIAN CROSSING TREATMENTS ON MOTORIST YIELD RATES ........................................................ 17-30
TABLE 17-6 TWO-WAY STOP CONTROL PEDESTRIAN LEVEL OF SERVICE (HCM 2010) .......................................................................... 17-32
TABLE 17-7 ROUNDABOUT INTERSECTION LEVEL OF SERVICE (HCM 2010) ........................................................................................ 17-35
TABLE 17-8 ROUNDABOUT LANE UTILIZATION (HCM 2010) ........................................................................................................... 17-35
TABLE 17-9 ENTRY HV ADJUSTMENT FACTOR (HCM 2010) ........................................................................................................... 17-36
TABLE 18-1 TIME-SPACE VEHICLES PER LINE ................................................................................................................................... 18-4
TABLE 19-1 OPTIMIZATION COMMANDS ........................................................................................................................................ 19-2
TABLE 19-2 ACCEPTABLE CRITICAL PERCENTILE TRAFFIC FOR CYCLE LENGTH .......................................................................................... 19-5
TABLE 19-3 OFFSET OPTIMIZATION OPTIONS ................................................................................................................................ 19-12
TABLE 20-1 STANDARD DEVIATIONS FOR PERCENTILE SCENARIOS ........................................................................................................ 20-5
TABLE 20-2 LIMITATIONS OF METHODOLOGIES IN SYNCHRO ............................................................................................................ 20-10
TABLE 20-3 STOP ADJUSTMENT .................................................................................................................................................. 20-28
TABLE 20-4 ICU LEVEL OF SERVICE.............................................................................................................................................. 20-32
TABLE 20-5 COMPARISON ANALYSIS METHOD SUMMARY ............................................................................................................... 20-36
TABLE 20-6 DATA REQUIREMENT BY ANALYSIS METHOD ................................................................................................................. 20-36
TABLE 20-7 COMPOUNDING INACCURACIES IN ANALYSIS ................................................................................................................. 20-37
TABLE 20-8 UNCERTAINTIES EFFECT ON ICU ................................................................................................................................. 20-37
TABLE 20-9 UNCERTAINTIES EFFECT ON DELAY .............................................................................................................................. 20-38
TABLE 20-10 UNCERTAINTIES SUMMARY........................................................................................................................................ 20-38
TABLE 23-1 HEADER/FOOTER OPTIONS ......................................................................................................................................... 23-6
TABLE 23-2 SYNCHRO HCM VS. HCM & HCS DIFFERENCES............................................................................................................ 23-14
TABLE 23-3 ARTERIAL CLASS ...................................................................................................................................................... 23-16
TABLE 25-1 SYNCHRO WARNINGS ................................................................................................................................................. 25-1
TABLE 25-2 SYNCHRO ERRORS...................................................................................................................................................... 25-3
TABLE 25-3 SIMTRAFFIC WARNINGS ............................................................................................................................................. 25-4
TABLE 25-4 SIMTRAFFIC ERRORS .................................................................................................................................................. 25-5
TABLE 25-5 SIMTRAFFIC FATAL ERRORS ......................................................................................................................................... 25-6
TABLE 25-6 SIMTRAFFIC DATA ACCESS ERRORS ............................................................................................................................... 25-6
TABLE 26-1 SIGNAL STATUS DESCRIPTION....................................................................................................................................... 26-8

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TABLE 26-2 VEHICLE STATUS DESCRIPTION ..................................................................................................................................... 26-9

TABLE 26-3 KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS ............................................................................................................................................. 26-11
TABLE 28-1 Z FACTOR TABLE ....................................................................................................................................................... 28-4
TABLE 28-2 YELLOW DECEL RATES BY DRIVER TYPE .......................................................................................................................... 28-9
TABLE 28-3 YELLOW REACTION RATES BY DRIVER TYPE ................................................................................................................... 28-10
TABLE 28-4 DEFAULT MANDATORY DISTANCE ADJUSTMENT FACTORS ............................................................................................... 28-11
TABLE 28-5 DEFAULT POSITIONING DISTANCE ADJUSTMENT FACTORS ............................................................................................... 28-11
TABLE 28-6 SATURATION FLOW AND HEADWAYS FOR GIVEN SPEEDS ................................................................................................. 28-12
TABLE 28-7 FUEL AND EMISSIONS DATA FILENAMES ....................................................................................................................... 28-14
TABLE 29-1 HEADER AND FOOTER OPTIONS .................................................................................................................................... 29-2
TABLE 30-1 DECEL RATE TABLE .................................................................................................................................................... 30-3
TABLE 30-2 LANE CHANGE DISTANCES ........................................................................................................................................... 30-8
TABLE 30-3 DEFAULT LANE CHANGE DISTANCES .............................................................................................................................. 30-8
TABLE 30-4 MAXIMUM TEST DECELERATION................................................................................................................................. 30-10
TABLE 30-5 CASE (A) DRIVER TYPE DISTANCES .............................................................................................................................. 30-14
TABLE 30-6 CASE (B) DRIVER TYPE DISTANCES .............................................................................................................................. 30-15
TABLE 30-7 CASE (C) DRIVER TYPE DISTANCES .............................................................................................................................. 30-16
TABLE 30-8 REQUIRED GAP TIMES .............................................................................................................................................. 30-21

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– Introduction
Introduction
Synchro Studio is a complete software package for modeling, optimizing, managing and simulating traffic systems.
Synchro Studio is a software suite that includes:

✓ Synchro, a macroscopic analysis and optimization program;

✓ SimTraffic, a powerful, easy-to-use traffic micro-simulation software application;

✓ 3D Viewer, a three-dimensional view of SimTraffic simulations;

✓ SimTraffic CI, an application that interacts with a controller interface (CI) device connected to a
controller in order to simulate the operation of the controller with simulated traffic.

The purpose of the User Guide is to provide basic instruction for using each of the above listed applications.
Chapter 1 highlights some of the key traffic engineering related tasks for which these software applications are
intended. A list of additional Synchro Studio documentation is included at the end of this chapter.

Capacity Analysis

Synchro implements the Intersection Capacity Utilization (ICU) 2003 method for determining intersection
capacity. This method compares the current volume to the intersection’s ultimate capacity. This method is very
straightforward to implement and can be completed using a single page worksheet.
Synchro also provides an easy-to-use solution for capacity analysis and timing optimization. All values are
entered in easy-to-use forms. Calculations and intermediate results are shown on the same forms.
Synchro’s percentile delay method includes an additional delay component related to spillback from adjacent
intersections. The Total Delay includes the traditional control delay plus the queue delay. Since delay
calculations are an integral part of the optimization objective, queue delay is also considered.
Synchro also implements the methods of the 2000, 2010, and 6th Edition Highway Capacity Manuals.

Coordinate and Optimize

Synchro allows for quick generation of optimum timing plans. Synchro optimizes cycle length, split times,
offsets and phase sequence to minimize driver stops and delay. Synchro is fully interactive. When input values
are changed, the results are updated automatically. Timing plans are shown on easy to comprehend timing
diagrams.
Users also have the ability to review a variety of detailed measures of effectiveness (MOEs) calculated during
the optimization process. Weighting factors can also be used to allocate more green time to an individual phase
or group of phases.

Actuated Signals
Synchro provides detailed, automatic modeling of actuated signals. Synchro can model skipping and gapping
behavior and apply this information to delay modeling. Detailed coding of detector data is a critical element to
replicating field conditions.

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Unsignalized Intersections

Synchro allows users to analyze unsignalized intersections using the HCM 2000, 2010, or 6th Edition analysis
method. Users can analyze the following unsignalized intersections within Synchro:
1. All-Way Stop Control (AWSC)
2. Two-Way Stop Control (TWSC)
3. Roundabouts

Users can quickly switch between intersection types with minimal data re-entry required.

Time-Space Diagram

Synchro has colorful, informative Time-Space Diagrams. Splits and offsets can be changed directly on the
diagram.

Synchro features two styles of Time-Space Diagrams. The bandwidth style shows how traffic might be able to
travel down an entire arterial without stopping. The traffic flow style shows individual vehicles that stop, queue
up, and then go. The traffic flow style gives a much clearer picture of what the traffic flow actually looks like.

The Time-Space Diagrams also display queue interaction issues with color-coded bars near the intersections.

Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA)

The TIA module allows users to manually input the number of expected trips or import them from a previously
created TripGen file. The new trips can then be automatically distributed and routed through the Synchro
roadway network. Each of the various menus items and screen were developed to minimize the number of
input steps required by the user to complete a traffic impact analysis.

SimTraffic Simulations

SimTraffic performs micro-simulation and animation of both vehicles and pedestrians. With SimTraffic,
individual vehicles are modeled and displayed traversing a street network. SimTraffic models signalized and
unsignalized intersections as well as freeway sections with cars, trucks, pedestrians, and buses. Unlike a
number of other modeling applications, SimTraffic animation is displayed while the simulation is performed.
Data entry is intuitive and efficient since the same data set created within Synchro is used to produce
simulations within SimTraffic.

3D Animations

SimTraffic can create a 3D file which can be viewed with the Trafficware 3D Viewer. The three primary modes
of the viewer for playback of SimTraffic data in a 3D environment include scene, ride, and track. The ability to
create scenery to enhance the default background is also available in the 3D Viewer.

Controller Interface (CI)

SimTraffic CI simulates vehicles and detector operations. Detector calls are sent to the controller via the
controller interface (CI) device. The Controller operates as though it has real traffic. Current phase information
is returned from the controller to SimTraffic CI through the CI device. Data is exchanged between SimTraffic CI
and the CI device software 10 times per second.

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Helpful Documentation
To get started using Synchro Studio, see the document Getting Started and What’s New in Version 11. This
document can be found in the Trafficware directory where Synchro Studio is installed (default is C:\Program
Files (x86)\Trafficware\Version 11). The following additional documents are also installed within this
directory to assist in creating Synchro networks or keeping up-to-date on the most current release. A brief
description of each document is provided below.
1. Synchro Studio 11 Getting Started and What’s New – This document focuses on the new features of
Synchro, SimTraffic and 3D Viewer. Each new feature is highlighted.
2. Synchro Studio 10 Examples – A step-by-step description for coding the sample files. A summary table
is located at the beginning of the document, created to provide users with a quick reference guide that
includes a brief description of each sample file.

Additional Resources
A few additional resources are also available at https://www.trafficware.com/synchro-help-v11.html/ . This
page will be updated regularly with new content, so check back often. The PDF documents listed below are
provided to enhance the user’s understanding of key features of Synchro and SimTraffic.

1. Synchro Studio 11 Summary of Releases – This document provides the user with a brief description of
the various revisions incorporated within each new release.
2. Implementation of the HCM 6th Edition Within Synchro – This living document is updated based on
changes or enhancements to the HCM 6th Edition methodologies.

Support

Users that have purchased Synchro 11 support will have

access not only to the current Support Site, but will also have
unlimited access to Just-In-Time Training Videos, selected
Trafficware University Webinars, and discounts on face-to-
face training classes.

The Just-In-Time Training Videos are aimed at providing users

a brief video focused on a particular feature within Synchro or
SimTraffic and can be viewed at any time.

Users can view the status of support for each license by

choosing About Synchro from the Help tab.

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Synchro Studio 11 User Guide

– Map View and Layout

Map View
Synchro 11's user interface was updated, introducing two new features, BingTM Map as default Synchro
background and Scenario Manager. The look and feel of ribbon bar controls kept similar as Synchro 10. The
ribbon is a visual tool, rather than a text-based menu system. Similar tasks are grouped together under tabs, to
help improve efficiency. However, people work differently, so the ribbon bar is also highly customizable.
The basic layout of the MAP view is customizable based on the location and content of the toolbars.
The MAP view (see Figure 2-1), includes the drawing area used for creating the roadway network. Links and
nodes are displayed on the map canvas to resemble the roadway network being analyzed. Synchro 11 has the
BingTM Map as default background displaying in the MAP view. A permanent bar was introduced at the far left
to operate BingTM Map and Scenario Manager.
To activate the MAP view, press the MAP view button or the [F2] key from anywhere in the program.
By default, Synchro will show the MAP view when you start the application.

To open the BingTM Maps Settings, press the BING button. Synchro will always show the BING button
while using the software.

To open the Scenario Manager window, press the SCENARIO MANAGER button. This button is always
visible to the user while using the software.

Figure 2-1 Map View

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Synchro Studio 11 User Guide

Users of previous versions of Synchro should notice that all commands are included on the ribbon bar with
similar names and fashion as Synchro 10. Each of the ribbon bar components is discussed in the following
sections.

The ribbon bar can be hidden if it takes up too much of your screen, using the Ribbon Display Options
icon located on the right side of the title bar. Display options include:

• Show Tabs and Commands (default setting)

• Auto-Hide Ribbon: This option hides the entire ribbon, including tabs, click anywhere in the green bar
to temporarilly display the ribbon. It will hide again automatically after you select a command.

• Show Tabs: This option collapses the ribbon, so that only the tabs are visible when you click a tab, the
commands will be displayed temporarily.

Parts of the Ribbon Bar

Figure 2-2 Synchro Ribbon Bar

1. File Menu: The File menu contains the functions New, Open, Save, Save As, Save Scenario, Save Part,
Merge File, Create Report, Print Window, and Close.

2. Quick Access Toolbar: The Quick Access Toolbar is a customizable toolbar that may be displayed either
above or below the ribbon. It is in view even when the ribbon is minimized.

3. Tabs: The Synchro ribbon is organized into tabs according to task. Tabs include Home, Options,
Transfer, Optimize, Reports, and Help.

4. Groups: Each tab is divided into logical groups of buttons. Groups are separated by vertical lines.

5. Dialog Box Launcher: Clicking the arrow icon opens a dialog box with additional controls. For
example, pressing this icon on the Mapping group opens the Map Settings window.

6. Arrows: Arrows open submenus. For example, pressing the Node arrow in the Display Results group
allows you to select what type of intersection-level results to display on the Map View (Node Numbers,
LOS, etc).

7. Collapsed Group: Groups expand and collapse when the window is resized. A partially collapsed group
may display the buttons in a different layout, or a reduced number of items. A fully collapsed group
only shows the group name with an arrow button that opens the group submenu.

8. Program Window Controls: The window controls work the same as most Windows-based programs.
Clicking the minimize button minimizes the program to the taskbar; the maximize button toggles
between full-screen and reduced-size views; and clicking the closes the program.

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Current Intersection

On the right side of the window, below the ribbon bar, the current Node Number and Intersection Name is
displayed.

Open files from the File menu

The Open tab on the File menu shows a list of files you’ve recently opened, and it includes links to places where
you commonly store files.

Figure 2-3 Synchro File Menu

Select [Recent] to open one of your recently opened files; select [Computer] to open a file from a recently used
folder; or select [Browse] to locate the desired file from any network location.

Using the Quick Access Toolbar

The Quick Access Toolbar is a handy tool, used to bookmark frequently used commands. It is a customizable
toolbar that contains a set of commands that are independent of the tab on the ribbon that is currently
displayed.

The Quick Access Toolbar is located in the upper-left section of the title bar. By default, this toolbar contains
shortcuts to Open, Save, Save As, Create Reports Undo, and Redo. Additional buttons can be selected by clicking
the down arrow to display the drop-down menu shown in Figure 2-4.

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Figure 2-4 Synchro Quick Access Toolbar

Click on any of the commands listed to add/remove it from the Quick Access Toolbar. The most commonly used
commands are included in the list shown in Figure 2-4, but even more options are available by selecting
Customize Quick Access Toolbar.

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Figure 2-5 Customize the Quick Access Toolbar

To add an item to the Quick Access Toolbar, select it from the menu on the left, press the right arrow button,
then select [OK]. Items can be removed using the left arrow button.

Ribbon Bar Commands

Synchro has a variety of commands that are accessed through the ribbon bar. This section summarizes the
available commands.

Each tab contains specific groups logically organized by task.

Some buttons will display gray (disabled) when their functions are not applicable to the current selection.

Home Tab

The Home Tab contains the most commonly used commands, and those used to setup a network.

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Mapping Group

The Mapping Group is used for initial model setup and editing the layout of intersections.

Map View: Use this button or the [F2] key to switch to the MAP settings. Refer to Chapter 9 for
details.

Select Background: Import a Map Background image. Refer to Chapter 4 for additional details.

Toggle Bing Map: Select the button to display or hide the default BingTM Map background. Refer to
Chapter 5 for additional details.

Add Link: Select the Add Link button or press [A] to create a link on the MAP view. Refer to page 6-
2 for additional details.

Delete Link or Node: Select this button or press [Del] to delete the selected link/node. Refer to page
6-3 for additional details.

Move Node: Select this button or press [M] to move a node. Refer to page 6-4 for additional details.

Transform Map: Use this button to move, scale, or rotate the entire map. If your map was initially
laid out with a different coordinate system, you can change it with this command. Refer to page 6-
9 for additional details.

Zoom Group

The Zoom Group is used to navigate around the Map View.

The mouse wheel can also be used to zoom and pan. To zoom in, roll the mouse wheel up. To zoom out, roll the
mouse wheel down. Holding the mouse wheel button down will allow you to drag the map.

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Drag Map: To scroll around the MAP view, choose the Drag Map button or press the [End] key. To
deactivate, select the button again or press [Esc]. In addition, holding the mouse wheel button
down will allow you to drag the map. The key pad arrows can also be used to scroll the Map view.

Zoom In: To view the map closer, choose the Zoom In button or press [Page Down]. It may be
necessary to scroll to put the map in the center of the MAP view. The mouse scroll wheel can also
be used to change the map view scale. Scrolling up will zoom in and scrolling down will zoom out.

Zoom Out: To view more of the map, choose the Zoom Out button or press [Page Up]. The mouse
scroll wheel can also be used to change the map view scale. Scrolling up will zoom out and scrolling
down will zoom in.

Zoom All: To view the entire map, choose the Zoom All button or press [Home].

Zoom Window: To view a specific section of the map, use the Zoom Window button or press [W]. To
define the area, click on the upper-left corner of the viewing area then click in the lower-right
corner of the viewing area.

Zoom Scale: To view the map at a specific scale, use the Zoom Scale button or press [Shift]+[S].
Enter the desired scale to view the map in feet per inch (meters per inch). This command assumes
100 pixels per inch on your screen.

To center the MAP view, press [Ctrl]+[C] and then click where you want the map to be centered.

View Options Group

Use this toolbar after the basic layout of your network is complete, to locate a specific intersection.

View Ports: Use this button to create up to four View Ports within the MAP View. This feature allows
users to view different intersections while displaying the entire network.

Select Intersection: Use this button or the [F8] key to open up a list of the intersections in your
network. Choosing an intersection and pressing [OK] will switch the current settings to that
intersection. In addition, the MAP View will be centered on the selected intersection.

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Lanes & Volumes

The Lanes and Volumes group is used to enter the lane geometry, volumes, and related data.

Lane Settings: Use this button or the [F3] key to switch to the LANE settings. Refer to Chapter 9 for
details

Templates Submenu: A node or link must be selected prior to using the Templates command. Once
selected, the intersection lane settings will be updated with the lane geometry included within the
respective template. The buttons available are listed below.

Select the 1 Lanes LTR button to code one left turn/through/right turn lane.

Select the 2 Lanes L, TR button to code one exclusive left turn lane and one
through/right turn lane.

Select the 2 Lanes LT, TR button to code one left turn/through lane and one
through/right turn lane.

Select the 3 Lanes L, T, R button to code one exclusive left turn lane, one exclusive
through lane, and one exclusive right turn lane.

Select the 3 Lanes L, T, TR button to code one exclusive left turn lane, one exclusive
through lane, and one through/right turn lane.

Select the 4 Lanes L, T, T, R button to code one exclusive left turn lane, two exclusive
through lanes, and one exclusive right turn lane.

Merge Template: The predefined templates can be customized to match user preferences based on
local needs. Select this button to apply a custom template to the selected intersection. Refer to page
6-5 for additional details.

Volume Settings: Use this button or the [F4] key to activate the VOLUME settings. Refer to Chapter
10 for details.

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Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA): Use this button to activate the Traffic Impact Analysis module,
including Trip Generation, Trip Distribution, and Trip Assignment. Refer to Chapter 15 for details.

Signal Timing

The Signal Timing group is used to enter the signal timing data and review related results.

Timing Settings: Use this button or the [F5] key to activate the TIMING settings. This button is
visible if a signalized intersection is selected. Refer to Chapter 11 for details.

Signing Settings: Use this button or the [F5] key to activate the SIGNING settings. This button is
visible instead of the Timing Settings button if an unsignalized intersection is selected. Refer to
Chapter 11 for details.

Phase Template Submenu: Phase templates allow phase numbers to be set automatically. Refer to
page 11-2 for additional details.

• Intersection to East-West: Set the phase template to an east-west template (phases on 2/6
eastbound and westbound approaches)

• Intersection to North-South: Set the phase template to a north-south template (phases on

2/6 northbound and southbound approaches)

• Edit Template Phases: Local standards may have the phases mirrored from Synchro's
defaults. Use this command to edit the default Phase Templates.

Ring & Barrier Designer: Modify the Ring & Barrier Settings for complex intersection phasing. Refer
to page 12-2 for additional details.

Cluster Editor: Use to group multiple intersections onto one controller. Refer to page 12-4 for
additional details.

Phasing Settings: Use this button or the [F6] key to activate the PHASING settings. Refer to Chapter
12 for details.

Time-Space Diagram: Use this button or the [F7] key to activate the TIME-SPACE DIAGRAM. An
intersection or link must be selected for this button to be active. Refer to Chapter 18 for details.

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Detection Group

The Detection group is used to enter the detection related data.

Detection Settings: Use this button or the [F11] key to activate the DETECTOR settings. Refer to
Chapter 13 for details.

Detector Template: This command allows the user to define the number, position, type and size of
each detector. Refer to page 13-2 for additional details.

HCM 6th Edition Group

Use the HCM 6th Edition Group to enter and review data related to the HCM 6 th Edition methodology. Refer to
Chapter 16 for additional details on using this methodology.

HCM 6th Edition Settings: Use this button to activate the Highway Capacity Manual 6 th Edition
settings. Included are the methods for the Automobile Mode, Pedestrian Mode and Bicycle Mode.
Refer to Chapter 16 for additional details.

HCM 6th Edtion Intersection Results: This submenu shows HCM 6th Edition intersection level results
on the MAP view.

Show HCM 6th Edition Intersection Delays: Displays the HCM 6th Edition delay for each
intersection. This is the Intersection Delay shown in the HCM 6th Edition settings
window.

Show HCM 6th Edition Intersection LOS: Display the HCM 6th Edition Level of Service
(LOS) for each intersection. This is the Intersection Level of Service shown in the HCM
6th Edition settings window.

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HCM 6th Edtion Movement Results: This submenu shows HCM 6th Edition movement level results on
the MAP view.

Show HCM 6th Edition Movement v/c Ratio: Displays the HCM 6th Edition volume-to-
capacity (v/c) ratio for each movement. This is the v/c ratio shown in the HCM 6th
Edition settings window.

Show HCM 6th Edition Movement Delays: Displays the HCM 6th Edition delay for each
movement. This is the Lane Group Delay shown in the HCM 6th Edition settings
window.

Show HCM 6th Edition Movement LOS: Display the HCM 6th Edition Level of Service
(LOS) for each movement. This is the Lane Group Level of Service shown in the HCM
6th Edition settings window.

Reset HCM 6th Edition Warnings: Resets the HCM 6th Edition warning messages.

HCM 2010 Group

Use the HCM 2010 Group to enter and review data related to the HCM 2010 methodology. Refer to Chapter 17
for additional details on using this methodology.

HCM 2010 Settings: Use this button to activate the Highway Capacity Manual 2010 settings.
Included are the methods for the Automobile Mode, Pedestrian Mode and Bicycle Mode. Refer to
Chapter 17 for additional details.

HCM 2010 Intersection Results: This submenu shows HCM 2010 intersection level results on the
MAP view.

Show HCM 2010 Intersection Delays: Displays the HCM 2010 delay for each
intersection. This is the Intersection Delay shown in the HCM 2010 settings window.

Show HCM 2010 Intersection LOS: Display the HCM 2010 Level of Service (LOS) for
each intersection. This is the Intersection Level of Service shown in the HCM 2010
settings window.

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HCM 2010 Movement Results: This submenu shows HCM 2010 movement level results on the MAP
view.

Show HCM 2010 Movement v/c Ratio: Displays the HCM 2010 volume-to-capacity (v/c)
ratio for each movement. This is the v/c ratio shown in the HCM 2010 settings
window.

Show HCM 2010 Edition Movement Delays: Displays the HCM 2010 delay for each
movement. This is the Lane Group Delay shown in the HCM 2010 settings window.

Show HCM 2010 Movement LOS: Display the HCM 2010 Level of Service (LOS) for each
movement. This is the Lane Group Level of Service shown in the HCM 2010 settings
window.

Reset HCM 2010 Warnings: Resets the HCM 2010 warning messages.

Simulation Group

Use these commands when preparing a model for microscopic simulation in SimTraffic.

Simulation Settings: Use this button or the [F10] key to activate the SIMULATION SETTINGS button.
Refer to Chapter 14 for details

Launch SimTraffic: Use this button or press [Ctrl]+[G] to start SimTraffic and load the current file
in SimTraffic.

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Display Results Group

These buttons display various inputs and outputs on the MAP view. The icons in the ribbon bar indicate which
data is currently displayed on the map.

Select the None option in each submenu to clear the selection.

Link Submenu

The buttons in the Link submenu can be used to show link related information on the MAP view.

Show Speed: Displays the link speed on the MAP view.

Show Coordinatabilty Factor: Display the coordinatability factor for each link.
For further details, see the topic on Coordinatabilty Factors on page 19-22.

Show Natural Coordinatabilty Factor: Display the natural coordinatability

factor for each link. For further details, see the topic on Coordinatabilty Factors
on page 19-22.

Show Link Length: Display the link length on the MAP view.

Show Link Distance, Speed and Travel Time: Displays the link distance, speed
and travel time on the MAP view, or press the [T] key.

Node Submenu

The buttons in the Node submenu can be used to show node/intersection related information on the MAP view.

Show Locked Timings: Display the intersections with locked timings. This is the
Lock Timings field shown in the TIMING settings. Refer to page 8-5 for additional
details.

Show Node Numbers: Displays the node numbers on the Map View, or press the
the [#] key. Node numbers can be changed with the NODE settings. Refer to page
8-3 for additional details.

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Show Intersection Zones: Displays the zone numbers on the Map View, or press
the [Z] key. Zone names can be changed with the NODE settings. Zone names can
include any letter or number up to seven characters. Refer to page 8-3 for
additional details.
Show Cycle Lengths: Displays the current Cycle Length for each signalized
intersection on the Map View, or press the [C] key. This is the Cycle Length shown
in the TIMING settings. Refer to page 8-4 for additional details. Unsignalized
intersections will be displayed with a ‘U’.
Show Natural Cycle Lengths: Displays the Natural Cycle Length for each
signalized intersection, or press the [N] key to display the natural cycle length for
each intersection. This is the Natural Cycle Length shown in the TIMING settings.
Refer to page 8-6 for additional details. Unsignalized intersections will be
displayed with a ‘U’.
Show Volume Balancing: Displays the unbalance of traffic volumes between
intersections. This can be used in conjunction with volume diagrams for quick
editing adjustments. The information is directional, with the incoming volume
located on the right side of the link, closest to the downstream intersection. Also,
see coding errors 100, 101 and 206 (page 25-1).

Show Intersection Delays: Displays the intersection delay for each intersection,
or press [Shift]+[D]. This is the Intersection Delay shown in the TIMING
settings. Refer to page 8-7 for additional details.

Show Intersection Levels of Service: Displays the intersection LOS for each
intersection, or press the [O] key. This is the Intersection Level of Service shown
in the TIMING settings. Refer to page 8-7 for additional details.

Intersection Capacity Utilization (ICU): Displays the intersection ICU Level of

Service for each intersection. This is the ICU LOS shown in the TIMING settings.
Refer to page 8-8 for additional details.

Lane/Movement Submenu

The buttons in the Lane/Movement submenu can be used to show lane/movement related information on the
MAP view.

Show Lane Arrows on Map: Displays the lanes for each movement, or press the
[L] key. Stick diagram arrows display on the right side of the approach.

Show Volumes on Map: Displays the volumes on the map, or press the [V] key.
The displayed volumes are adjusted for growth factor (from the VOLUME settings
but not for peak hour factor).

Show Adjusted Volumes on Map: Displays the adjusted volumes on the map. This
is the Adjusted Flow shown in the Volume Settings. Refer to page 10-10 for
additional details.

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Show Start of Greens: This option shows the beginning of green time for each
movement or press the [G] key. This field is helpful when reviewing the
progression quality. The intersection cycle length is automatically displayed.
For permitted plus protected movements, the start of the protected green is
shown. For actuated signals, the start is based on maximum green times. Double
clicking on the diagram opens the TIMING settings.
Show Start of Yellow Times: This option shows the beginning of yellow time for
each movement. This field is helpful when reviewing the progression quality. The
intersection cycle length is automatically displayed.
For permitted plus protected movements, the end of the protected green is
shown. For actuated signals, the start is based on maximum green times. Double
clicking on the diagram opens the TIMING settings and brings you to the Total
Split row.
Maximum Green Times: Displays the maximum green time for each phase in
seconds. The intersection cycle length is automatically displayed. For permitted
plus protected movements, only the protected greens are shown. Double clicking
on the diagram opens the TIMING settings.

Show Volume to Capacity Ratios: Displays the volume-to-capacity (v/c) ratios

for each movement. The v/c ratios are based on average green times as calculated
by the percentile method. The v/c ratios DO NOT show problems with defacto
turning lanes. This display can be used to quickly identify capacity problems.
Refer to page 11-14 for additional details. Double clicking on the diagram opens
the TIMING settings.
For unsignalized intersections, this is the volume to capacity for the movement as
calculated by the HCM 2000 method. Unlike signals, the v/c ratio is the maximum
for the movement, not lane group.

Show Movement Delays: Displays the delay for each movement. The delays are
based on the percentile method. This is the Total Delay displayed in the Timing
Settings window. Refer to page 11-16 for additional details. Double clicking on the
diagram opens the TIMING settings.
For unsignalized intersections, this is the control delay for the movement as
calculated by the HCM 2000 method.

Show Percentile Movement LOS: Displays the Level of Service (LOS) for each
movement. The LOS are based on the percentile method. This is the LOS displayed
in the Timing Settings window. Refer to page 11-16 for additional details. Double
clicking on the diagram opens the TIMING settings.
For unsignalized intersections, this is the LOS for the movement as calculated by
the HCM 2000 method.

Show Phase Numbers: Displays the phase number for each movement. Permitted
phases are shown in parentheses. For example, 1,(6) is a protected-permitted left-
turn with protected phase 1 and permitted phase 6. Refer to page 11-4 for details
on programming phase numbers. Double clicking on the diagram opens the
TIMING settings.
For unsignalized intersections, this is the Sign Control as programmed in the
Signing Settings window.

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Options Tab

The options tab contains settings useful in the initial configuration of a Synchro file.

Network Settings: Make changes that affect the entire network. These settings affect the default
values for entries in the LANE, VOLUME, TIMING, PHASING, and SIMULATION settings screens.
Refer to page 3-3 for additional details.

Map Settings: Use to change the appearance of the map. This command can change the color and
size of the map elements. Refer to page 3-1 for additional details.

 Time Tracker: Enable or disable the Time Tracker. The Time Tracker is used to count the time
spent on a Synchro project. Refer to page 3-2 for additional details.

 Metric: Convert between Metric and Imperial units

Error Check: Use to check data for coding errors. Refer to Chapter 25 for additional details.

Transfer Tab

The Transfer tab is used when transferring data between Synchro and other software or formats.

SimTraffic: Use this button or press [Ctrl]+[G] to start SimTraffic and load the current file in
SimTraffic. This button is always active.

Warrants: If you have purchased Warrants, use this button to launch Warrants.

ATMS: Use this button to start integration between Synchro and ATMS.

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Open Combined UTDF: Open a combined data csv file. Refer to page 24-3 for additional details.

Save Combined UTDF: Save the current file to a combined data csv file. Refer to page 24-3 for
additional details.

Read/Write UTDF File: Use this submenu to read or write to a UTDF file containing Volume, Timing,
Phasing, Lane, or Layout data. Refer to Chapter 24 for additional details.

Append Timing/MOE Data: Exports the current timing and/or Measures of Effectiveness (MOE)
data to the current optimization output file(s). Refer to page 19-17 for additional details.

Merge File: Merge multiple files or parts of files together. Refer to page 21-1 for additional details.

Save Part: Save the highlighted intersections to a new file. Refer to page 21-3 for additional details.

Optimize Tab

Use the Optimize tab to optimize the splits, cycle length, and offset for an individual intersection, zone, or entire
network. Refer to Chapter 19 for additional details on the optimization process.

Optimize Intersection Splits: Use to optimize the splits of the selected intersection, or press
[Ctrl]+[T]. Refer to page 19-3 for additional details.

Optimize Intersection Cycle Length: Use to optimize the cycle length of the selected intersection.
Refer to page 19-4 for additional details.

Optimize Intersection Offset: Use to optimize the offset of the selected intersection only, or press
[Ctrl] +[I]. Refer to page 19-18 for additional details.

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Partition Network: Use to divide a network into multiple systems (zones). Refer to page 19-6 for
additional details.

Optimize Network Cycle Length: Use to optimize the cycle length for the entire network or selected
zone(s). Refer to page 19-11 for additional details.

Optimize Network Offsets: Use to optimize the offsets for entire network or selected zone(s). Refer
to page 19-18 for additional details.

Reports Tab

Use the commands to create reports on Synchro inputs and outputs. Each button on this tab opens the Create
Reports dialog box, with a different set of pre-selected data. Refer to Chapter 22 for additional details on the
report options available in Synchro.

Press [Ctrl]+[P] to open the Create Reports window from any of the data grids.

Create Intersection Report: Open the Create Report window with the Intersection report selected.
This report contains outputs from the Percentile method, which matches the data displayed in the
Timing Settings window. Refer to page 23-4 for additional details.

Create HCM 2000 Report: Open the Create Report window with the HCM 2000 report selected.
Refer to page 23-13 for additional details.

Create HCM 2010 Report: Open the Create Report window with the HCM 2010 report selected. This
report matches the data displayed in the HCM 2010 window. Refer to Chapter 17 for additional
details.

Create HCM 6th Edition Report: Open the Create Report window with the HCM 6th Edition report
selected. This report matches the data displayed in the HCM 6 th Edition window. Refer to Chapter
16 for additional details.

Create TIA Report: Open the Create Report window with the Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) report
selected. Refer to page 15-9 for additional details.

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Help Tab

Help and support resources may be accessed through the Help tab.

Help: Several resources are available at https://www.trafficware.com/synchro-help-v11.html/.

This page will be updated regularly with new and updated content, so check back often.

User Guide: A comprehensive manual that includes detailed descriptions of the features and
methodologies of Synchro, SimTraffic and 3D Viewer. Or press [F1] to open the User Guide.

Just-In-Time (JIT) Training Videos: These videos are accessible to customers with a Support and
Maintenance Agreement. Each of these short vides is focused on a particular feature within
Synchro Studio and can be viewed at any time.

Support: Connect to the Cubic | Trafficware support site to submit a question. Customers must have
a Support and Maintenance Agreement. Customers can access the support site at
https://trafficware.zendesk.com/hc/en-
us/restricted?return_to=https%3A%2F%2Fptop.only.wip.la%3A443%2Fhttps%2Ftrafficware.zendesk.com%2Fhc%2Fen-us

Check for Updates: Check to see if a newer build is available.

License Key: Show the product key and activation/deactivation information.

About Synchro: Shows the current version, build, copyright, and current SMA (Support and
Maintenance Agreement) status.

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Customize the Ribbon Bar

You can personalize your ribbon to arrange tabs and commands in the order you want them, hide or unhide
your ribbon, and hide those commands you use less often.

Refer to page 2-4 for information on hiding and unhiding the ribbon bar.

To personalize the location of tabs and commands on the ribbon bar, open the Customize the Ribbon Bar dialog
as shown in Figure 2-6 below.

Figure 2-6 Opening Customize the Ribbon Dialog

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Figure 2-7 Ribbon Customization Window

Add a Custom Tab

In the Ribbon Customization window, shown in Figure 2-7, select Add>New Tab.

Rename a Tab
Both default and custom tabs can be renamed. In the Ribbon Customization window, shown in Figure 2-7, right-
click on the tab that you want to rename. Select Rename, then enter the new name.

Hide a Tab

Both default and custom tabs can be hidden, but only custom tabs can be removed. In the Ribbon Customization
window, shown in Figure 2-7, clear the check box next to the tab you want to hide.

Remove a Custom Tab

Both default and custom tabs can be hidden, but only custom tabs can be removed. In the Ribbon Customization
window, shown in Figure 2-7, right-click on the tab that you want to remove and select Remove.

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Change the Order of Groups within a Tab

In the Ribbon Customization window, shown in Figure 2-7, click the group that you want to move (labeled as 1
in Figure 2-8 below). Click the Move Up or Move Down arrow (labeled as 2 in Figure 2-8 below) until you have
the desired order.

Figure 2-8 Change the Order of Groups within a Tab

Add a Custom Group

In the Ribbon Customization window, shown in Figure 2-7, select the tab that you want to add a group to. select
Add>New Group.

Rename a Group

Both default and custom groups can be renamed. In the Ribbon Customization window, shown in Figure 2-7,
right-click on the group that you want to rename. Select Rename, then enter the new name.

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Remove a Custom Group

In the Ribbon Customization window, shown in Figure 2-7, right-click on the group that you want to remove
and select Remove.

Change the Order of Commands within a Group

In the Ribbon Customization window, shown in Figure 2-7, click the command that you want to move (labeled
as 1 in Figure 2-9 below). Click the Move Up or Move Down arrow (labeled as 2 in Figure 2-9 below) until you
have the desired order.

Figure 2-9 Change the Order of Commands within a Group

Add Commands to a Group

In the Ribbon Customization window, shown inFigure 2-10 below, click the group that you want to add a
command to (labeled as 1).

In the Choose commands from list (labeled as 2), click the list you want to add commands from.

Click on the command of interest (labeled as 3).

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Click the right arrow to add the command (labeled as 4).

Figure 2-10 Add Commands to a Group

Remove Commands from a Group

In the Ribbon Customization window, shown in Figure 2-7, right-click on the command that you want to remove
and select Remove.

Rename a Command

In the Ribbon Customization window, shown in Figure 2-7, right-click on the command that you want to
rename. Select Rename, then enter the new name.

Reset the Ribbon to Default Settings

In the Ribbon Customization window, shown in Figure 2-7, click Reset>Reset all customizations.

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MAP View Keyboard Commands

Change Map View Commands Link and Intersection Commands

Zoom All [Home] Delete Intersection [Delete]
Zoom In [Page Down] Delete Link [Delete]
Zoom Out [Page Up] Add Link [A]

Zoom Settings [W], [Shift]+[W], [Ctrl]+[W] Move Intersection [M]

Zoom Scale [Shift]+[S] Link Settings [Enter]
Zoom Previous [Ctrl]+[BkSpace] Cancel Add or Move [Esc] or [Space]
Zoom Center [Ctrl]+[C]
Scroll Map [] [] [] [➔]
Page Map [Ctrl]+[] [] [] [➔]

Intersection Information Commands

No Intersection Information [Space]
Show Cycle Lengths [C] A indicates actuated signal, U indicates unsignalized
Show Natural Cycle Length [N]

Show Zones [Z]

Show Intersection Delays [Shift]+[D]
Show Intersection Level of Services [O]
Node Settings [Enter]
Show Node Numbers [#]
Show Volume Diagram [V]

Movement Text Commands

Movement Volumes [V] Select Intersection Commands
Show Link Distance, Speed and [T] Select Next Intersection to SW [1]
Travel Time Select Next Intersection to S [2]
Movement and Intersection Delays [D] Select next intersection to SE [3]
Show Starts of Green [G] Select next intersection to W [4]
Show Starts of Yellow [Y] Select next intersection to E [5]
Show Split Times [S] Select next intersection to NW [6]
Show Volume to Capacity [X] Select next intersection to N [7]
Show Movement Phase Numbers [P] Select next intersection to NE [8]

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– Initial Synchro Model Set-Up

This chapter highlights several options when coding a Synchro model.

File Units
Use the Metric checkbox located on the Options tab to change the units used for the current file. When this box
is unchecked, Imperial Units are used.

When changing file units, any map background is discarded. You will have to convert your source DXF
file to the new units and re-import.

Map coordinates are scaled by 3.28 ft/m about the point (0,0).
Speeds, storage lengths, widths, and other values are similarly converted.

Each file has its own File Units setting. New files are created based on the units specified in the Regional and
Language Options. To change the Regional Settings, go to the Control Panel and select Regional and Language
Options.

Map Settings, Color, and Sizes

Use the Map-Settings command , located on the Options tab, to change the appearance of the map. This
command can change the color and size of the map elements, as well as control the appearance of street names.

Figure 3-1 Synchro Map Settings

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To change a color, click on the Color button for the desired element and then select a color from the choices
shown.
The sizes for street names, link widths, and intersection radii are in feet (meters). These elements will be scaled
when the map is zoomed in and out. The Street Name Height also affects how often the street name is repeated.
To have the street names repeat closer together, decrease the height of the street names.
The [Defaults] button will return the settings to the default settings (see page 3-9).
The [Classic Colors] button applies the Synchro 10 default colors.

Time Tracker in Synchro

The Time Tracker is used to count the time spent on a Synchro project. When a new file is saved for the first
time, the Time Tracker dialog is displayed asking for the user name input to start time counting. When an
existing file is opened, a user can input a new name or, click on the arrow at the right side of name editor, to
choose an existing name from the list of the users that already used Time Tracker for this project. After input
of the name, the time tracker starts counting the time.

Figure 3-2 Time Tracker Dialog

Time Tracker is displayed on the right side of Synchro’s title bar as a Play/Pause button and two time displays
current session time and the total time for the current user. If the Time Tracker option in the Options tab is
unchecked, the Time Tracker will be hidden and no longer displayed.

If the Time Tracker was previously disabled, it will not start automatically. Press the button to enter your
name and start the Time Tracker.

Time tracker has three states as described below.

Counting state

In this state, Time Tracker is counting the time. If you press the Time Tracker
button, Time Tracker will switch to the paused state and will not count the time.

Paused state

In this state, Time Tracker is not counting the time. If you press the Time Tracker
button, Time Tracker will switch to the counting state and will start counting the
time.

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Stopped state

In this state, Time Tracker does not count time. To turn off the Time Tracker, open the Synchro file and,
after the Time Tracker window appears, click “Disable” button or close the Time Tracker window
without typing any name.

Disabled state

In this state, Time Tracker is disabled; it does not count time and is hidden from the Toolbar. In this state, Time
Tracker will not be displayed in any Synchro file.

Time Tracker Report

To view and print the Time Tracker statistics, choose Create Report select the Time Tracker report from the
Other group.

Network Settings
The Network Settings allow you to make changes that impact the entire network. These settings affect the
default values for entries in the LANE, VOLUME, TIMING, PHASING, SIMULATION, and EMISSION settings
screens.

To access the NETWORK settings, select the Network Settings command from the Options tab.

To quickly access the Network Settings window, double click with the mouse on the related row in any
of the data entry settings.

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Figure 3-3 Network Settings

Because these settings will influence newly created intersections, it is strongly recommended that these
settings be entered first.
Most values have a button next to it marked [Set All]. Pushing this button will set all of the intersections in the
network to that value. Use these buttons with extreme caution. Pressing [Set All] for Cycle Lengths, for
instance, will cause all of the intersections in the network or zone to take on the new Cycle Length. Any custom
Split, Offset, or Cycle Length information will be lost. One or more zones can also be changed by choosing the
Scope prior to selecting [Set All] which will only change the cycle length within the selected zone.
The Set All Scope can be used to apply the settings to the Entire Network or a particular Zone.
All of these values, except Vehicle Length, Maximum Cycle Length, Pedestrian Walking Speed, Analysis Period,
and ICU Reference Cycle Length are defaults that may be changed locally at the intersection.
To switch between sections, press [Ctrl]+[Tab] or [Ctrl]+[Shift]+[Tab].
The [Default] button restores default values for all items in the Network Settings. The undo command can be
used after selecting the [Default] button to switch back to the previous settings (after closing the Network
Settings).

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Lane Settings
Lane Width
Lane Width is the width of a single lane in feet (meters). The default is 12 feet (3.7 meters). Also, see the topic
on Lane Widths on page 9-4.

Flow Rate
Flow Rate is the ideal Saturated Flow Rate per lane in the absence of any interference. The HCM 6th Edition
recommends using 1,900 vphpl as the default.

Vehicle Length
The Stored Passenger Car Length and Stored Heavy Vehicle Length is the average length of each vehicle type,
in ft (m), including the space between them when stopped. This value is used to calculate queue lengths and for
detecting blocking problems. The default value for passenger cars is 25 ft (7.6 m) and 45 ft (13.7 m) for heavy
vehicles.
The Vehicle Length is used in conjunction with the Storage Length and the length of links to determine if there
is adequate storage space for vehicles.

Passenger Car Equivalent for Heavy Vehicles

This value is the equivalent number of through cars for each heavy vehicle in the traffic stream. The Passenger
Car Equivalent for Heavy Vehicles (Et) is used to compute the Saturation Flow Rate Adjustment Factor for
Heavy Vehicles. Refer to 10-4 for details.

Allow Right Turn on Red

This field is used to specify whether Right Turns on Red (RTOR) are allowed by default.

Right Turn on Red is used to specify whether RTORs are allowed. Synchro automatically calculates a
Saturated Flow Rate (RTOR) if this option is selected. This field is also used for modeling RTOR in SimTraffic.

Travel Speed

The Travel Speed setting is the same as the Link Speed setting, located in the Lane Settings window. Travel
Speed should be set to the legal, safe speed that you expect after the traffic signals along the link are optimized.
See page 9-3 for details.

Area Type CBD

This field specifies whether Area Type Central Business District (CBD) is set by default. Check this box to set
CBD by default.

Volume Settings
Peak Hour Factor
The PHF is the ratio of the flow rate for the entire hour, to the flow rate for the peak 15 minutes. The default is
0.92. See the topic on Peak Hour Factor (page 10-3) for more information.

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Growth Factor
The Growth Factor can be used to adjust all volumes by a set amount. This is commonly used to convert current
traffic counts into future projections. See the topic on Growth Factor (page 10-4) for more information.

Heavy Vehicles
Heavy Vehicles is the percentage of trucks and heavy vehicles in the traffic stream. The default is 2%. If you are
analyzing an area with many trucks, consider using a higher value. See the topic on Heavy Vehicles (page 10-4)
for more information.

Conflicting Pedestrians
Conflicting Pedestrians is the number of pedestrians per hour crossing a given approach. The default is zero. If
you are analyzing an area with many pedestrians, consider assigning a default value. See the topic on Conflicting
Pedestrians (page 10-2) for more information.
Do not confuse this value with pedestrian calls. Conflicting pedestrians is the number of pedestrians that right
turns must yield to. Pedestrian Calls is the number of pedestrians activating the pedestrian push button.
Normally they will be the same.

Pedestrian Walking Speed

This setting is used for unsignalized intersection analysis. This setting also controls the pedestrian speed in
SimTraffic.

Analysis Period
This setting is used to modify the Analysis Period T that is used for delay calculations. Additional information
on the Analysis Period can be found in Chapter 19, Optimizations and Calculations.

Adj. Parking Lanes?

This field specifies whether Adjacent Parking Lanes is set by default. Check this box to set to Yes by default.

Timings Settings
Cycle Length
This is the cycle length, in seconds. See the topic on Cycle Length (page 11-6) for more information.

Maximum Cycle Length

The Maximum Cycle Length is the longest cycle length, in seconds, that is evaluated when optimizing the Cycle
Length. When optimizing intersection and network cycle lengths, Synchro will try a range of cycle lengths up to
the Maximum Cycle Length. The Cycle Length chosen will have the lowest combination of stops, delays, and
queue penalty.
Cycle lengths above 120s may offer incrementally more capacity, but they also have long queues, and may
increase frustration of motorists. It is difficult to maintain the saturation flow rate with long green times.

Allow Lead/Lag Optimize?

This is the default value for the Allow Lead/Lag Optimize? field in the TIMING SETTINGS window. Check this
box to allow lead-lag optimization by default.

Yellow Time
This is the amount of time for the Yellow Interval in seconds. See the topic on Yellow Time (page 11-7) for more
information.

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All Red Time

This is the amount of time for the all-red interval following the yellow interval. See the topic on All-Red Time
(page 11-7) for more information.

Lost Time Adjustment

The Lost Time Adjustment is the adjustment to the Total Lost Time. The Total Lost Time used in calculations is
the Y+AR plus the Lost Time Adjustment. The default for both startup lost time and extension of effective green
is 2.5 seconds, so the Lost Time Adjustment defaults to zero. See the topic on Lost Time Adjustment on page
11-7 for more information.

Reference Phase
This is the coordinated phase(s) to which offsets are referenced. Normally phases 2 and 6 are the coordinated
phase.

Offset Style
Offset Style is the portion of the phase to which offsets are referenced. Beginning of Green is the default for new
intersections and when using [Set All].
The options for Offset Style are:

Begin of Green: Offsets are referenced to the beginning of the last reference phase to turn green. This is
traditional NEMA referencing.

Begin of Yellow: Offsets are referenced to the beginning of the first reference phase to turn yellow. This
is 170 style referencing.

Begin of Red: Offsets are referenced to the beginning of the first reference phase to turn red.

TS2 -1st Green: Offsets are referenced to the beginning of the first reference phase to turn green. This is
the referencing used with some NEMA TS2 controllers.

170 Style: Referenced to start of FDW or start of yellow.

Minimum Splits, Left and Through

The Minimum Splits are the shortest allowable split, in seconds. Newly created intersections will have these
values for their minimum splits. Minimum Splits are used when optimizing the splits for an intersection.

Through phases will normally have a pedestrian phase associated with them, while left turn phases will
not. Therefore, the minimum required splits for through phases are typically longer than for left turn
phases.

See the topic on Minimum Splits (page 12-6) for more information.

Control Type

This is the type of controller used. The options are Pretimed, Actuated-Uncoordinated, Semi Actuated-
Coordinated, Actuated-Coordinated, Unsignalized and Roundabout. Refer to the topic on Control Type (page 8-
4) for more information.

ICU Reference Cycle Length

This is the reference cycle length used by the ICU calculations (see page 20-31 for additional details).

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Phases Settings
Minimum Initial
This is the minimum green time. This value is used for computing actuated green times (see page 12-6 for
additional details).

Vehicle Extension
This is the maximum gap time (see page 12-8 for additional details).

Minimum Gap
This is the minimum gap time, used with volume-density operation (see page 12-8 for additional details).

Time Before Reduce

Time Before Reduce is used with volume-density operation (see page 12-8 for additional details).

Time To Reduce
Time To Reduce is used with volume-density operation (see page 12-8 for additional details).

Pedestrian Phase
This field controls whether through phases will have a pedestrian phase by default or after [Set All].
Left phases do not normally have a pedestrian phase associated with them. Refer to page 12-9 for additional
details.

Walk Time
Time for pedestrian walk interval in seconds (see page 12-9 for additional details).

Flash Don’t Walk Time

Time for pedestrian clearance interval in seconds (see page 12-9 for additional details).

Pedestrian Calls
The number of pedestrian calls per hour at a push button (see page 12-9 for additional details).

Fixed Force Off?

This option will control the Fixed Force Off setting. Refer to page 12-10 for additional details.

Yield Point

This setting allows the Yield Point to be set for the network or zone. Refer to page 8-11 for additional details.

Simulation Settings
Taper Length

This setting controls the taper length for storage lanes. See page 14-2 for full details.

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Enter Blocked Intersection

The Enter Blocked Intersection setting controls simulation modeling gridlock avoidance. Checking the box will
set this value to Yes. An unchecked box is No. See the topic on page 14-3 for full details.

Crosswalk Width

This setting controls the width of the crosswalk. See page 14-5 for full details.

Simulation Turning Speeds

These are the default left and right turning speeds for vehicles in miles/hour (km/h) while inside the
intersection. Synchro does not use this information. It is only used when modeling in SimTraffic. Turning speed
is adjusted by driver speed factor. See page 14-6 for full details.

Emissions Settings
CO (g/gal)

The constant used within Synchro used to calculate Carbone Monoxide (CO) emissions.

NOx (g/gal)

The constant used within Synchro to calculate Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) emissions.

VOC (g/gal)

The constant used within Synchro used to calculate Volatile Oxygen Compounds (VOC) emissions.

Default Settings
The following settings have a [Default] button available:
✓ Network Settings (Synchro)
✓ Report Settings (Synchro and SimTraffic)
✓ Map Settings (Synchro and SimTraffic)
✓ Detector Settings (Synchro)
✓ Driver and Vehicle Parameters (SimTraffic)
✓ Interval Parameters (SimTraffic)

Using the [Default] button loads in the defaults for the given dialog, window or view.

The defaults are read from an intersection file (defaults.syn) located within the Trafficware directory. When a
user has a file with preferred defaults settings, it can be saved as the “defaults.syn” file and placed in the
Trafficware directory (or wherever Synchro is installed). If an organization wants to have standard settings for
everyone, they can deploy a defaults.syn to all users.

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Some organizations may lock down the application directory. Therefore, the administrator may need to
change or deploy the defaults file.

From the Network Settings or Detector Settings, pressing the [Default] button opens the Load Defaults dialog
(Figure 3-4).

Figure 3-4 Load Defaults Dialog

Check the options to include Network Defaults and/or Detector Templates. Then, choose one option to load the
values from the Defaults File or from a previously created file.

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– Scenario Manager
In a traffic study, it is common to create multiple scenarios of the same network. For example, you might have
two or more current traffic counts for AM, PM, Saturday, etc. Each of these counts may be scaled to various
future projected traffic volumes. With a large project, it can be difficult to track all the scenarios. Scenario
Manager allows saving multiple scenarios to a single Synchro file to track each alternative in the most
efficient way. It also allows quick switching between scenarios, allowing for easier comparison of results with
different volumes and/or timings.

Scenario Manager allows you to:

• Save multiple scenarios to a single Synchro file: With Scenario Manager, you can save multiple
scenarios in single Synchro file which allows you to reduce the number of Synchro files needed for
same network.
• Change the timing plan for each scenario separately: Scenario manager provides the option to
change the timing plan for each scenario individually.
• Change the volumes for each scenario separately: Scenario manager allows you to have different
volumes for each scenario
• Sync geometry across all scenarios: Change the geometry in one place and Synchro will
automatically apply the new geometry to all scenarios in the Synchro file.

The user interface is updated, introducing a vertical bar with options to operate the Scenario Manager
Window.

Scenario Manager Settings

SCENARIO MANAGER: Use this button to open the Scenario Manager Window.

CLOSE: Use this button to close the Scenario Manager Window.

SCENARIO SWITCHER: Use the dropdown (located middle in the menu bar) to switch
between the scenarios and it will display the selected scenario name.

Selecting a scenario using the scenario switcher dropdown automatically activate the selected
scenario without opening the Scenario Manager window.

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Figure 4-1 Scenario Manager Window

Upon clicking the Scenario Manager button a window with available scenarios will open (see Figure 4-1).

Expand All

To expand all the available scenarios, click expand all button located at the top of the Scenario Manager
window.

Collapse All

To collapse all the available scenarios, click collapse all button located at the top of the Scenario Manager
window.

Scenario Information
The Name field is used to name each scenario. The name should be different for each scenario.
The Description field is a text field, commonly used to describe the project or location of the network.

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The Data Date and Data Time are the date and time of the study period of that scenario.
Alternative describes the alternative being studied. For example, "Before Improvements" and "After
Improvements" or could be used for "Baseline Traffic" or "Traffic with Mondo Mall".
The Timing Plan ID is the name of the timing plan used. For example, AM Peak or PM Peak to indicate which
time-of-day plan is used.
The Analyst is the name of the person or company performing the traffic analysis.

Expand Scenario

To expand an individual scenario, click expand scenario button.

Collapse Scenario

To collapse an individual scenario, click collapse scenario button.

Delete Scenario

To delete an individual scenario, click delete button.

To delete a scenario, that scenario should be in inactive mode. User cannot delete a scenario when
it’s in the active state.

Save Scenario

To save an individual scenario into a separate Synchro file, click save scenario button.

Activate Scenario

The scenario represented in the main user interface (Volume Settings, Timing Settings window, etc) is the active
scenario. To activate a scenario, click the activate button. Once selected, the active
button is displayed for the currently active scenario.

Duplicate Scenario

The duplicate Scenario command allows the user to duplicate the entire selected scenario and create a new
scenario.

Copy Data from Scenario

Copy Data from Scenario command allows the user to copy Timings/Volumes/Network Settings data from one
scenario to another.

Scenario Manager Steps

• Scenario 1 is created by default upon opening a new Synchro file. As the active and only scenario, all
changes (volumes, geometry, signal timing) is applied to this scenario (see Figure 4-2).
• Click the SCENARIO MANAGER button to open the Scenario Manager Window.

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Figure 4-2 Scenario Manager (Default Scenario 1)

• Enter the scenario information as required (see Figure 4-3). Refer to page 4-1 for detailed definition
of scenario information data.

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Figure 4-3 Scenario Manager (Scenario Information)

• To create another scenario, select AM Peak Scenario, enter the required scenario information for the
new scenario under the Duplicate Scenario tab at the bottom of the Scenario Manager window and
click Duplicate. (see Figure 4-4).

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Figure 4-4 Scenario Manager (Duplicating Scenario)

• The new scenario (PM Peak Scenario), will appear in the Scenario Manager Window (see Figure
4-5).

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Figure 4-5 Scenario Manager (New Scenario)

To change the scenario data, Activate the scenario that requires data changes and then change the necessary
data.
Scenario Manager allows the user to change timings, volumes and network settings data in each scenario.
Geometric data is shared across all scenarios, which allows you to change geometry in one place and
automatically apply the change to all scenarios in the Synchro file.
To make it clear which data is shared across all scenarios and which is unique to per scenario there are indicator
icons with tool tips for each data entry window including Node Settings, Lane Settings, Volume Settings, Timing
Settings, Phase Settings, Detector Settings, Simulation Settings, Network Settings and Maps Settings windows.

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SHARED: Indicates the data is shared across all scenarios.

SCENARIO: This data applies only to the active scenario and will not be automatically inherited to
any other scenarios.

Control type under Node Settings has mixed properties which is indicated by the icon. The
control type is scenario specific when switching between signalized control type (Pretimed, Semi-
Actuated-Uncoordinated, Actuated-Uncoordinated and Actuated-Coordinated). However, when
switching between signalized to unsignalized or roundabout, this change will be applied to all
scenarios.

• To transfer/copy specific scenario data from one scenario to another, select the scenario you want to
copy data from, then select the scenario you want to copy data to from the dropdown located under
the Copy Data From Scenario tab at the bottom of the Scenario Manager window (see Figure 4-6),
then select the data you want to transfer and click Copy.

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Figure 4-6 Scenario Manager (Transferring Data)

SimTraffic also supports switching between different scenarios. Calibration data (Intervals & Volumes, Drivers
and Vehicles) may be edited per scenario.

SCENARIO SWITCHER: Use the dropdown (located middle in the menu bar) to switch
between the scenarios and it will display the selected scenario name.

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– Background Images
This chapter highlights the methods to deal with background images within the Map View. The use of
background images increases the efficiency of coding a Synchro network.

BingTM Maps
Synchro 11 introduces BingTM Maps as default background. This increases the efficiency of coding a Synchro
Network without putting in the extra effort to import a background image. Using Bing TM Maps assures that the
Synchro network is scaled properly and follows accurate latitude and longitude.
The user interface is updated, introducing a vertical bar at the left allowing options to operate BingTM maps.

BING: Use this button to view the BingTM Maps settings.

CLOSE: Use this button to close the BingTM Maps settings.

TOGGLE MAPS: Use this button to display or hide the default BingTM Maps background.

Starting with BingTM Maps as Default Synchro Background

Upon opening Synchro 11, a BingTM Maps is now the default background. A search bar will open automatically
and can be used to navigate to the required location.
1. Enter the location in the Search Bar (see Figure 5-1)

2. Click the button or hit Enter to find it in the map (see Figure 5-1)

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Figure 5-1 BingTM Maps Settings

3. Draw a single intersection at the desired location

4. Use the drag tool , if further position adjustments are needed

5. Click the icon to anchor the network position with the map (see Figure 5-2)

6. Upon clicking the button it will change to , indicating the network is anchored relative to
the background BingTM Map.

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Figure 5-2 Network Positioning on BingTM Maps

To re-position of the network, press the button, then reposition by dragging or searching as described
above.

Compatibility with Previous Versions

When opening a Synchro 10 file in Synchro 11, you will have the option to use the new Bing™ Map background.
For Synchro 10 files with a BingTM region already defined, your network will be positioned on the map according
to the previously defined BingTM Maps reference point. If necessary, follow the steps above to adjust the
position. If no BingTM region has been previously defined, you can use the Bing™ search bar to navigate to a new
location as you would with a new file, and then anchor the map to that location once positioned correctly (refer
to page 5-1).

Introducing Bing Maps as default Synchro background in Synchro 11, Synchro supports previous two methods
of adding background within the Map View. To change backgrounds; use the command Select Backgrounds
, located on the Home tab, and select the Background Bing Map tab as shown in Figure 5-3. To change the
background map, click on the drop down (“A” in Figure 5-3). The user is prompted for three options: Bing
(default Synchro background), Offline (regions of Bing™ background image) and none (no background map).
Depending on the preferences, the option can be chosen from the dropdown. By default, Bing Map background
displays the street and landmark names. If user doesn’t want to display them on map, show road and
landmark names box (“B” in Figure 5-3) should be unchecked.

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Figure 5-3 Select Background

Adding Background Image

Synchro supports importing multiple images at the same time for the map background. The file types supported
include:
✓ DXF, CAD vector file. In version 7 and later, the DXF file is referenced as an external file and not
embedded in the Synchro file (*.syn).
✓ SHP, GIS shape files. The shape files come with supporting index files and must be kept together in the
same directory. The user will have the option to set the color of the shape file.
✓ SID, GIS bitmap files. Synchro uses MrSID Decode from www.lizardtech.com to convert SID files from
GIS to JPEG format (see next section).
✓ JPG, JPEG, BMP, bitmap files.
✓ The background image can be a combination of any of the listed file types.
✓ The size of an image should be 25 M or less.

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JPEG is preferred to BMP due to compression. The JPEG format allows only part of the file to be
loaded when zoomed out.

To add, remove, or adjust backgrounds; use the command Select Backgrounds , located on the Home tab,
and select the Background Image List tab as shown in Figure 5-4. To add an image file, click on the [Add Image
File(s)] button (“C” in Figure 5-4). The user is prompted for a file or multiple files. These files can have the
extension JPG, JPEG, BMP, DXF, or SHP as defined above. When loading a bitmap file (bmp or jpg) it is necessary
to set the scale and base point. Once a bitmap file has been selected, the Set Bitmap Scale and Offset settings
will appear as shown in Figure 5-5.

Figure 5-4 Select Backgrounds List

The list of files is shown in the Background File List, labeled “A” in Figure 5-4. This file list includes the
following:
✓ Filename is the background image filename including the path.
✓ Type is the type of file (Bitmap, SHP, DXF, JPG).
✓ X, Y is the Synchro coordinate for the upper left hand corner of the image.
✓ X2, Y2 is the Synchro coordinates for the lower right hand corner of the image.
✓ X Sc, Y Sc is the image scale factor (see the section “Set Bitmap Scale and Offset” below).
✓ Color allows you to change the color of a GIS shape file.
✓ Hide will hide the background image when checked.
✓ Remove will remove the image from the background.

The [Compress] JPEG Files button (“D” in Figure 5-4) will prompt you for JPEG files. The selected files will be
loaded and resaved with higher compression, but less quality.

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! This function will alter your existing JPG files and reduce the image quality. Use this feature to
Warning reduce the file size of background bitmaps. You cannot undo this command.

The Convert SID files area (“E” in Figure 5-4) provides access to the MRSIDDECODE.EXE, freeware utility. This
is an unsupported DOS tool to help convert SID files into JPG. Select one or more SID files, a jpg and jgw file will
be created with the same base name as the SID file. The jgw file is a text file that contains coordinate and scaling
information. Synchro reads this to automatically set the scale for converted SID files.

The Scale setting can be used to reduce the scale and size of the converted files; 0 full size, 1 half size, 2 quarter
size, 3 1/8 size. Set this number before clicking convert. The resulting JPG must be less than 50M. If the source
file is large, use the following scales:

Size of SID File Use this scale

>200M 3

>100M 2

>40M 1

<=40M 0

Use the [Remove All] button to remove all files from list.

Use the [Hide All] button to temporarily turn off this file in the background but retain its information in the
list.

Use the [Show All] button to turn on all hidden files in the background.

Set Bitmap Scale and Offset

When loading a bitmap file (bmp or jpg) it is necessary to set the scale and base point. To modify the scale and
base point for a previously attached background image, double click on the location or scale values for the file
that is to be adjusted (as outlined as “B” in Figure 5-4). The Set Bitmap Scale and Offset settings will appear
as shown in Figure 5-5.

For converted SID files, the scale is automatically set so you can skip the Set Bitmap Scale and
Offset setting.

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Figure 5-5 Set Bitmap Scale and Offset Settings

The upper-left corner of the bitmap will have bitmap coordinates (0,0) in pixels. In an existing Synchro file, it
is necessary to match a point on the bitmap to a node in the Synchro file.
1. Click [Find] for world coordinates and select an intersection on the Synchro map. This will set the
World coordinates for the base point
2. Click [Find] for bitmap coordinates and select the point on the bitmap in the center of the previously
selected bitmap. This will set the Bitmap coordinates for the base point. The bitmap will be placed
so that the bitmap intersection is coincident with the Synchro intersection.
It is necessary to set the scale of the map. To help set the scale, Synchro allows you to measure distances on the
bitmap and in an existing Synchro map.
1. Click [Measure] for Feet (or Meters) and select the first point on a link of known length. Within a new
file, simply type in the distance of a known street length.
2. Click on the second point of the Synchro point with known length. This will set N in the formula, N
feet per M pixels.
3. Click [Measure] for Pixels and select the starting point of the same link on the bitmap.
4. Click on the second link point on the bitmap. This will set M in the formula N feet per M pixels.

Importance of Memory Footprint

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It is very important to keep the size of the files used as small as possible. All of the bitmaps and other files are
loaded into RAM and accessed whenever the map view changes.

Keep the total size of backgrounds under 25M, if possible. The limit in Synchro is 200 M; this is to prevent a
lockup of your computer from overuse of memory.

Some tips to keeping the background file sizes small.

✓ Use JPEG, not Bitmap, JPEG is compressed, and optimized for viewing when zoomed out.
✓ Use the scale factor when converting SID to JPEG.
✓ Load files in a picture editor such as Microsoft Photo Editor or Adobe Photo Shop, resave with
compression on high, and image quality low. Set off network areas to a single color. For extremely large
files, resize the image to ½ size or ¼ size.
✓ Remove tiled bitmaps that are not part of the street network.

Using Bing™ to Add a Background Image

Synchro allows users to import up to ten (10) regions of Bing™ background image tiles. This feature assists in
importing internet-based images and ensuring that the scaling is appropriate. It also allows for the creation of
a mosaic of images that will properly align. You can hide/unhide regions of interest to help keep the PC memory
footprint reasonable. To use this option, an internet connection must be available during the import (not
necessary after the images are cached).

In a new or existing Synchro file, use the command Select Backgrounds , located on the Home tab, and
Background Bing Map tab (labeled “A” in Figure 5-6). Click on the drop down (“B” in Figure 5-6) and select
the option Offline.

Figure 5-6 Bing Region List

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Add New Bing™ Region

To add a new region of Bing™ tiles to the background, select the [Create Bing Region] button (“D” in Figure
5-6).

After selecting to create a new region, there will be a new window Create Bing Region dialog (see Figure 5-7)
that uses Bing™ Maps to:
• Navigate the world map.
• Choose area boundaries and save the region.
• Set the reference between the map and the synchro file by setting a pair of reference points on the
Bing™ map and the synchro file.
• Add the selected region as the synchro background.

To navigate the map to find a desired location, you may use pan and zoom, type an address or enter the name
of a place of interest in the search input line and conduct the search.

Figure 5-7 Define Map Region

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Set Region Boundaries

Press the Select Region button (Figure 5-7) and drag a box around the desired area on the Bing™ map. The
region will be shown as a yellow box and will mark the map area to be saved as the background image.

Set Reference

After defining the region boundaries, the cursor will automatically switch to a pushpin icon. Click the mouse on
the Bing™ map to choose a reference point. You will see a tan pushpin on the selected point. Press Next to open
the Set Synchro Reference Point window. Select a corresponding point on the Synchro MAP View or to
manually enter a World Coordinate (see Figure 5-8). The Map and Synchro points will denote the same
geographic point to tie the world map to the Synchro coordinates.

If you have a current Synchro

Pan and Zoom network drawn, click on a base
controls intersection in this area to set the
Synchro coordinate for the World
Coordinate

If no Synchro network has been

created, manually enter your
desired World Coordinate

The Bing(tm) Map reference point

will be set to match the World
Coordinate established in this step

Figure 5-8 Set Synchro Reference Point Dialog

Save Region

Press OK to save the selected map area. All Bing™ images tiles are cached to the Synchro 10 installation
directory.

By default, the maximum zoom level (highest resolution) is used when acquiring the Bing™ image tiles unless
the area defined by the region is greater than allowed by Bing™ Maps. If so, the zoom level will be decreased
incrementally until the tiles required can be acquired. If the resulting resolution is lower than desired, try
defining multiple regions with each having a smaller area.

Adding Multiple Bing™ Regions

For larger or irregularly shaped study areas it may be helpful to add multiple background images. Up to ten
(10) Bing™ images may be added to a Synchro file. For each additional region, repeat the steps to Add New
Bing™ Region and Set Region Boundaries.

All Bing ™ regions in a file will use the same Reference Point, so it is only required to set the
reference point for the first Bing™ region added to a file.

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Change Name of Bing™ Region

Each Bing Region created will automatically be given the name of Region 1, Region 2, etc. This name can be
changed to any text string that is 20 characters or less. To change the name of a Bing™ Region, select that region
in the list and modify the name in the edit box (labeled as “E” in Figure 5-6).

Refresh a Bing™ Region

The tiles that comprise a Bing™ Region are stored in Synchro’s image cache. To download a more up to date
image from Bing™ Maps, select the appropriate region from the list and click on the [Refresh] button for that
region. This process maintains the current region definition as it retrieves the current image tiles from Bing™.
An Internet connection is required for this process.

Hide or Remove a Bing™ Region

Bing™ Regions can be made visible or invisible on the background, or they can be removed from the current
Synchro file. To display/hide a region while maintaining the region’s data, select the Hide checkbox on the
appropriate Bing™ Region listing. To remove a region’s reference in the Synchro file, select the [Remove]
buttom for that region.

Clear Bing™ Image Cache

To clear Synchro’s Bing™ image cache, select the [Clear Cache] button (“F” in Figure 5-6). If the current Synchro
file contains any Bing™ Regions, the image download process will immediately begin once the cache has been
cleared.

Clearing the Bing™ image cache will clear the entre cache for the current Synchro file and all
others. Once the cache is cleared, all Synchro files that contain a Bing Region will have to go
! through the download process to reacquire the Bing™ image tiles when opening the file.
Warning
Clearing the cache does not remove any defined Bing Regions from a Synchro file. You cannot
undo this command.

Street Name and Volume Label Backgrounds

The Map Settings dialog includes a visible checkbox. If it is checked, street names and volume labels will be
drawn over a rectangle of the background color to be more readable over a background bitmap. If not checked,
the street names and volume labels will be drawn without this rectangle.

Background Visable Checked Background Visable Unchecked

Figure 5-9 Background Visible in Map Settings

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– Coding the Roadway Network

This chapter highlights the various elements within Synchro that are used to create a roadway network. Various
coding tips are also highlighted throughout the chapter.

Introduction to Links and Intersections

Synchro models streets and intersections as links and nodes. These links and nodes are created in the MAP
view. Every intersection to be analyzed in the study area is represented by a node.

Synchro has the ability to create curved links. See the topic on How to Add a Link, page 6-2

There are two types of links: internal links and external links. Internal links represent a section of street
between two intersections. External links indicate an approach to an intersection that does not connect to
another signalized intersection.

Bend Nodes
A node with exactly two links is assumed to be a bend node. A bend node is a special case of an unsignalized
intersection. Volume and timing data is not entered for a bend node; however, lane data can be entered. Synchro
assumes the volumes and lanes from the downstream intersection. The number of lanes on a link approaching
a bend node can be changed with the LANE settings (see Chapter 9).
Creating bend are useful in order to create a taper (lane add or lane drop) within a link.

If you plan to use your Synchro network for simulation in SimTraffic, minimize the number of bends that
you create. Bend nodes increase the time for calculations. Excessive bends and short links cause
SimTraffic to model vehicles at slower speeds.

Unsignalized Intersections
Synchro 9.0 models unsignalized intersections (including roundabouts) based on the 2000 and 2010 Highway
Capacity Manuals. Input requirements include turning movement counts, intersection geometry and sign
control type for each approach (stop, yield or free flow).

Synchro 10.0 currently models TWSC, AWSC, and roundabout intersections based on the HCM 6th
Edtion, 2010, and 2000.

Unsignalized intersections can be used to model merging and diverging traffic flows from two or more link
segments. In addition, median areas and two-way left-turn lanes can be used to approximate real world
applications encountered in the field.
Unsignalized intersections created in Synchro can be simulated using SimTraffic. The analysis of unsignalized
intersections with SimTraffic is especially helpful for spotting blocking problems and for observing the
interaction of signalized intersections and unsignalized intersections (stop, yield and roundabout).

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Mapping out Links and Intersections

It is often helpful to sketch a large network using a photocopy of a detailed map of the study area. The sketch
can be used to record intersection numbers, link distances, speeds and lane configurations before coding these
details in Synchro.
Another option is to import a base map in (DXF, GIS, BMP or JPEG format) into Synchro as the base layer. Links
and nodes can then be created on top of the graphic layer. If you are using accurate base maps, the distances
and angles can be traced on the base map.
The steps to mapping out links and intersections are as follows:
a) Identify the intersections to be analyzed.
b) Identify the internal links and determine the length and direction of each link. Synchro indicates
direction by azimuths (North = 0°, East = 90°, South = 180°, etc.).
c) Identify the external links and determine their direction. If using Synchro only, the length of the
external link is not important. If you plan to export the study area to SimTraffic, then the length of the
external link should be long enough to allow vehicles to make a downstream maneuver. While highly
dependent on the volume level, an external length of 2000 feet (610 m) typically works well. This
should allow vehicles ample time to make decisions regarding their downstream movement. Increase
this length if vehicles appear to have difficulties getting into their target lane.
When drawing a link, the angle is shown in the lower left hand corner of the MAP view. North is always up (zero
degrees). Synchro allows up to eight links per node. Each link is assigned to the closest compass point heading
(North, North-west, North-east, etc.).
Chapter 7 explains how to manually change the approach directions assigned by Synchro when links are added
to the network. However, the user should refrain from changing the assigned direction as much as possible.

It is not necessary to determine the exact length of the links. It is sufficient to determine the distance to
within 20 or 30 feet (6 to 8 meters). The primary use of street lengths is to determine travel times. A car
traveling at 30 mph (50 km/h) covers 20 feet (6 meters) in 0.5 seconds. Travel time less than 1 second is
not significant for Synchro's offset calculations. To make a link a precise distance, move the node to an
exact coordinate location with the NODE settings (see Chapter 7).

Before changing the geometry of an existing network, back up your data files to a different location or
filename. Changes to network geometrics may cause intersection data to become lost if an intersection is
re-configured, for example.

How to Add a Link

To add a link to the map:

1. Select the Add Link button or press the [A] key.

2. Position the mouse cursor on the MAP view where you want the link to start, and click the left mouse
button. The status indicators, at the lower-right corner of the settings, show the East and South
coordinates in feet (meters). Note: To cancel adding a link, press [Esc].
3. Release the mouse button and move the cursor to the position on the map where you want the link
to end. Click the left mouse button again. Refer to the status bar at the bottom of the settings to see
the length and direction of the link.

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Press and hold the [Shift] key while drawing to create a link centered on a 45-degree compass point on
the map.

It is not necessary to have the exact distance when adding a link. The distance can be adjusted via the LANE
Settings. However, new links added to the network should be within 50 feet of actual link distances to insure
accuracy during simulation.

It can sometimes be tricky to create short links because Synchro will snap to a nearby node. To reduce
the snap distance, reduce the Intersection Radius with the Options→Map View command.

How to Add an Intersection

There is no direct command to add an intersection to the map. Intersections are created automatically when
you insert a link that crosses an existing link in the network. Simply, insert a new link over an existing link at
the center of the intersection you wish to add to the network. The existing link will be broken into two link
segments at the intersection.
Intersections cannot be created from curved links. Therefore, create intersections from straight link segments
and then add curvature to the links using Bezier curves.

Press and hold the [Ctrl] key while drawing to create a link that is grade separated. No intersection is
created where the links cross.

How to Draw Closely Spaced Intersections

When adding a link, Synchro will attempt to connect the link to nearby existing points. Make the nodes at least
100 feet (33m) apart and then move them closer together.

If you are using this file with SimTraffic, Trafficware recommends nodes to be at least 70 ft apart.

How to Delete a Link

To remove a link from the map:
a) Select the link by clicking on it with the left mouse button. Half the link will become highlighted.
b) Press the [Delete] key.
c) Select [Yes] to the question, "Delete Link, are you sure?"
The link will be removed from the screen. If the link was connected to an intersection with only two links, that
intersection will be removed as well.

How to Delete an Intersection

To remove an intersection from the map:
1. Select the intersection by clicking on it with the left mouse button. The node will become highlighted.
2. Press the [Delete] key.
3. Answer [Yes] to the question, "Delete Intersection. Are you sure?"

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Any through links going through this intersection will be joined together. Any other links going to adjacent
intersections will be shortened to preserve data at adjacent intersections. Any joined links will be redrawn.

How to Move an Intersection or External Node

To move an intersection or external node on the map:

1. Select the Move Node button or press the [M] key.

2. Select an intersection, or the end of an external link, by clicking on it with the left mouse button. Note:
You can cancel a move operation by pressing [Esc], or by clicking the original intersection location.
3. Drag the intersection, or node, to the new location and click the left mouse button.
If an external node is moved onto another external node, the two nodes will be combined as a new intersection.
However, existing intersections cannot be combined with other intersections or external nodes.
Synchro automatically assigns lane groups that agree with the layout of the network. Therefore, it is possible
that a realigned link forces Synchro to adjust the lane group assigned to the link. For example, if the relative
angle between two links is changed from 180º to 90º, there will no longer be a through lane group for these
links. Synchro preserves the lane group data. If a movement changes from NBL to NBT, for example, the data
for NBL will be transferred to NBT.
To move to exact coordinates, see the topic on Node Coordinates on page 8-3.

Limit of One Link for Each of Eight Directions

The maximum number of links that can meet at each intersection is eight. There can only be one link for each
of the eight major directions (North, South, East, West, North-East, North-West, South-East and South-West).
This limitation is due to the way that Synchro stores intersections and links. This limitation should not be a
problem for the vast majority of intersections, it might be a problem when there are two or more diagonal
streets that cross or join. It might be possible to relabel headings to overcome this limitation (see the topic
Changing the Name of the Approach Direction on page 7-4).

Select Intersection
Use the Select-Intersection button or the [F8] key to bring up a list of the intersections in your
network. This will bring up the Select Intersection settings.

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Figure 6-1 Select Intersection Settings

Choosing an intersection from the list and pressing [OK] will switch the current settings to that intersection.
The Map View will be centered on the selected intersection.

The Select Intersection setting is used to select whether intersections or named arterials are displayed. The
intersections can be listed by name or node number. All nodes, including bends and external nodes, can be
listed by node number.

Selecting a named arterial will bring up a Time-Space diagram showing the arterial. The Named Arterial view
can show part of an arterial based on its name, zone, or route #. The Named Arterial view can also show an
arterial that turns corners. See the topic Arterial Route Naming on page 9-2.
The Scope box can be used to view the list by a named zone or for the entire network.

Templates Submenu
The Templates submenu, located in the Lanes & Volumes group on the Home tab, can be used to
quickly populate an approach or intersection lane geometry, timing, and volume input fields. This
section highlights the various options users regarding this new feature.

This feature is used once an intersection is created. After the intersection is created, simply select the approach
or intersection and then press one of the six new template icons that best meets the intersection’s configuration.
The appropriate data entry settings for the approach or intersection will then be populated.

The predefined templates can be customized to match user preferences based on local needs. In addition, users
can also create additional templates for use with the Merge Template command , located in the Lanes &
Volumes group on the Home tab.

Edit Predefined Template

1. Within Synchro, open one of the Template Files that are located within the C:\Program Files
(x86)\Trafficware\Version10\Template directory. Be sure to change the file type to Template.

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2. Update the lane, volume, and/or timing attributes as necessary.

3. Save the Template.
4. The updated Template will now be available in Synchro.
Create New Template File
1. Within Synchro, open one of the Template Files that are located within the C:\Program Files
(x86)\Trafficware\Version10\Template directory. Be sure to change the file type to Template.
2. Now select File→Save As and enter a new filename. Be sure the file type remains Template.
3. Update the lane, volume, and/or timing attributes as necessary.
4. Save the Template.
5. To access this new template, select the approach or intersection that you wish to update.

6. Select Merge Template , located in the Lanes & Volumes group on the Home tab, and choose the
newly created Template file.
7. Choose the appropriate Options that you wish to apply to the selected approach or intersection.
8. Press OK to apply the selected attributes.

Link Menu Options

To access the Link Menu, right click on the link within the Map View.

Figure 6-2 Link Menu Options

Time-Space Diagram

Choose the Street Name Up command to set the street name over or under the current link. If you move the
street name over the link, the menu will read Street Name Down.

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Delete

Choose the Delete command to remove the selected link from the Synchro network.

Add Curvature
Synchro allows users to add curvature to link segments using Bezier curves which are commonly found in CAD
and drawing packages. Bezier curves can be used to approximate any curvature represented on the base
drawing.
Simply right-click on a straight link segment and select Add-Curvature. Two squares (curve points) will appear
on the curved links which serve as control points. Select and drag a control point to modify the shape of the
curve. With a little practice, you can create smooth arcs and curves that represent any geometry found in your
street network.
Synchro will calculate the length of the curve. It should be possible to create a 270-degree loop ramp using 2
links with one bend node. Most other alignments should be possible with a single segment. The curvature can
be removed by "right clicking" on the link and selecting Remove-Curvature. If two links are joined because an
intersection is removed, the links will lose their curvature. The direction of traffic at the intersection (i.e., NB,
EB, NE, etc.) is determined by the direction of the first control point, rather than the direction of the next node.
This can be used to increase the angle between diagonals at the intersection.

The curve points must be placed after any tangents from a right turn Island, otherwise image distortion
will occur.

Street Name Up

Choose the Street Name Up command to set the street name over or under the current link. If you move the
street name over the link, the menu will read Street Name Down.

Move Street Name

Choose the Move Street Name to move the street name along the street. The label or street name becomes
highlighted. When the mouse is placed over this label, it starts following the motion of the mouse until the left
mouse is clicked.

Hide/Show Street Name

Select the Hide Street Name or Show Street Name to hide/show the street name in Synchro and SimTraffic.
The LANE SETTINGS window has corresponding Link Is Hidden checkboxes for each link (street). If a
checkbox is checked, the link is not visible.

Switch Diagram Position

Choose the Switch Diagram Position to move the diagram label over or below the current link.

Move Volume Diagram

Selecting the Move Volume Diagram option moves the diagram label along the street. The label becomes
highlighted. When the mouse gets over this label, it starts following the motion of the mouse until the left mouse
is clicked.

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View Ports

A View Port is a separate viewing window available within the Map View Window. Users have the ability to
create up to four (4) View Ports within the Synchro Map View Window. Each View Port is independent of each
other, thus allowing users to zoom in or out without affecting the roadway network within the main Synchro
Map View window.

Figure 6-3 View Ports

To create a View Port, complete the following steps:

1. Select the View Ports button , located in the View Options group on the Home tab.
2. Click left mouse button within the Synchro Map window to designate the upper-left corner of the
View Port. The cursor should change to a large plus symbol.
3. Drag the cursor to the right until you have reached the desired location for the lower-right corner of
the View Port.
4. Let go of the left mouse button to create the View Port.
5. Options for zooming and panning within the View Port window itself are located at the upper left.
6. Click on the Pin Icon (located in the lower left corner) to allow the View Port window to stay in front
of the Synchro Map screen. The Pin Icon allows a user to Lock/Unlock the View Port window so that
the window will stay on top of the Synchro Map View window.
7. If the View Ports were not Pinned, each of the View Ports will become hidden if a selection within
Synchro is made. If View Ports have been created, an arrow is displayed below the View Ports button
on the toolbar, turning this option into a submenu, as shown in Figure 6-4. The hidden View Ports
can be displayed by using this submenu.

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Figure 6-4 View Ports Submenu

Rotate, Scale and Move the Map's Coordinate System

Use the Transform Map button to move, scale, or rotate the entire map. If your map was initially laid
out with a different coordinate system, you can change it with this command.

To translate the map, do the following steps:

1. Select the Transform-Map button command.
2. Click on an intersection that has known coordinates in the new coordinate system.
3. The Transform Map view will appear with the existing coordinates of the selected intersection.
Enter the new coordinates for this intersection and select [OK].
4. Enter a scale factor or rotation angle. The scale and rotation base point will be the selected
intersection.
5. The map will be translated. Any background image will be cleared.
6. To change a map between feet and metric units, use the Metric checkbox, located on the Options tab.

Drawing Features
Freeway Links
Freeways can be coded for simulation with SimTraffic using the same links and nodes as surface streets and
intersections. Each direction of the freeway is coded with a one-way link or as a single link with a wide median.
For setting the median width, see the discussion on Median Width on page 14-3.
Freeways typically have higher speeds and flow rates than signalized intersections. You can set freeway link
speeds and headway factors using the LANES and SIMULATION options (double click on the link to access
these settings). When you set the default Saturation Flow (see page 9-8) for the link, the Headway factor (see
page 14-6) will automatically calculate.

Freeway Merges
Figure 6-5 shows a freeway merge in Synchro. Here are the steps to creating a freeway merge in Synchro.
1. The merge point is a 3-legged unsignalized intersection.
2. Create a bend node 200 to 1000 ft downstream of the merge. The acceleration lane will end here. The
distance from the merge to the lane drop should represent the acceleration lane distance or the
distance to where the taper is less than 1/2 of a lane width.

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3. Select the LANE settings for the acceleration link. Code the number of lanes equal to the sum of the
mainline lanes plus the number of ramp lanes. No lanes should merge or cross at the merge point. Set
the Saturation Flow to an appropriate value for freeway links (2000 – 2200 vphpl).
4. Select the TIMING settings for the merge intersection. Set the control type to Unsignalized and all sign
control to Free. The ramp should not have a stop or yield sign.
5. Select the SIMULATION OPTIONS settings for the merge intersection. Set the turning speeds to the
speed limit. Do not use the default right turning speed of 9 mph; this will cause unacceptable slowing
at the merge. The headway factors headway factor is automatically updated based on the input
Saturation Flow. Adjust the Link Offset as described on page 14-4.

Code the number of lanes

equal to the sum of the
mainline lanes plus the
number of ramp lanes. Bend node at point where
acceleration lane ends
(place at location where taper
Downstream Link has is < 1/2 of a lane width)
acceleration lane

Intersection has Sign

Control of "Free"

a should be >= 20
degrees to keep size of
intersecion small

Notes:
- Set the Turning Speed to the appropriate value.
- Change the Saturation Flow for freeway links.
- Set the Link Offset equal to the width of the mainline

Figure 6-5 Freeway Merge

Freeway Diverges
Figure 6-6 illustrates a freeway diverge. Diverges are coded with a single unsignalized intersection. No
deceleration lane is required, but one can be coded similar to the acceleration lane for a two lane on ramp.
Here are the steps to creating a freeway diverge.
1. The diverge point is a 3 legged unsignalized intersection.
2. Select the TIMING settings for the diverge intersection. Set the control type to Unsignalized and all
sign control to Free.
3. Select the LANE settings and set the Saturation Flow to an appropriate value for freeway links (2000
– 2200 vphpl).

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4. Select the SIMULATION OPTIONS settings for the diverge intersection. Set the turning speeds to the
speed limit. Do not use the default right turning speed of 9 mph, this will cause unacceptable slowing
at the merge. The headway factors headway factor is automatically updated based on the input
Saturation Flow. Adjust the Link Offset as described on page 14-4.

a
Diverge point is an
Unsignalized Intersection
with control type "Free"
a should be >= 20
degrees to keep size of
intersecion small

Notes:
- Set the Turning Speed to the appropriate value.
- Change the Saturation Flow for freeway links.
- Set the Link Offset to the width of the mainline (use a negative value)

Figure 6-6 Freeway Diverge

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– Overview of Data Entry Settings

Data can be input, edited and viewed with the data entry setting buttons after links and nodes have been created
in the MAP view. The data entry buttons are greyed out and not accessible until either a link or node is selected
on the map. Figure 7-1 shows the location of the data entry setting buttons in Synchro.

Figure 7-1 Data Entry Settings

Full View Data Entry

Data entry in Synchro is performed with a traditional full screen view or a MAP view side entry. In full view
data entry, the MAP view will disappear. To activate, select an intersection from the MAP view and select the
desired data entry button along the top of Synchro.
Figure 7-2 illustrates the full view data entry screen for the LANE settings. Details on the settings are found in
the upcoming chapters.

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Figure 7-2 Full View Data Entry, LANES Settings

The full view data entry screens will show all available movement headings. The available movement headings
will depend on the layout of the links. For instance, a T-intersection will have 6 columns visible and a 4-leg
intersection will have twelve columns visible.

The direction headings are based on the angle of the link as drawn in the MAP view (north is always up, or zero
degrees).

Side View Data Entry

In addition to a full view data entry screen, data can also be entered with a side view screen. This view displays
the data entry rows on the left side of the MAP view allowing you to see the data update as you enter. To activate
the side view data entry, double click on a link approaching an intersection.

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Figure 7-3 Side View Data Entry, LANES Settings

The side view setting that will open is based on the last view edited. By default, the LANE settings will appear.
To choose a new view, click on the appropriate data entry settings button or press an [F] key.

You can toggle between full screen and side view with the [F] keys. Press [F3] for lanes, [F4] for volumes, [F5]
for timing, [F6] for phasing, [F10] for simulation settings and [F11] for detector settings.

The top of the side view settings contains a series of buttons.

The [X] button will close the side view settings. The second button will toggle between full view and side view.
The red circle will bring up the NODE settings and the arrows will switch the approach.

When displaying the side view of the PHASING settings for a direction, it will show all phases that serve that
direction.

Lanes and Volumes Data Rows

The first two rows of the LANE, VOLUME, TIMING, SIMULATION OPTIONS and DETECTORS settings will
show the Lanes and Sharing row followed by the Traffic Volume row. This will reduce the need to switch
back and forth between settings.

Details on the Lanes and Sharing setting can be found on page 9-1 and for the Traffic Volume setting on page
10-1.

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Changing the Name of the Approach Direction

To change the name of an approach direction, right click on the column label of the LANE, VOLUME, TIMING,
SIMULATION OPTIONS or DETECTORS settings. Double click on the desired direction name to reassign the
direction. To reset to the original map direction, select "Free".

The column label appears in the side view when you double click on a link. The column label displays a
directional arrow and a heading name (for instance, NBL, NBT, NBR, SBL, SBT, etc.)

The ability to change the approach heading is intended to reclassify diagonal approaches into orthogonal
approaches (NB, SB, EB, WB). This is not intended to rotate an entire intersection or map. North must always
be up on the MAP view.

.
Figure 7-4 Warning Screen

To navigate between intersections, click on the column heading picture to move in that direction. For
instance, click on the EBT column heading arrow to move to the intersection to the east. Clicking on the
EBL column heading arrow will move to the intersection to the north.

Approach Movements
Synchro will allow 6 movements per approach. This includes one through, one U-turn, two lefts and two rights.
The through is defined as the opposing direction. Consider the six-leg intersection shown in Figure 7-5.
Traveling from nodes 1-2-5 is assigned the EBT direction, 1-2-4 is the EBL, 1-2-3 is the EBL2 (hard left), 1-2-1
is the U-turn, 1-2-6 is the EBR and 1-2-7 is the EBR2 (hard right).

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Figure 7-5 Approach Movements

If you do not have two opposing directions that line up (i.e., EB and WB), then there would be no through
movement defined. If you want a through movement to be defined, the opposing link must be labeled with the
opposing direction. You could change the approach name (as defined above) to create the through movement.

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– Node Settings
To activate the NODE settings, double click on an intersection or select an intersection and press enter.

Signalized Intersection
The left side of the TIMING settings will display the NODE settings with alternate rows displayed in yellow.
Here you can update data such as the node number, zone name, intersection coordinates, description notes and
signal timing data. See Chapter 8 for full details on the NODE settings.
On the right side are blue shaded rows and columns. There is a column for every vehicle movement and every
vehicle movement can have multiple phases. To enter multiple phases, see the topic on Protected and
Permitted Phases on page 11-4. There is also a column for a pedestrian only phase and a Hold phase. To make
a pedestrian only phase, assign a phase number to this column. Details on the data entry items are found in
subsequent sections of this chapter.
Near the bottom of the TIMING settings are a Splits and Phasing diagram. This is fully defined on page 11-9.

Unsignalized Intersection
The TIMING settings become the SIGNING settings by selecting unsignalized or roundabout from the Control
Type (refer to page 8-4). The toolbar button becomes a stop sign when an unsignalized intersection is active.
[F5] opens the SIGNING settings or TIMING settings depending on the intersection.
To activate the NODE settings, double click on an intersection or select an intersection and press [Enter]. Figure
8-1 illustrates the NODE settings.

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Figure 8-1 NODE Settings

The NODE settings allow the following values to be edited:

✓ Intersection ID or Node Number
✓ Zone
✓ Cycle Length, Control Type, Lock Timings and Optimize buttons
✓ Coordinates (X, Y, Z)
✓ Description Note box
✓ Signal Timing data (controller, offset, etc.)

Selecting Multiple Intersections

Multiple intersections are selected by dragging a rectangle around the group of intersections.
1. Left-click on the map background being careful not to select a link or node.
2. While holding the button down, drag a rectangle to the opposite corner.
3. When the desired intersections are inside the rectangle, release the mouse button.
Bend nodes are automatically selected if an adjacent intersection is selected.

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Additional intersections can be selected or deselected by clicking on them with the mouse while holding down
the [Ctrl] key down.

The NODE settings can be used with a group of intersections to set the zone, change the control type or cycle
length, or lock/unlock the timings.

Node Number
All intersections and external nodes are assigned a unique node number used to identify the node in reports
and data exported to UTDF.

Zone
Synchro allows intersections to be assigned to zones (use up to 7 characters). Zones are useful for analyzing a
section of a network. Use zones to keep the timings for some intersections constant while the timings for other
intersections are changed.
The following features can be used on a per-zone basis:
✓ Optimize Network Cycle Lengths (see page 19-11)
✓ Optimize Network Offsets (see page 19-18)
✓ Reports (see page 23-1)
✓ Universal Traffic Data Format (see page 24-1)

Zones with Calculations and Optimizations

If adjacent intersections have the same (or half or double) cycle lengths, they will be modeled as coordinated,
even if they are in different zones.
A Time-Space diagram will show all intersections along an arterial even if the arterial crosses several zones.
Offset optimization considers compatible cycle lengths of adjacent intersections even if they are assigned to
different zones.
The feature Optimize Network Cycle Lengths allows the user to assign a cycle length for the entire network
or by zone.
The Partition Network command reassigns zones to optimize cycle lengths within each zone while attempting
to preserve existing zone assignments as much as possible.
The user may designate an intersection in the zone as a master reference. This master will be used as the time
reference for all intersections assigned to the same cycle length. However, if no master is defined, then Synchro
will use an arbitrary time reference for the cycle length. Intersections are assigned to a master based on a
common cycle length, not by zone.

Using Multiple Zones

Multiple zones may be selected in dialog boxes that request zones by separating the zone numbers with a
comma. For example, to select zones N and S under SELECT REPORTS, enter "N, S" in the dialog box.

Node Coordinates
The NODE settings allow the X, Y and Z coordinates to be entered exactly. The coordinates of the nodes are used
in the layout of the map and the geometry of intersection approaches.
The X, Y and Z coordinate settings provide a convenient method for moving intersections to exact coordinates.
The coordinates are for the center point of the intersection. For traffic engineering purposes, it is good enough
to have the coordinates to within 20 feet.

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To create an overpass, assign a higher Z coordinate elevation to the nodes of the overpass link. The Z elevation
is only used for visual purposes.

Description
The Description cell is a convenient location to type notes about the intersection. The information will appear
at the bottom of the Intersection Reports (see the chapter on Reports and Printing on page 23-1).

Control Type
Timing Settings
Use the Control Type field to indicate what type of controller you are using. The choices are Pretimed, Semi-
Actuated-Uncoordinated, Actuated-Uncoordinated, Actuated-Coordinated, Roundabout and Unsignalized. Here
is a brief description of each signal control type.
Pretimed: A pretimed signal has no detector actuations and all phases are set to Maximum recall. The signal is
considered coordinated because the cycle length is fixed each cycle.
Semi-Actuated-Uncoordinated: A semi-actuated signal recalls the main street through phases to their
Maximum values. Other assigned phases may skip or gap-out based on vehicle detection. This signal is not
considered coordinated because the cycle length can vary each cycle.
Actuated-Uncoordinated: All phases are fully actuated and no recalls are set. The cycle length is allowed to
vary each cycle (based on detection), so the intersection is considered uncoordinated.
Actuated-Coordinated: In this case, all phases other than the assigned coord phases are fully actuated. The
signal operates on a fixed cycle length and any unused time in the cycle is added to the assigned coord phases.

Actuated-Coordinated and Semi-Actuated-Uncoordinated are not the same. With coordinated

operation, any unused time on minor phases is used by the main street. With semi-actuated operation,
any unused time on minor phases shortens the cycle length.

Signing Settings
When you select an unsignalized intersection, the TIMING settings button switches to the SIGNING settings
button. The symbol of the [F5] button also switches from the signal symbol to a stop sign to indicate whether
the selected intersection is signalized or unsignalized.
Unsignalized: Traffic movements at unsignalized intersections may be free-flow or controlled by stop or yield
signs. Both the 2000 and 2010 HCM methods are available to the user.
Roundabouts: Synchro models single lane traffic circles or roundabouts using the HCM methods (6th Edition,
2010, and 2000). The 2000 method only analyzes single lane roundabouts and the only output is a range of v/c
ratios. There is no attempt to produce delays or queues. The HCM 6th Edition and 2010 methods (see pages 16-
38 and 17-32) model multi-lane roundabouts, including calculating delay and queuing.

Roundabouts are modeled in SimTraffic. The user can input the number of lanes in the roundabout, the
inside and outside radius, the speed, sign control to entering the roundabout and the number of exit lanes;
this information is ignored by Synchro.

Cycle Length
The cycle length is the total time required to service all competing traffic movements at a signalized or
unsignalized intersection. Coordination fixes the cycle length at a constant value and insures that all slack time
not utilized by the actuated phases is used by the assigned coord phases.

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The user may specify the desired cycle length in seconds for each intersection.

To set a default for newly created intersections or to change all of the Cycle Lengths, use the Network Settings.
The minimum value allowed by Synchro is 3 seconds. Coordinated cycle lengths are typically in the 30 - 180
second range depending on the number of competing phases serviced. However, the Synchro range insures that
the capability of any traffic signal controller can be modeled.

In some instances, a long cycle can be useful to model dummy intersections that can stop traffic for an extended
period of time. The Cycle Length and the Maximum Split may have values up to 3000s (50 min).

Two examples for a long cycle would be a draw bridge and a rail crossing. At the location of the stop, create a
dummy intersection (create a T-intersection). Keep in mind that this dummy link can be hidden (see page 9-
13). Enter a phase for the main street (say phase 1) and then a Hold phase.

Lock Timings
The Lock Timings field is used to prevent the timing from changing. To preserve the timing for one or more
intersections, click the check box in this field for each of the intersections. If you optimize the network, these
intersections' timing plans will not change, but the other intersections will be optimized around them.

This field could be helpful if there are some intersections that are controlled by another agency and you
want to coordinate your signals with theirs. To do this, set up the timing for the other agency signals and
then lock these timing plans. Enter the timing for your signals and leave them unlocked.

If you have two or more intersections that are close together and require a special type of timing, you can setup
their timing manually, lock the intersections, and optimize the intersections around them.

It is advisable that one of the locked intersections be the Master Intersection if the master intersection option is
used. Otherwise, the offsets for the locked intersections may be changed if the timing for the master intersection
changes.

An alternative to locking intersections is to divide the study area into zones, and perform analysis on specific
zones. Each zone can be locked after the optimization is complete for that zone.

Optimize Cycle Length

The Optimize Cycle Length button will optimize the selected intersection cycle length. Full details on the
intersection cycle length optimization can be found on page 19-4.

Optimize Splits
The Optimize Splits button will optimize the selected intersection splits. Full details on the intersection split
optimization can be found on page 19-3.

Actuated Cycle Length

The Actuated Cycle Length (CL) is the average cycle length for an actuated signal.

C' = Actuated CL

C' = C for pretimed and coordinated signals.

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Calculation

C' =
 Ci
5

Ci = Percentile Scenario Cycle Length

C' may not equal the sum of the actuated splits due to skipped phases and dwell time.

HCM 2000 Report Calculation

C' = (g' + YAR)

g' = Actuated Green times

The percentile actuated cycle length is the sum of the actuated splits, subject to ring and barrier rules.

Actuated Cycles by Percentile

The Actuated Cycles by Percentile are show in the NODE settings on the left side of the PHASING
settings. The Actuated Cycles will not appear in the NODE settings in any other location.

To represent a range of volume levels, five percentile scenarios are modeled. They are called the 90th, 70th,
50th, 30th, and 10th percentiles. Traffic volumes for each approach are adjusted up or down to model these
percentile scenarios. By adjusting the traffic for different scenarios, the actuated signals can be modeled under
a range of traffic conditions.

If traffic is observed for 100 cycles, the 90th percentile would be the 90th busiest, the 10th percentile would be
the 10th busiest, and the 50th percentile would represent average traffic.

For each of the percentile scenarios, this is the expected cycle length. This value is the sum of the actuated splits
for each phase.

Natural Cycle Length

The Natural Cycle Length is the shortest cycle length that will give acceptable capacity. In general,
intersections have an optimum cycle length that provides the best level of service. Using a shorter cycle length
will not provide enough green time to clear all of the waiting vehicles causing congestion. Using a longer cycle
length increases delays by introducing unused green time. For Natural Cycle Length, enter the shortest cycle
length for this intersection only. The Natural Cycle Length is the cycle length this intersection would operate at
if it were to operate independently of all other intersections. (For more information about using the Natural
Cycle Length, see Intersection Cycle Length Optimization on page 19-4).

At congested intersections, no cycle length gives acceptable capacity. In these cases, Synchro uses the cycle
length with the lowest combination of stops, delays, and unserved vehicles.

Maximum v/c Ratio

Timing Settings

The TIMING setting displays the Volume to Capacity Ratio (v/c) for each traffic movement or lane group (see
page 11-14). The Maximum v/c Ratio is the highest individual movement or lane group v/c ratio.

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In addition, Synchro provides an alternate method of evaluating intersection capacity called the ICU
(Intersection Capacity Utilization) method. In general, the ICU method is a more direct measure of intersection
capacity and easier to calculate. The ICU method also overcame several shortcomings that were corrected in
HCM 2000.

Intersection capacity values are summarized in the NODE SETTINGS for each node. The Max v/c Ratio is the
maximum lane group Volume to Capacity Ratio using the HCM method. The ICU value is also shown with the
associated ICU Level of Service (LOS).

Signing Settings

Volume to Capacity Ratios are also provided for 2-way stop and yield sign control. V/c ratios for 4-way stop
control are undefined. These results are consistent with HCM 2000 & HCM 2010. In addition, v/c ratios are
estimated for each movement at roundabouts, per the HCM 2010.

Intersection Delay
Timing Settings

The Intersection Delay field shows the average Total Delay for the signalized intersection and it is calculated
by taking a volume weighted average of all the Total Delays. The Total Delay includes the Queue Delay (see page
11-16) plus the Control Delay (see page 11-15).

Signing Settings

The average intersection delay for unsignalized intersections is based on an average of each movement’s delays.
The unsignalized intersection delay is strictly based on the methods in the HCM. Therefore, the unsignalized
delay does not include Queue Delay.

Intersection delay and level of service is not defined by the HCM for two-way stop controlled intersections;
therefore, it is not shown in the report. The analyst needs to look at the delay and LOS for the individual
movements.

Intersection Level of Service

Timing Settings

For signalized intersections, the Level of Service for the intersection is calculated by taking the total Intersection
Delay and converting it to a level (A-F) using Table 8-1.

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Table 8-1 Signalized Intersection Level of Service

Control Delay Per Vehicle (s) LOS

10 A
10 to 20 B
20 to 35 C
35 to 55 D
55 to 80 E
>80 F

Signing Settings

For an unsignalized two-way stopped controlled (TWSC), all-way stop-controlled (AWSC) or a roundabout
intersection, the Level of Service for the intersection is calculated by taking the Intersection Delay and
converting it to a letter using Table 8-2.
Table 8-2 TWSC, AWSC and Roundabout Level of Service Criteria

Control Delay Per Vehicle (s) LOS

10 A
10 to 15 B
15 to 25 C
25 to 35 D
35 to 50 E
>50 F

The LOS criteria for TWSC, AWSC and roundabout intersections are different than that used for a signalized
intersection. The primary reason for this is that drivers expect different levels of performance between
signalized and unsignalized intersections.

Intersection Capacity Utilization

Intersection Capacity Utilization is the 2003 (ICU 2003) for the intersection. Full details of the ICU 2003 can be
found in the topic, Intersection Capacity (ICU) Report (see page 23-10). A full description of ICU 2003 along
with commentary and instructions is available in the reference book, Intersection Capacity Utilization 2003
available from Trafficware.

The ICU is shown for unsignalized intersections because it represents the potential capacity for the intersection
if it were to be signalized.

ICU Level of Service

The ICU Level of Service (LOS) gives insight into how an intersection is functioning and how much extra capacity
is available to handle traffic fluctuations and incidents. ICU is not a value that can be measured with a stopwatch,
but it does give a good reading on the conditions that can be expected at the intersection. Full details of the ICU
LOS can be found in the topic, Intersection Capacity (ICU) Report.
Letters A to H are assigned to the intersection based on the Intersection Capacity Utilization using Table 8-3.
Note that the ICU 2003 includes additional levels past F to further differentiate congested operation.

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Table 8-3 Level of Service Criteria for ICU Analysis

ICU Level of Service

<55% A
55% to 64% B
64% to 73% C
73% to 82% D
82% to 91% E
91% to 100% F
100% to 109% G
>109% H

Offset Settings
The settings in the Offset settings box specify the phase the offset is reference to and the value of the current
offset. Each intersection is given one offset that can be referenced to the beginning of green, yellow or red of
the phase. The offset value represents the number of seconds that the reference phase lags the master reference
(or arbitrary reference if no master is specified). The master reference synchronizes the intersections sharing
a common cycle length to provide a coordinated system.

Please refer to your traffic signal controller manual for the specific settings required by your hardware.

Coordination requires a fixed cycle length and a reference offset for each controller in the system.
Therefore, set Control Type to Actuated-coordinated or Pretimed if the intersection is coordinated and
specify Actuated-uncoordinated for isolated signals without fixed cycle lengths.

Offset Referenced To

Select the point to which you wish to have offsets referenced. Some types of traffic signal controllers allow the
offset to be referenced from the beginning of the green time. Other types of controllers require the offset to be
referenced to the beginning of yellow, or the end of the yellow plus red. This point is indicated by a (R) on the
phasing diagram.

Some NEMA controller’s reference offsets to the last of the coordinated phases to turn green. NEMA TS2
controller’s reference offsets to the first of the coordinated phases to turn green. Synchro supports both styles
of offset referencing.

With two reference phases and offsets referenced to Begin of Green, offsets will be referenced to last phase to
turn green.

With two reference phases and offsets referenced to TS2 - 1st Green, offsets will be referenced to first phase to
turn green.

With two reference phases and offset referencing to the beginning of yellow or beginning of red, offsets will be
referenced to first phase to turn yellow or red.

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170 Style

TS2 - 1st Green Begin of Yellow

Begin of Green Begin of Red

FDW
Time

Figure 8-2 Offset Reference

Offset Referenced Phase(s)

The offset reference phase(s) are typically the coordinated phases associated with the arterial street. Selecting
two reference phases allows Synchro to optimize phase sequences and select the coord phase based on the
optimal phase sequence.

For example, using TS2 - 1st Green, if a leading left-turn sequence is optimal, then Synchro will automatically
select the first through phase following the leading lefts as the reference phase. If a lead/lag phase sequence is
optimal, Synchro will select the through movement serviced with the leading left-turn as the reference (coord)
phase.

You must insure that the reference phase selected by Synchro in the optimization matches the coord phase set
in your controller. Some NEMA TS1 controllers reference the offset to the last through phase to turn green.
NEMA TS2 references the offset to the first through phase to turn green (TS2 - 1st Green). Still, other controllers
give you full control over specifying the coord (reference) phase and synchronizing the offset to the begin-of-
green or end-of-green of that phase.

The symbol is displayed on the the phasing diagram to indicate the Reference Phase(s).

Table 8-4 Reference Point with Multiple Reference Phases

Referenced To Reference Point

Begin of Green Referenced to last of phases to turn green

Begin of Yellow Referenced to first of phases to turn Yellow
Begin of Red Referenced to first of phases to turn Red
TS2 - 1st Green Referenced to first of phases to turn green
170 Style Referenced to start of FDW or start of yellow (see below)

If the 170 Style reference is used, the reference point will depend on the Recall Mode setting. If
Coordinated-Max is used, the offset will be referenced to the start of flashing don’t walk. If Coordinated-
Min is used, the offset will be referenced to the start of yellow.

The reference phases also control which phases are the coordinated phases for an actuated-coordinated signal.

To set a default for newly created intersections or change all of the reference phases, use the Network Settings
command from the Options tab.
The Reference Phase is used to determine the coordinated phase(s) for an actuated signal.

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For a 170-type controller, the offset is referenced to the end of phase 2 or phase 6 green. If either
phase 1 or 5 is lagging, the offset is referenced to the first phase of 2 and 6 to turn yellow. If the main
street has rest-in-walk set, the offset is referenced to the beginning of do not walk.

Current Offset
The intersection Offset is the number of seconds that the reference (coord) phase lags after the master offset.
The offset may be referenced to the begin-of-green or end-of-green of the reference phase based on the
Referenced To value selected.

The Offset begins at zero because the master cycle counter always begins counting at zero. The maximum Offset
is one second less than the Cycle length because the master cycle counter always increments to that value, then
resets to zero.

The optimum offset can be found by using the optimization commands explained in Optimize Intersection
Offset, or by using the time-space diagrams.

Master Intersection
The Master Intersection typically has a zero offset value. Synchro allows you to designate an intersection as
the Master Intersection to reference offsets to the cycle counter at that intersection. If a master intersection is
not specified, then Synchro will choose an arbitrary offset reference as the master reference.
A cycle length of half or double the Master Intersection cycle length is considered compatible. The offset at the
half our double cycled intersection will be referenced to the Master Intersection.

If you have a master assigned to your network, then make your cycle length change at the master first,
then change the cycle lengths at the other intersections you wish to follow the master cycle reference.
This will avoid creating a situation where two or more masters provide the same cycle length. In those
cases, Synchro assigns the master with the most traffic volume.

Be sure to check for the master intersection after the Cycle Length(s) have been changed, for example using the
Optimize Network Cycle Lengths command.

To see which intersection(s) is the master, go to the MAP view and choose the Show Cycle Lengths
button from the Node Display Results submenu. The master intersection(s) is shown with a * next to
the cycle length in the MAP view.

Yield Points
The Yield Point determines when the Coordinated Phases will “yield” to side street phases. This setting affects
whether there is a single yield point for all phases, or multiple yield points.
Figure 8-3 illustrates how a single yield point works. The main street phases have a single scheduled end time.
If the next up phases have no calls, the other phases start at this point. If there are no calls for any of the phases
3, 7, 4 and 8; then phases 1 and 5 can start early and the signal will return to the main street phases sooner.

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Figure 8-3 Single Yield Point

Figure 8-4 illustrates how yield point by phases works. The main street phases stay on until the scheduled start
time of a conflicting phase. If phases 3 and 7 have no calls, the signal will not yield to phases 4 and 8 until their
scheduled start times.

Figure 8-4 Yield Point by Phase

Flexible yield points allow the signal to yield any time between the single point and the phases’ scheduled start
time. Flexible yield points can be useful with low volume side streets; the side streets have a wider range of
time to yield the signal.

Using a single yield point in conjunction with Fixed Force Off makes the most time available for side street
phases. Yield point by phase extends the green bands for the coordinated movements rather than provide slack
time at the beginning of the bands. Either method must be provided as a feature by your controller
manufacturer.

Keep in mind that the controller will yield as soon as there is a call on the yield phase. Therefore, even if there
is only one call on phase 3 or 7 in the Yield Point by Phase example above, the controller will leave to service
the call after the yield point.

If you wish to allow the non-coordinated phases to utilize slack time from preceding actuated phases, then you
should select Fixed Force Off. This will prevent SimTraffic from terminating the phase if the sum of the slack
time and programmed split is greater than the max time.

Synchro does not explicitly model flexible yield point. Synchro will model flexible yield points the same as
single yield points. This will be equivalent except for when the first up actuated phases have low volume.
With by phase yield points, Synchro models a single yield point for each barrier.

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Mandatory Stop on Yellow

Traditionally, SimTraffic will allow at least two vehicles to proceed during a signal phase, even if the Total Split
is set to 3 seconds. In some instances, it is desirable to create a dummy intersection to meter the traffic (i.e.,
allow 1 vehicle to proceeds every X seconds). This could be useful for modeling security gates, ramp meters,
etc.

To do this, check the Mandatory Stop on Yellow at the bottom of the NODE SETTINGS. This will allow only
one simulated vehicle to pass through a short green signal. No sneaker vehicles will be allowed during the
yellow interval.

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– Lane Settings
From the MAP view, click on the desired intersection with the Right mouse button and select LANE settings.

From anywhere in the program, press [F8] and select the desired intersection from the list. Then push
the Lane Settings button or the [F3] key.

The LANE settings display a grid in which you can enter lane and geometric information. See Chapter 7 for
details on navigating the data entry screens.

Figure 9-1 LANE Settings, Full View

Lanes and Sharing

Select the number of lanes and lane configuration for each lane group by selecting the pull-down list under each
movement arrow. See Rules for Shared Lanes, below, for information on how to enter lanes that serve more
than one movement and how to classify lanes.

Select the Lanes and Sharing pull-down list under each traffic movement arrow. You can specify the number
of lanes and any shared turning movements from those lanes using the pull-down list. You may also use a short-

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cut to select the number of lanes using the [0] - [8] keys. You can also quickly vary the shared lane assignment
by pressing [L] for a shared left-turn or [R] for a shared right-turn in the lane group.

Rules for Shared Lanes

Use the following rules to determine which lanes belong to a lane group.
✓ Shared lanes always count as through lanes.
✓ Only exclusive turning lanes count as turning lanes.
✓ At a ‘T’ intersection the shared Right-Left lanes count as a left lane.

If there is no turning lane, Synchro will assign turning traffic to the through lane group (or the left turn lane
group, if there is no through lane group).

If an approach has a shared turning lane and an exclusive turning lane, the approach can be modeled by
Synchro. The exclusive lane is in the turning group, and the shared lane is in the through group. Synchro
dynamically assigns traffic between the two-lane groups (refer to Traffic in Shared Lane, page 10-10).

To create a new column for U-turns, type [Ctrl] + [U].

Refer to page 10-1 for details on the Traffic Volume setting.

Street Name
Naming a street will cause its name to appear on the map. If a street has several segments, the name will be
placed on a segment long enough to fit the name, or on an external link. To change the size of the street name,
use the Map Settings, located in the Options tab.

Arterial Route Naming

To create an Arterial Route with multiple street names or that turns corners, include a route number in the
street name with the # symbol. For example, the streets Main and 3rd Street are part of the same route. Give
these streets the names "Main Street #13" and "3rd Street #13". Synchro will be able to create reports and
analysis on the arterial "#13" (see the topic Viewing and Printing Reports on page 23-3 for details on how to
create a report for a route that turns a corner). You can also see a time-space diagram for route #13 (see the
topic Time-Space Diagram on page 18-1 for details on how to view a time-space diagram for a named arterial
view).

Link Distance
Link distances can be used to adjust the length of the link. Adding a link the exact distance with a mouse can be
tricky; this feature allows you to type in the exact distance. If you plan to use this data with SimTraffic, the
override distance should be within 20% to the map distance. Otherwise, the simulation software will reject the
data because map coordinates are used to simulate runs in SimTraffic.

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Changing the Link Distance in the LANE settings changes the internal link length. This setting does not
change the coordinates of the underlying intersections. Synchro stores the link length independently from
the coordinate distances.

The calculated link distance is shown in blue. Overridden distances appear as red. To revert to the calculated
distance, press [F12] when in the cell.

The link distances are the distance from intersection center point to center point. When determining link
distances for queuing analysis, Synchro will subtract 80 feet (24m) from the distance to account for the space
inside intersections.

Geodetic coordinates accurate within 20 feet are adequate for traffic modeling purposes.

Link Speed
The Link Speed should be set to the legal, safe speed that you expect along the arterial after the traffic signals
along the link are optimized. To set a default speed for newly created intersections or change all of the speeds,
use the Network Settings, located in the Options tab.

Enter the free flow speeds and travel times. Do not enter measured speeds from floating car data to
account for congestion and delay unless the speed reduction cannot be improved by signal optimization.

Set Arterial Name and Speed

Select a direction button to propagate the name and speed up and down the entire arterial in the selected and
opposing direction. For instance, choose the [EB] option will set the street name and speed for the arterial in
the eastbound and westbound directions.

Travel Time
Travel Time is recalculated when either the speed or distance fields are changed. The calculated value will
appear in blue type. However, you may override this field manually, which will appear in red type. You can force
the field to re-calculate based on the speed and distance fields at any time by pressing [F12].

Ideal Saturated Flow

Enter the Ideal Saturated Flow Rate for a single lane in this field. The HCM 6th Edition recommends using
1,900 vehicles per hour per lane. This is the default.

It is not necessary to enter a different Saturated Flow Rate for turning lanes. Synchro will adjust the Saturated
Flow Rate automatically with turning movement factors (Refer to Right Turn Factor, page 9-7, and Left Turn
Factor, page 9-8).

It is not necessary to adjust this rate to account for heavy vehicles, bus stops, parking maneuvers, turning traffic,
lane widths, grades, or area type. These are automatically adjusted by Synchro.

To set a default for newly created intersections or change all of the Ideal Saturated Flow Rates, use the Lanes
section of the Network Settings, located in the Options tab.

The Ideal Saturation Flow is a macroscopic model term used by Synchro. To account for changes of this factor
for simulation, the Headway Factor is used. For more details, refer to the topic Headway Factor on page 14-6).

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Lane Width
The default Lane Width is 12 feet (3.6 meters). Saturated Flow Rate increases as Lane Width increases.

To set a default for newly created intersections or change all of the lane widths, use the Lanes section of the
Network Settings, located in the Options tab.

The lane width factor is determined based upon the following table (source: Highway Capacity Manual 2010).
Table 9-1 Adjustment for Lane Width

Average Lane Width (ft) Adjustment Factor (fw)

< 10.0 0.96

≥ 10.0 – 12.9 1.00
> 12.9 1.04

This Table is an update for the Highway Capacity Manual 2010. In the 2000 HCM, there was a formula to
determine the Adjustment Factor for Lane Width.

Grade
The percentage Grade is the slope of the roadway approaching the intersection (negative grades are downhill).
The default percentage Grade for each approach is zero percent. The Saturated Flow Rate increases when traffic
moves downhill (negative Grade).

The factor for grade is based on the following formula:

Fg = 1 -%G/200

Fg = Grade adjustment factor

%G = % grade on a lane group approach

Area Type CBD

Select this checkbox if the lane group is typical of Central Business District (or "downtown" area). A CBD is
characterized by high parking turnovers, narrow short-block roadways and high pedestrian activity. Selecting
Area Type CBD lowers Saturated Flow Rate. See the HCM for more information about CBD characteristics.

Storage Length
The Storage Length is the length of a turning bay in feet (meters). If an intersection has a left turn storage bay
of 150 feet (45 meters), enter "150" ("45") in this box. If the left or right turn lane extends to the previous
intersection, enter "0".

If two or more storage lanes are present, enter the average length of the lanes, not the sum.

Storage Length data is used for analyzing potential blocking problems, such as through traffic blocking left turn
traffic, and left turn traffic blocking through traffic. If "0" is entered, no blocking analysis is performed.

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A storage bay can be coded for through lanes. It is also possible to mix full travel lanes and storage lanes
for the turning movement.

Storage Lanes
Code the number of Storage Lanes in the right and left storage bays. This value only appears when the storage
length is greater than 0. By default, the number of storage lanes is equal to the number of turning lanes.

This field can be overridden so that some of the turning lanes are full travel lanes, or so that some of the through
lanes can be storage lanes.

A red value indicates an override, while a blue value indicates that the number of storage lanes is calculated.

Right Turn Channelized

This field is active for the rightmost movement. The choices are None, Yield, Free, Stop and Signal. If this value
is changed, it will also be updated for unsignalized analysis.
Synchro does not explicitly model a channelized right turn. If you have coded a signal in Synchro, it will be
modeled as follows in the TIMING settings:
✓ None: No right turn channelization.
✓ Yield: No phases are assigned, the saturation flow is that for the RTOR.
✓ Stop: No phases are assigned, the saturation flow is that for the RTOR. Yield and Stop are handled in
the same manner.
✓ Free: The phase assigned is 'Free' (100% green time). The saturation flow used is the permitted
saturation flow.
✓ Signal: The movement is controlled by the signal. Set the appropriate turn type and phase in the
TIMING settings.

For unsignalized 2-way or 4-way stop control, each traffic movement is analyzed using the guidelines in HCM
2000, 2010, and 6th Edition.

If a channelized right connects to a curved link, the curve points must be placed after any tangents from
a right turn Island; otherwise image distortion will occur.

Curb Radius
Curb Radius specifies the horizontal curvature of the street intersection and is measured in feet from the back
of curb to the center point of the radius.

Add Lanes
Add Lanes controls how a right-turn lane enters the intersection street. Setting Add Lanes to zero (0) creates
a yield or merge for drivers completing a right turn. Setting the value to one (1) adds a continuation lane for
the right-turn.
Setting a Storage Length greater than zero creates a right-turn "pocket" on the approach side of the intersection.
Setting Add Lanes greater than zero extends the right-turn lane on the departure side of the intersection.

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Slip Lanes for Roundabouts

To code a right turn slip lane at a roundabout for HCM or SimTraffic analysis, set the Right Turn Channelized to
Stop, Yield, or Free. Additional right turn lane(s) will be added to the roundabout, outside of the Outside
Radius. The width of the slip lane is determined by the width of the incoming right turn lane group.

The input fields below have the following effect:

✓ Right Turn Channelized = Yield or Stop: Vehicles in slip lane will yield at end of slip lane if there is a
merge.
✓ Right Turn Channelized = Free: Vehicles in slip lane will merge at end of slip lane if there is a merge.
✓ Right Turn Channelized = None: No slip lane.
✓ Lanes and Sharing: Controls number of lanes in right turn slip lane, and number of lanes to enter main
circle.
✓ Curb Radius (in the SIGNING settings): Has no effect; slip lane controlled by Outside Radius.
✓ Add Lanes: Slip lane will be add lane(s), provided enough lanes exist downstream.

With a small circle or with tight angles between links, the slip lanes will directly connect to the roundabout.
With a larger circle or angle, the slip lanes will be additional lanes on the outside of the roundabout with an
additional radius.

Alternate Method

It is also possible to create a slip lane by coding a multilane roundabout with a two-lane exit (see page 11-13).
To get a direct slip lane it is necessary to code two lane exits at both the entry and the exit links. This method
works best for creating a slip lane in all directions.

Combining a slip lane with a two-lane Exit may give a three-lane exit or other strange results. It is usually best
to use one or the other.

Lane Utilization Factor

The Lane Utilization Factor determines how the traffic volumes assigned to a lane group are distributed across
each lane. A value of one (1) indicates equal distribution across all lanes. Values less than one lower the
saturation flow rate because all lanes are not working at full capacity. The Lane Utilization Factor is selected
from the values in Table 9-2.

If there is an exclusive turning lane plus a shared turning lane, then all of the lanes will be placed in the
through lane group to calculate this factor.

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Table 9-2 Lane Utilization Factors

Lane Group Movements # of Lanes Lane Utilization Factor

Thru or shared 1 1.00

Thru or shared 2 0.95
Thru or shared 3 0.91
Thru or shared 4+ 0.86
Left 1 1.00
Left 2 0.97
Left 3+ 0.94
Right 1 1.00
Right 2 0.88
Right 3 0.76

This field can be overridden. If, for example, there is a busy shopping center entrance just after this intersection
on the right side, most of the vehicles will be using the right lane and cause a lower lane utilization factor. If the
actual per lane volumes are known, the lane utilization factor can be calculated as follows:

fLU = Lane Utilization Factor

The fLU is a macroscopic adjustment and will only affect the saturation flow rates. Changes to this value
have no impact on the simulated results in SimTraffic. To account for unbalanced flow in SimTraffic, be
sure to code in the geometric condition that is causing condition, such as a downstream lane taper.

Right Turn Factors

The Right Turn Factor is used to reduce the Saturation Flow Rate based on the proportion of right-turns in the
lane group and the type of lane servicing the right-turn. The default calculations from HCM 2000 can be
overridden by the user.
Exclusive Lane: fRT = 0.85
Shared Lane: fRT = 1.0 - (0.15) PRT
Single Lane: fRT = 1.0 - (0.135) PRT
PRT = Proportion of right turn traffic in lane group

The permitted right turn factor is used during the through phase for this approach. The protected right-turn
factor is used if an exclusive right-turn lane is provided and a Protected Phase is assigned from a concurrent
left-turn (right-turn overlap signal).

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Left Turn Factors

The Left Turn Factors are applied in the HCM 2000 Saturated Flow Rate calculation. The default values are
calculated from the formulas below, but these may be overridden by the user. The Left Turn Factor for exclusive
lanes is:
fLT = 0.95
The Left Turn Factor for shared lanes is:
fLT = 1 / (1.0 + 0.05 PLT):
PLT = Proportion of left turn traffic in lane group

For permitted left turns, the calculations are quite involved. Synchro has a complete implementation of the
2000 HCM permitted left turn model. The permitted left turn factor is based on actuated green times, the same
as the HCM 2000 calculation.

The calculation steps are as follows:

✓ Saturation Flows with maximum greens are used for the Ped Bike (see page 9-9) and Permitted Lefts
✓ Actuated green times calculated
✓ Saturation Flows are recalculated with actuated greens used for Ped Bike and Permitted Lefts factors

The permitted left turn factor is used for any permitted left turn phase, including the permitted portion of
permitted plus protected left turn phasing. The protected left turn factor is used for protected and split phasing,
and for the protected portion of permitted plus protected left turn phasing.

Saturated Flow Rates

The Saturated Flow Rates are the actual maximum flow rate for this lane group after adjusting for all of the
interference factors. The Saturated Flow Rates represent the number of lanes multiplied by the Ideal Saturated
Flow Rate and interference factors due to heavy vehicles, buses, parking maneuvers, lane widths, area type,
grade, and turning movements.

There is a permitted and a protected Saturated Flow Rate. For left and through lane groups the permitted
Saturated Flow Rate is used when left turns are permitted and the protected Saturated Flow Rate is used
when left turns are protected. For right turn lane groups, the permitted flow rate is used with permitted and
free right turn phases. The protected flow rate is used with a protected signal indication that overlaps with
a non-conflicting protected left-turn phase.

The Saturated Flow Rates are used in capacity and delay calculations, and for optimization calculations. The
Saturated Flow Rates are not used for simulation modeling in SimTraffic.
These fields are calculated but can be overridden.
The saturation flow rate is based on:
S = So * N * Fw * Fn * Fhv * Fg * Fp * Fbb * Fa * Flu * Flt * Frt * FLpb * FRpb
where:
S = saturation flow rate for the subject lane group, expressed as a total for all lanes in the lane group,
veh/h,
So = base saturation flow rate per lane, pc/h/In,
N = number of lanes in the lane group,
Fw = adjustment factor for the lane width,

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Fhv = adjustment factor for heavy vehicles in the traffic stream,

Fg = adjustment factor for approach grade,
Fp = adjustment factor for the existence of a parking lane and parking activity adjacent to the lane
group,
Fbb = adjustment factor for the blocking effect of local buses that stop within the intersection area,
Fa = adjustment factor for area type,
Flu = adjustment factor for lane utilization,
Flt = adjustment factor for left turns in the lane group,
Frt = adjustment factor for right turns in the lane group,
FLpb = pedestrian adjustment factor for left-turn movements, and
FRpb = pedestrian/bicycle adjustment factor for right-turn movements.

Right Ped Bike Factor

This factor is calculated based on the number of pedestrians and bicycles that are crossing the right turn
movement. The factor takes into account the amount of green time for the pedestrians and the bicycles as well
as the number of downstream receiving lanes. For a complete description of the FRpb calculation, see the HCM.
The Ped Bike factor used by Synchro has a slight variation from the HCM generated Ped Bike factor for
permitted plus protected movements. Synchro does not adjust for the proportion of right turns using the
protected phase (Prta), but calculates separate Saturated Flow Rates for permitted and protected movements.
The Ped Bike factor shown on the LANE settings and on the Intersection reports is for permitted phases only
and is only applied to the Permitted Saturation Flow rate.
The Ped Bike factor shown in the HCM Signals report is calculated based on the manual’s methods and may
vary for permitted plus protected movements. The HCM Ped Bike factor is applied to both permitted and
protected saturation flow rates.
For through and left lane groups with right turn traffic, the Ped Bike factor will be applied to all phases. Synchro
assumes right turns are always permitted not protected from a left or through lane group. Always code through
phases as protected, except at unusually aligned intersections.

Left Ped Factor

This factor is calculated based on the number of pedestrians and bicycles that are crossing the permitted left
turn movements. The factor takes into account the amount of green time for the pedestrians and vehicles, the
amount of oncoming traffic and the number of downstream receiving lanes. For a complete description of the
FLpb calculation, see the HCM 2000, Chapter 16, Appendix D.
The Ped factor used by Synchro has a slight variation from the HCM generated Ped factor for permitted plus
protected movements. Synchro does not adjust for the proportion of left turns using the protected phase (Plta),
but calculates separate Saturated Flow Rates for permitted and protected movements. The Ped factor shown
on the LANE settings and on the Intersection reports is for permitted phases only and is only applied to the
Permitted Saturation Flow rate.
The Ped factor shown in the HCM Signals report is calculated based on the manual’s methods, and may vary for
permitted plus protected movements. The HCM Ped factor is applied to both permitted and protected
saturation flow rates.

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Right Turn on Red (RTOR)

This field is used to specify whether Right Turns on Red (RTOR) are allowed. This field can also be used to
allow Left Turns on Red from a one-way to a one-way.
Synchro fully models Right Turns on Red. Synchro automatically calculates a Saturated Flow Rate for RTOR and
applies this flow rate to movements when they are red. See Saturated Flow Rate (RTOR), page 9-11 for details
on its calculation.
This field is also used when modeling in SimTraffic.
The following four options are provided to model right turns on red and free right turns.
1. For exclusive or shared right lanes, set Right Turns on Red to Yes in the LANE settings. Synchro will
calculate a RTOR Saturated Flow Rate and apply this flow rate during all red times. Each vehicle must
stop and wait for a gap, the maximum RTOR saturation flow rate is about 1091 vphpl.
2. For exclusive right lanes (not shared lanes), set the Turn Type to Free in the TIMING settings. Synchro
will assume that right turns will move unimpeded at all times. Use Free Rights only when the turns
move into their own acceleration lane and there are minimal pedestrians.
3. For exclusive right lanes (not shared lanes), set the Turn Type to Permited+Overlap in the TIMING
settings. Synchro will assume right turns move with a green ball and receive an overlapping arrow
during compatible left turn phases. Use Free Rights only when the signal has a right turn arrow.
Overlapped right turns can be used together with Right Turn on Red.
4. Reduce the input volumes to account for Right Turns on Red. This is the method prescribed by the
HCM for modeling RTOR. Reducing the input volumes will change the results of optimization and will
transfer smaller volumes to the simulation models. This can be unreliable because the right turn on
red volume is highly influenced by the mix of traffic and the timings used.

Selecting a Right Turn Treatment

Refer to Table 9-3 for direction on selecting a right turn treatment.

Table 9-3 Selecting a Right Turn Treatment

Right Turn Treatment Permitted RTOR Volume Reduction Free Perm +Over

Flow Rate on Ball 1600± 1600± 1600± 1600± 1600±

Flow Rate on Red 0 <1091 0 1600± 0
Flow Rate on Arrow NA 1600± 0 1600± 1600±
Right turn island,
Yes
Yield Sign
Right turn island plus Acceleration lane Yes
Acceleration Lane Yes
Overlapped Arrow Yes
No Right on Red Yes
HCM Compatibility Yes No Yes Yes Yes

HCM Compatibility
The HCM 6th Edition, HCM 2010, and HCM 2000 do not support Right Turn on Red Saturation Flow calculations.
Synchro calculations with RTOR enabled will use an equivalent reduction in right turn volume for the HCM
Signal Report (see page 23-13).

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The RTOR calculations are based on an internally developed model based on the HCM gap acceptance formula
for right turns. The RTOR saturation flow rates calculated by Synchro provide similar results to the HCM
method of reducing right-turn volumes to account for right turns on red. This approach improves simulation
results because traffic volumes are not deducted from the model.

Saturation Flow Rate (RTOR)

Synchro automatically calculates Saturation Flow rate for Right Turns on Red. This Saturation Flow Rate is
applied to a movement whenever the movement has a red signal. This calculation is also made for Left Turns
on Red crossing one-way streets.
The calculation of the RTOR Saturation Flow Rate is quite complex and is based on the signal timing, the
volumes of the subject approach, and the volumes of any merging approaches.
It is possible to override the RTOR Saturation Flow Rate to a measured value or hand calculated value.
Overriding RTOR Saturation Flow is not recommended because overridden values will not be updated when
the volumes or signal timings change. The RTOR Saturation Flow is very sensitive to changes in volumes and
timings.
sRTOR = Minimum(sRTOR1, sRTOR2) = RTOR Saturation Flow Rate
sRTOR1 = saturation flow rate based on gaps in merging traffic
sRTOR2 = limit to saturation flow rate based on through traffic blocking access to stop bar
If the RTOR volume is measured in the field, it can be used to calculate the sRTOR for Synchro based on the
following:
sRTOR = vRTOR * C/r
r = red time, s
C = Cycle Length
vRTOR = Field Measured RTOR

For example, say 100 vph is the field measure RTOR volume, the movement red time is 80 seconds and the cycle
is 120 seconds. Then,
sRTOR = 100 * (120/80) = 150

Gap Acceptance Calculation

The Saturation Flow Rate is calculated for each timing interval while the subject movement is red. Separate
interval calculations are provided to account for merging through, merging left turn and intervals with no
conflicting movements.

vxi  e ( − vx6.2 / 3600)

sRTORi = = saturation flow rate for each timing interval
1 − e ( − vxi *3.3 / 3600)
sRTORi = 1091, when vxi = 0
Ri = length of timing interval i
C = cycle length
vxi = vx * sxi * C / (sxi*Ri) = merging volume during timing interval i
sxi = saturation flow rate for movement x during interval i

sRTOR1 = (sRTORi * Ri) / Sum(Ri)

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The combined RTOR Saturation Flow Rate 1 (sRTOR1) is a time weighted average of each sRTORi calculated
for each red interval. The formula for sRTORi is taken from the HCM Unsignalized chapter and assumes a gap
time of 6.2 s and a follow-up time of 3.3 seconds. The maximum flow rate with zero conflicting vehicles assumes
one vehicle every 3.3 seconds or 1091 vph.

Conflicting pedestrian volumes are added into the merging vehicle volumes, vxi.

The conflicting volume rates (vxi) assume that conflicting flows will be divided proportionately among the
conflicting flows green times and saturation flow rates. For example, the conflicting movement is a permitted
plus protected left turn with the following values:
vL = left turn volume = 300 vph
R1 = permitted green = 20 s
sL1 = permitted saturation flow = 900 vph
R2 = protected green = 10 s
sL2 = protected saturation flow = 1800 vph
C = cycle length = 60 s
vL1 = permitted volume = 300 * 900 * 60 / (900 * 20 + 1800 * 10) = 450 vph
vL2 = protected volume = 300 * 1800 * 60 / (900 * 20 + 1800 * 10) = 900 vph

The conflicting through movement has the following:

vT = through volume = 1000 vph
R3 = permitted green = 20 s
vT3 = 1000 * 1000 * 60 / (1000 * 20) = 3000 vph

The resulting saturated flow calculations are as follows:

vx1 = NA, this is a green interval for subject movement
vx2 = vL2 = 900 vph
sRTORi2 = 900 * exp(-900 * 6.2 /3600) / [1 - exp(-900 * 3.3/3600] = 340
vx3 = vT3 = 3000 vph
sRTORi3 = 3000 * exp(-3000 * 6.2/3600) / [1 - exp(-3000 * 3.3/3600] = 18
sRTOR1 = [340 * 10 + 18 * 20] / (10+20) = 126 vph

Shared Lane Blocking Calculation

The RTOR Saturation Flow Rate is limited because through traffic may block right traffic from reaching the stop
bar. sRTOR2 is based on the average maximum number of right lane vehicles served before through traffic is
blocked. This calculation is performed for both shared lanes and for exclusive right turn lanes in a storage bay.
sRTOR2 = vR/vTh * (storage +1) * 3600 / R = blocking limit to saturation flow rate
vR = right turn volume
vTh = non-right volume in lane
storage = length of storage bay in vehicles (not multiplied by number of lanes)
R = length of entire red time

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Exclusive Right Lane No Storage

For an exclusive right turn lane without storage restriction, the sRTOR2 calculation is not performed.

Exclusive Right Lane with Storage

storage = length / vehicle length

For an exclusive right turn lane with storage, storage is equal to the number of vehicle lengths of the storage
bay. If the storage bay is 100 feet and it takes 5 through vehicles to block right turns, storage will be 5.

The non-right volume is equal to the non-right volume in the rightmost through lane.
vTh = vTot / (lanes * laneUtFact) = non-right volume in lane
vTot = total volume in through lane group
lanes = number of lanes in lane group
laneUtFact = lane utilization factor for through lane group

If the through lane group has volume of 1000 vph, 2 lanes, and laneUtFact = 0.95:
vTh = 1000 / (2 *0.95) = 526.
If vR = 200 and R = 60 s, the result sRTOR2 is
sRTOR2 = 200/526 * (5+1) * 3600 / 60 = 137 vph

Shared Through-Right Lane

In a shared lane, the storage is zero. If there is a flared right, or right turns can bypass 2 or 3 cars in parking
lane, consider coding a right turn lane with storage of 25 to 75 feet to approximate actual conditions in the field.
vTh = (vTot) / (lanes * laneUtFact) - vR = non-right volume in lane
vTh must be greater then (vTot -vR) * 0.2. This insures that at least some through traffic is in the right lane.

For example:
vTot = 1200
vR = 400
lanes = 2
laneUtFact = 0.95
R = 60 s
vTh = 1200 / (2 * 0.95) - 400 = 231
vTh  (1200 - 400) * 0.2 = 160, check OK
sRTOR2 = 400/231 * 1 * 3600 / 60 = 104 vph
sRTOR2 must be less or equal to vR, otherwise non-right traffic will be moving during red.

Link is Hidden
The LANE SETTINGS screen has a Link Is Hidden checkbox for each link (street). If the checkbox is checked,
the corresponding link is not visible.

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Synchro requires a node to have 3 links before it is considered an intersection (allowing signal timing). This
Link is Hidden option can be useful for location where you require the node to be an intersection, but the
dummy link has no lanes or volumes. For example, a mid-block ped crossing or meter could use this option.

Hide Street Name in Node Title

The LANE SETTINGS window has a Hide Name in Node Title checkbox for each link (street). If the checkbox
is checked, the corresponding street name is not used in the node title. The street name will still be visible in
the MAP VIEW unless you use the Link Menu command to hide/show the street name.

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– Volume Settings
From the MAP view, click on the desired intersection with the Right mouse button and select VOLUME Settings.

From anywhere in the program, press [F8] and select the desired intersection from the list. Then push
the Volume Settings button or the [F4] key.

The VOLUME settings display a grid in which you can enter volume information. See Chapter 7 for details on
navigating the data entry screens.

Figure 10-1 VOLUME Settings

Refer to page 9-1 for details on the Lanes and Sharing setting.

Traffic Volumes
In the appropriate Traffic Volume cells, enter the traffic volumes for each movement in vehicles per hour.

Synchro models the hourly volumes provided for one design period. However, you may model multiple design
periods using the UTDF Volume table.

If you have volume counts in TMC format, it is possible to import them automatically into the UTDF Volume
table.

To create a new column for U-turns, type [Ctrl] + [U].

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TIA Volumes
The Development Volume, Combined Volume, and Future Volume are automatically calculated based on
the values entered within the TIA module. These values cannot be overridden; edit the Trip Generation, Trip
Distribution, and/or Trip Assignment entries to modify the TIA Volumes. See Chapter 15 for details on the TIA
module.

The Development Volume is equal to the sum of all primary and pass-by trips generated by development(s)
selected in TIA.

The Combined Volume is the sum of existing Traffic Volume and Development Volume.

If included, pass-by trips are subtracted from the through movement adjacent to a driveway (see page
15-4 for more information about selecting driveways). The same volume is then added to the turning
movements entering and exiting the driveway node, so that these vehicles will continue on their original
path after exiting the development. In many cases, the calculated Development Volume will be negative
for the through movement at a node adjacent to a driveway to account for the pass-by trips.
With a negative Development Volume, it is possible for the calculated Combined Volume to be less
than zero. The Combined Volume is set to 0 to prevent analysis with negative volume.

The Future Volume is equal to the Combined Volume with any select Future Scenarios applied using the
equation below. See page 15-7 for details on entering future scenarios.

where:
FV = Future Volume
V = Combined Volume
r = Growth Rate
t = number of years

Conflicting Pedestrians
Enter the number of pedestrians, per hour, that conflict with permitted right-turn or left-turn movements. This
number affects the Right Ped Bike Factor (see page 9-9), the Left Ped Factor (see page 9-9), and the Saturated
Flow Rate (see page 9-8) shown in the LANE settings. If right turns are protected from pedestrians due to an
island, or if no pedestrians are allowed during this approach's through phase, then enter zero. If left turns are
protected from pedestrians due to signal phasing, then enter zero.

Do not confuse this field with the Pedestrians Calls setting in the PHASING settings. Conflicting
Pedestrians are the number of pedestrians that right turning traffic must yield to. Pedestrian Calls are the
number of pedestrians activating this phase. These two values will be the same if there is only one
pedestrian per ped call.

Conflicting Pedestrians affect the Ped-Bike Factor in the LANE settings. Increasing the number of conflicting
pedestrians and bicycles reduces the saturated flow rate of right turns and left turns conflicting with these
movements.

To set a default pedestrian value for newly created intersections, or to change all of the pedestrians,
use the Network Settings command, located on the Options tab.

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Conflicting Bicycles
Enter the number of through bicycles that conflict with right turns. If bicycles cross the right turn traffic ahead
of the intersection, enter 0. This input will affect the Right Ped-Bike factor in the LANE settings.

Conflicting Bicycles do not need to be entered for left turns. It is assumed that they will clear during the queue
clearance time for vehicles.

Peak Hour Factor

The traffic volumes are divided by the Peak Hour Factor (PHF) to determine the traffic flow rate during the
busiest 15-minute period during the hour. For example:
Hourly Flow Rate: 1000 vph
Peak Hour Factor: 0.9
Adjusted Peak Flow Rate: 1000 / 0.9 = 1111 vph

The HCM 6th Edition Chapter 19 provides suggested default values, that may be used in the absence of field
measurements of peak-hour factor (PHF). For intersections with a total entering volume ≥ 1,000 veh/h, 0.92 is
a reasonable approximation for PHF. For conditions with a total entering volume < 1,000 veh/h, 0.90 is a
reasonable estimate for PHF.

If the Analysis Period is set to a value of greater than 15 minutes, the PHF will be set to 1.0 and cannot be
changed. The Analysis Period can be modified using the Network-Settings command, located in the Options
tab.

The default PHF is 0.92 following the guidelines of the HCM 6th Edition. The user may change the default or
reset existing Peak Hour Factors in the current data set in the Network-Settings. The range of PHF in Synchro
is 0.25 to 1.00.

Note that 15-minute traffic volumes read from a UTDF Volume file automatically recalculate PHF for each
volume period.

If traffic arrivals fit a Poisson distribution, probability suggests using the values in Table 10-1 for the PHF. This
assumes the highest 15-minute period is the 87.5 percentile based on average 15-minute periods of the hour.
Table 10-1 Suggested Peak Hour Values

Total Approach Volume (vph) PHF

2000 0.95
1000 0.93
500 0.92
200 0.87
100 0.83
50 0.78

If the upstream intersection is at capacity for the entire peak hour, use a PHF of 1.0.

It is important to understand that the variance of traffic increases as the volume decreases. Therefore, lower
traffic volumes create greater fluctuations in 15-minute volume levels which tends to increase PHF.

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If a large factory or sports arena releases all of its vehicles at once, the traffic may have a large spike and a lower
PHF should be used.

Growth Factor
The Growth Factor can be used to adjust traffic volumes using a range from 0.5 to 3.0. The raw volume data is
multiplied by the Growth Factor when calculating Adjusted Volumes and Lane Group Volumes.

To calculate a Growth Factor (GF) based on a growth rate over several years, use the following formula.
GF = (1+r)Y
r = growth rate
Y = number of years

For example, the growth factor for 3% growth over 10 years is:
GF = (1 + 0.03) 10 = 1.34

Heavy Vehicles
Heavy Vehicles (%) under the VOLUME settings represents the percentage of trucks and buses for each traffic
movement. Increasing this value decreases the Saturated Flow Rate shown in the LANE settings. The default
for this field is 2%.

Heavy Vehicle percentages are modeled explicitly in SimTraffic.

To set a default for newly created intersections or change all of the Heavy Vehicle Factors, use the
Options→Network-Settings command.

The Heavy Vehicle Factor is:

Fhv = 100/[100 + % hv (Et –1)]

where:
Fhv = heavy vehicle adjustment factor
% hv = % heavy vehicles for lane group volume
Et = 2.0 pc/hv

Bus Blockages
Enter the number of buses per hour that stop and actually block traffic. Increasing this factor lowers the
Saturated Flow Rate shown in the LANE settings. The default for this field is zero buses per hour. Enter Bus
Blockages for each lane group that is affected by the blockage.

The bus blockages factor is calculated by:

Fbb = [N-(14.4Nb/3600)]/N

where:
Fbb = bus blockage factor
N = number of lanes in lane group

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Nb = number of buses stopping/h

Adjacent Parking Lane, Parking Maneuvers

If there is on-street parking for this approach, check the box for Adjacent Parking Lane and the number of
maneuvers per hour for Parking Maneuvers. Increasing the number of parking maneuvers lowers the
Saturated Flow Rate shown in the LANE settings. The default for this field is "No" adjacent parking lane which
does not reduce Saturated Flow Rate. Setting the field to "Yes" reduces Saturated Flow Rate even if the number
of parking maneuvers per hour is coded to zero. Therefore, only code a "Yes" value if on-street parking actually
impedes traffic flow. Table 10-2 illustrates examples on how to code parking movements.

Each lane group has its own field for parking movements. The general rule is to code the number of
movements that affect the lane group. In some cases, a parking movement affects more than one lane
group.

Table 10-2 Parking Maneuver Coding Examples

Left Thru Right

Parking Lanes
Parking Parking Parking

20 right side 1 Th, 1 Rt (no storage) 0 0 20

20 right side 1 Th, 1 Rt (yes storage) 0 20 20
20 right side 2 Th 0 20 0
20 right, 10 left 1 Lt, 1Th, 1 Rt (no storage) 10 0 20
20 right, 10 left 1 Lt, 1 Th, 1 Rt (yes storage) 10 30 20
20 right, 10 left 2 Th 0 30 0

The parking factor is based on the following equation:

Fp= [N-0.1-(18Nm/3600)]/N

where:
Fp= parking factor
N= number of lanes in lane group
Nm= number of parking maneuvers/h

Traffic from Mid-block

The Traffic from mid-block field identifies vehicles originating from mid-block sources between the current
intersection and the last upstream intersection modeled in Synchro. A value of 50 indicates that 50% of the
traffic is from mid-block sources. A value of zero indicates that 0% of the traffic is from driveways and 100% of
the traffic came from the upstream signal. This information is used during optimization and when calculating
delays. If volumes for a link originate primarily from mid-block sources, the reduction in delay from signal
optimization will not be as great if the traffic originated from an upstream signal.

Unbalanced Traffic Between Intersections

Many times, the sum of traffic volumes entering a link at an upstream intersection does not equal the sum of
traffic volumes at the downstream end of the link. This can occur when the volume data was collected at
different times, or due to a mid-block traffic source or sink. Growth Factor and PHF values also affect the net
volume balance between adjacent intersections.

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To see the volume balance between intersections, click on the Volume Balancing button in the Node
submenu on the Home tab.

The following procedure is used by SimTraffic to resolve any imbalances between the volumes specified in the
LANE settings and the mid-block volumes specified in the VOLUME settings.
VU = sum of flows entering upstream. For an eastbound link, they would be EBT, NBR, plus SBL.
VD = sum of flows exiting downstream. For an eastbound link, they would be EBT, EBR, plus EBL.
MD = percentage of mid-block traffic entered in Volume settings
VM = max(VD * MD, VD - VU) = Mid-block traffic entering
VX = max(0, VU - VD - VM) = Mid-block traffic exiting

If upstream traffic is less than non-user-entered mid-block traffic, the traffic balance is assumed to come from
mid-block sources and the mid-block entries are scaled upwards.

If upstream traffic exceeds downstream plus mid-block traffic, a mid-block sink is assumed. Any extra vehicles
will be entering the sink.

Here is an example:
VU = 100
VD = 200
MD = 10%
MD = max(200 * 0.1, 200 - 100) = 100
VX = 0

In the above example, SimTraffic would assume mid-block source of 100 vehicles per hour.

Link Origin Destination (O-D) Volumes

Purpose

Link Origin-Destination (O-D) Volumes allow detailed control over the origin and destination of two adjacent
intersections. Link O-D Volumes can be used to reduce or eliminate certain turn combinations. The most
common use is to specify the number of vehicles from an off ramp completing a U-turn at a freeway interchange.

The Link Origin-Destination Volumes settings display Movement Weighting Factors that control how volume
is allocated between input and output volumes.

To activate the Link Origin-Destination Volumes settings, go to the VOLUME settings for a node that has an
adjacent intersection and choose the appropriate button. For external links, the button will not be available.

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Figure 10-2 Link Origin-Destination Volumes Settings

Link OD Volume settings should be used in the following situations:

✓ Use on short links, less than 300 ft (90m) long.
✓ Multiple intersections controlled by a single controller (Group Control).
✓ Between intersections of a freeway interchange.
✓ In the median of a wide arterial.
✓ Between nodes of a "dog-legged" intersection. (Two closely spaced ‘T’ intersections.)
✓ The Link Volume Balancer is also helpful to make sure upstream and downstream volumes match and
to make adjustments so that they do match.

Link OD Volume settings may be skipped in the following situations:

✓ External links.
✓ Links over 1000 feet (300m) long. Most links over 300 feet (90m) long.
✓ When origins and destinations have nearly equal "attractions".
For the majority of links, Link O-D Volumes are not needed. In most cases, Link O-D Volumes make little
difference to the timing plan optimization. Collecting Origin Destination traffic data is labor intensive and
cannot be automated.

By default, Synchro assumes origin-destination volumes are proportional to the origin and destination volumes
for each O-D pair multiplied together. This assumption matches actual traffic in most cases.

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To Activate

Link O-D Volumes are available for both directions on links that connect two intersections. The
Link O-D Volumes are available from the VOLUME settings. All approaches that connect to an
intersection have a button available in the Link O-D Volumes row. To activate the Link Origin-
Destination Volumes settings, click on this button or press the [space bar] if the Link O-D Volumes
button is in focus.

The Link O-D Volumes buttons appear with a black caption when all Movement Weighting Factors are 1. If one
or more Movement Weighting factors have been changed, then Link O-D Volumes button appears with a red
caption.

Layout

There is one column for each destination turn on the link. There is also a column listing the sink volume, or the
traffic that turns off the network on this link.

There are two rows for each origin turning movement at the upstream intersection. There are also two rows
listing midblock traffic, or traffic entering the network on this link. The upper row lists the traffic volumes for
the origin-destination pair; the lower row lists the Movement Weighting Factor for the origin destination pair;
and the volumes shown on these settings are adjusted for growth, but not PHF. Volumes shown on the map and
volume balance will also show volumes adjusted for growth, but not PHF. This is done so that the volumes
match what the user entered unless growth is used, which is not very common.

Cells in the top row can be used to set the actual volumes at the downstream intersection. Cells in the left column
can be used to set the actual volumes at the upstream intersection.

The left cell in the From Mid-Block Volume row can be used to set the midblock traffic. This value changes the
percent mid-block setting found in the VOLUME settings. It is not possible to set this value exactly; the resulting
volume will be within 1% of the total link volume.

The sink traffic cannot be entered or overridden. It is calculated based on the upstream, downstream and mid-
block traffic volumes. Reading the sink and mid-block traffic volumes can be used to determine if input volumes
are balanced between upstream and downstream intersections.

Entering the volume or the weighting factor can set traffic for individual origin-destination movements. The
weighting factor is the value stored in the file, the movement volume is calculated. Movement volumes are
adjusted to balance volumes between origins and destinations so it may not be possible to get the exact volume
desired. It may take multiple entries with movement volumes or weighting factors to get the desired results.

Differences in traffic volumes under 30 vph will have a negligible effect on optimization results. Do not be
overly concerned with getting the exact numbers.
Approximations are usually good enough. It is normally sufficient to set weighting factors to 0.1 for
movements to squelch and leave the other weighting factors at 1.

Do not be overly concerned about collecting origin-destination traffic data. In most cases, common sense
about the area's traffic patterns and land use will yield a good guess at the origin-destination patterns. For
example, traffic rarely exits a freeway and enters in the opposite direction. Similarly, traffic from a
residential collector to a residential collector may be less common than traffic patterns in other areas.

Avoid setting weight factors to zero. It may appear no one makes two left turns in a row under normal
circumstances. However, with a road closure, the majority of traffic might be turning around.

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Do not set all the factors in a row (or a column) to zero. This will cause zero traffic from an origin (or to a
destination) to be generated.

Background

Link O-D volumes provide control over vehicle paths through multiple intersections. An alternate method for
specifying this type of data is to have a grid of origins and destinations for all entrances and exits of two or more
intersections. An O-D matrix is like the Link Volume Balancer but contains all the entrances and exits for several
intersections, rather than for a single link.

O-D matrices are good for controlling traffic through a cluster of 3 or more closely spaced nodes such as for a
roundabout. O-D matrices are also good for specifying traffic demand without specifying the actual route for
applications involving dynamic traffic assignment. O-D matrices are used extensively in large area planning
models.

O-D matrices require the collection of a lot of traffic data. Vehicle paths must be observed through two or more
intersections. This type of data is impossible to collect automatically with detectors or other devices.

Synchro uses the Link Volume weighting for individual links. The Weighting Factors allow O-D volumes to be
calculated from intersection turning counts. This allows easier data collection and even data collection through
automatic detectors. Turning movement data can be collected for many time periods and the O-D volumes are
estimated based on the weighting factors.

Link O-D Volume Calculations

All volumes in this discussion are adjusted for growth and PHF. Traffic volume balancing is subject to the
following rules:
Vu = (Vi) = volume from upstream intersection
Vi = volume from upstream movement i
Vd = (Vd) = volume to downstream intersection
Vj = volume to downstream movement j
Vm = max(Vd - Vu, Vd * %MB) = volume entering mid-block, can be calculated or set with %MB
%MB = percent of traffic entering mid-block, input in VOLUME settings
Vt = Vd + Vm = total link volume
Vx = Vt - Vd = sink volume, always calculated
Wij = movement weight factor from origin i to destination j
Vij = volume from origin i to destination j
Vij = Wij * Vi * Vj / Vt = initial calculation, before adjustment to balance volumes

Mid-block Volume is a valid origin I. Sink Volume is a valid destination J.

Movement Volumes (Vij) are adjusted iteratively so that origin and destination volumes are balanced for each
IJ movement. Due to volume balancing, Movement Volumes will not usually be proportionate to the Weight
Factors.

Volume balancing also limits the range of deviation for each IJ movement from its normally weighted value.

By default, all Weight Factors (Wij) are 1 and traffic is allocated in proportion to origin and destination traffic
for each movement.

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Adjusted Flow
The Adjusted Flow (vph) is the Future Volume modified by the Peak Hour Factor and Growth Factor. This field
cannot be overridden.

Traffic in Shared Lane

Traffic volumes assigned to exclusive and shared lane are proportioned to each lane as follows.

Vehicles are counted as passenger car equivalents (PCE) as follows

Throughs: 1
Rights: 1.18
Protected Lefts: 1.05
Permitted Lefts: 1 / [0.95 * (900 – vOp)/900], (max 6.67)
Permitted plus protected Lefts: 2/ [0.95 + 0.95 * (900 – vOp)/900], (max 1.82)
vOp = through volume opposed.

Traffic is assigned so that PCEs are balanced between lanes. The assignment of traffic to the shared lane is
between 10% and 90% of the turning traffic.

This simplified left turn factor removes the interdependence of lane assignments from the permitted left turn
factor (see page 9-8) calculation. As a practical matter, the need for a permitted left-turn factor is somewhat
nullified by this lane assignment procedure.

This value can be overridden to control lane assignment in Synchro. Changes to this setting will not impact the
simulation.

Lane Group Flow

The Lane Group Flow combines the Adjusted Flow and Traffic in Shared Lane (%) values to assign net volumes
to each lane group.

If there are no turning lanes, the turning volume is assigned to the through lane group. The shared lanes are
part of the through lane group and the exclusive lanes are part of those movements' lane groups.

If an approach has a shared turning lane and an exclusive turning, the Adjusted Flow value in the exclusive turn
lane is reduced by the Traffic in Shared Lane (%) value for that lane. The through movement corresponding
with the shared lane is increased by this same value. These are calculated fields and cannot be overridden by
the user.

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– Timing/Signing Settings
Timing Settings
From the MAP view, click on the desired intersection with the Right mouse button and select the Timing
Settings.

From anywhere in the program, press [F8] and select the desired intersection from the list. Then push
the Timing Setting button or the [F5] key.

The TIMING settings are displayed with information about the timing and phasing. See Chapter 7 for details on
navigating the data entry screens.

Figure 11-1 TIMING Settings

Layout
The left side of the TIMING settings will display the NODE settings with alternate rows displayed in yellow.
Here you can update data such as the node number, zone name, intersection coordinates, description notes and
signal timing data. See Chapter 8 for full details on the NODE settings.

On the right side are blue shaded rows and columns. There is a column for every vehicle movement and every
vehicle movement can have multiple phases. To enter multiple phases, see the topic on Protected and
Permitted Phases on page 11-4. There is also a column for a pedestrian only phase and a Hold phase. To make

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a pedestrian only phase, assign a phase number to this column. Details on the data entry items are found in
subsequent sections of this chapter.

Near the bottom of the TIMING settings are a Splits and Phasing diagram. This is fully defined on page 11-9.

Refer to page 9-1 for details on the Lanes and Sharing setting and to page 10-1 for details on the Traffic
Volume setting.

Signing Settings
The TIMING settings become the SIGNING settings by selecting unsignalized or roundabout from the Control
Type (refer to page 8-4). The toolbar button becomes a stop sign when an unsignalized intersection is active.
[F5] opens the SIGNING settings or TIMING settings depending on the intersection.

Phase Templates
Phase templates allow phase numbers to be set automatically.

Figure 11-2 Phase Template Submenu

To set phases for an east-west or north-south arterial use the Phase Template submenu, located in the Signal
Timing Section of the Home tab.

Phases 2 and 6 are normally used for the main street. Thus, a template is provided for each type of arterial.

To edit the phase templates select Edit Template Phases.

Enter phase numbers for each through and left movement. Local standards may have the phases mirrored from
Synchro's defaults. Synchro's defaults are shown in Figure 11-3.

Figure 11-3 Phase Template Editor

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Phase Templates are for dual ring controllers and cannot be used to set up single ring timing or other
advanced applications. To set up advanced applications use the Ring-and-Barrier-Designer (see page
12-2).

Use default phase templates to set up phase numbers matching the agency’s standard phasing scheme.

The Phase Template is a global setting for all intersections within this file.

Turn Type
The Turn Type sets the level of turn protection and assigns default phase and detector numbers to the
dedicated turn lane. These defaults can be changed at any time.

Before setting the turn types, set the phase numbers for the through movements using a phase template.

Left Turn Type

The types of left turn treatment are:

1. Permitted (Perm): Left turn movements are not protected and vehicles must yield to oncoming traffic
and pedestrians in the crosswalk.
2. Protected (Prot): Left turn movements are protected by a dedicated signal and turning traffic can
only move during the arrow indication of this signal.
3. Permitted + Protected (pm+pt): Left turn movements are protected during the protected (arrow)
signal indication and permitted during the green ball indication. With permitted plus protected
phasing, it is common to use four to five signal displays for the turn indications.
4. Split: Left and through traffic share a single protected phase. This type of phasing is commonly used
if a lane is shared between left and through traffic. Split phasing insures that shared left-turn lanes
are protected and offer a greater level of protection compared with permitted left-turns. If there is
no through approach, such as at a T intersection, then the left turn treatment should always be split.
5. Dallas Permitted (D.Pm): A special type of phasing developed in the Dallas, Texas area. The left turn
lane has its own signal head. The left signal head is louvered to make it invisible from adjacent lanes.
The ball in the left lane displays the same phase displayed to oncoming through traffic. This
configuration eliminates the lagging left turn trap problem.
6. Dallas Permitted plus Protected (D.P+P): A special type of phasing developed in the Dallas, Texas
area. The left turn lane has its own signal head. The left signal head is louvered to make it invisible
from adjacent lanes. The ball in the left lane displays the same phase displayed to oncoming through
traffic. This configuration eliminates the lagging left turn trap problem. Use this option for a protected
plus permitted Flashing Yellow Arrow (FYA).
7. NA: No phase selected. Left turns are prohibited.
8. Custom: A non-standard left turn phase combination is selected

Right Turn Type

If there is right turn traffic, there is an option for the right turn treatment. There are eight choices.

Right turn traffic from a through or shared lane will only move during phases for those movements. The
right turn phasing only applies to exclusive right lanes.

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1. Perm (perm): Permitted right turn movements are not protected and vehicles must yield to
pedestrians in the crosswalk.
2. Protected (Prot): Right turn movements are protected by a dedicated signal that provides a right-
turn arrow that does not conflict with pedestrian indications.
3. Overlap (Over): This turn type displays a right turn arrow with a protected left-turn movement on
the intersecting street.
Overlap should not be used as a substitute for Right Turn on Red. See Right Turn on Red on page 9-
10 for guidance on which type to use.
4. Permitted + Overlap (pm+ov): This right turn overlap displays a right-turn arrow with a compatible
left-turn and a permitted (green ball) indication with the through phase.
5. Protected + Overlap (pt+ov): This right-turn overlap displays a right-turn arrow with the compatible
left-turn and the through movement associated with the right-turn.
6. Free: A free right turn movement yields to pedestrians and is not assigned a signal phase. The
permitted phase is automatically set to Free by the Free turn type.
Free should not be used as a substitute for Right Turn on Red. See Right Turn on Red on page 9-10
for guidance on which type to use. Free should only be used if the movement has an acceleration lane
downstream.
7. NA: A right turn type set to NA (Not Applicable) is prohibited. The volume for the right-turn
movement must be coded to zero for this turn type.
8. Custom: Non-standard right turn phases are entered.

Protected and Permitted Phases

The Phase rows are used to assign one or more phases for each movement. During protected phases, traffic
can move without conflict. During permitted phases, left turning traffic must yield to oncoming traffic and right
turn traffic must yield to pedestrians. Conflicting phases have the phase number shown in red. Permitted left
turns do not conflict with movements bound for the same link. Permitted through movements do not conflict
with left turns bound for the same link.

If a movement is unsignalized, you can type “Free” in place of the protected phase. This movement will be given
a constant green.

In many cases, the phase numbers can be set automatically by using the Phase Templates and the Turn
Type controls.

Most signals in North America use dual ring controllers, which service a phase in each ring concurrently.

Figure 11-4 Multiple Phasing (Overlaps)

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Multiple phasing is referred to as phase overlaps in controller terminology. Multiple phases can be entered by
separating the phase numbers with a space. The Total Split for multiple phases is the sum of all the phases for
the movement. In the above diagram, the WBT total split is the sum of the phase 1 split (10 s) and the phase 2
split (30 s) for a total of 40 seconds.

All phases phases included in the overlap are assigned as Detector Phases.

If a movement is served by two consecutive phases, the clearance intervals (Y+AR) between the phases
are not shown and the signal stays green. Synchro automatically takes this into account when calculating
effective green times, g/C ratios, and v/c ratios.

Automatic Phase Creation and Removal

A lane group is considered "phase-able" when it has 1 or more lanes. Through, Left, and U-turn lane groups are
also "phase-able" when they have traffic volume or a shared lane. Right lane groups are only "phase-able" when
they have 1 or more primary lanes.
Table 11-1 What Makes a Lane Group "Phase-able"

Lane Group U-Turn Left 2 Left Through Right Right 2

Volume X X X X

Primary Lanes X X X X X X

Shared Lanes X X X X

Phase-able lane groups must always have at least one phase or be coded Free. Non-phase-able lane groups are
coded with zero phases and zero lane group volume. Therefore, all measures (MOE) for a non-phase-able lane
group are not applicable.

When a lane group is made phase-able by adding volumes or lanes, a phase is automatically assigned to this
lane group. Through lane groups are given a default-protected phase based on the phase templates. Synchro
attempts to determine which phase template is in use and assigns a through phase from the appropriate
template. Left and right lane groups are given a default permitted phase equal to the through lane group's
protected or permitted phases. If the through lane group has no phases or does not exist, the turning lane group
is given a permitted phase based on the phase template for through phases.

If a pedestrian or hold phase is added to a lane group by the user or the phase assigner, the phase is no longer
a hold or pedestrian phase.

When a lane group is made non-phaseable by removing volumes and lanes, all phases are removed from the
lane group. If these phases do not serve other movements, the phases are removed from the timing plan. Care
should be used when importing volumes or lanes so as not to lose phase information.

Permitted Flashing Yellow

Selecting Permitted Flashing Yellow is only used if a simulation within SimTraffic is conducted. The traffic
signal display will flash yellow during the permitted phase of a prot+perm left turn.

The Permitted Flashing Yellow setting does not affect the analysis results.

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Flashing yellow arrows typically utilize the Dallas Permitted plus Protected (D.P+P) Turn Type.

Detector Phase
Detectors in the subject lane group will call and/or extend the Detector Phases. The function of the detector
is set in the DETECTORS settings in the Detector Type row (see page13-4).
Detectors call a protected phase by default or a permitted phase if a protected phase does not exist. Default
detector phases are shown in blue font and may be overridden by the user (red font).

Avoid changing the Detector Phase and Switch Phase. To change the phase associated with the lane
group, use the Protected Phases or Permitted Phases setting. If you override the Detector Phases, it will
not be updated if the phase numbers change later.

If there is no detector for this lane group, code a value of ‘0’ in the setting for Detector Phase and ensure that
this is either the coordinated phase, is a pretimed signal, or 'maximum' is coded for the Recall Mode.

Switch Phase
The Switch Phase is a secondary phase that extends the entered phase when it is green. This setting does not
place a call and does not call the primary Detector Phase when the entered switch phase is green.

This setting can be used for the permitted phase of a permitted plus protected left turn. Do not use with a lagging
left turn because the protected left will not get called while the permitted phase is green. The default for
permitted plus protected is to have the Detector Phase equal to the Protected Phase and Switch Phase set to
none.

Leading Detector
This distance in feet (meter) is measured from the stop bar to the leading edge of the detector farthest from the
stop bar. Enter this value for each lane group.

This information only needs to be entered if you are using the actuated signal analysis functions of Synchro.
This information does not need to be entered for the main street approaches of semi-actuated and coordinated
signals.

Do not set the Leading Detector to zero; the minimum value is 5 feet (1.5 m). If there is no detector for
this lane group, code a value of 0 in the setting for Detector Phase and ensure that this is either the
coordinated phase, is a pretimed signal, or 'maximum' is coded for the Recall Mode.

Trailing Detector
This is the distance from the trailing edge of the trailing detector to the stop bar in feet (meters). Enter only
extension detectors for each lane group. Do not count calling-only and type-3 detectors in this field. The
detector information is used in conjunction with gap-out times and thus only extension detectors are used. A
negative value can be entered if the trailing detector extends past the stop bar.

This information only needs to be entered if you are using the actuated signal analysis functions of Synchro.
This information does not need to be entered for the main street approaches of semi-actuated and coordinated
signals.

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The Leading and Trailing Detector settings are automatically updated if you enter detector information
in the DETECTORS settings.

Minimum Initial and Minimum Split

The Minimum Initial and Minimum Split may be edited in either the Timing or Phasing Settings window.
These parameters are discussed in the Phasing Settings chapter. See page 12-6 for details.

Total Split
The Total Split time is the same as the Maximum Split time located in the Phasing Settings window. This value
can be edited in either the Timing or Phasing Settings window. See page 12-7 for details.

To adjust the Total Split time with the mouse, move the mouse to the right side of a yellow + all red band on the
Splits and Phasing diagram shown at the bottom of the TIMING settings.

The cursor will change into the shape shown here. Hold down the left mouse button and drag the cursor
right or left to adjust the split. When the button is released, all of the other colored bands that are
affected will automatically adjust their splits, and any changed information will be shown on the
numbers above.

Synchro will automatically extend a phase to ensure that the sum of the phases in each ring equals the cycle
length. This extended split is shown in gray on the Splits and Phasing diagram.

Yellow and All-Red Time

Yellow Time and All-Red Time may be edited in either the Timing or Phasing Settings window. These
parameters are discussed in the Phasing Settings chapter. See page 12-7 for more information.

Lost Time Adjustment

The Lost Time Adjustment is used, so that the clearance interval is automatically accounted for and
simplifying the total lost time calculations.

Total lost time is calculated as startup lost time plus yellow plus all red, as shown below.
tL = Yi + L1 – e = Total Lost Time
Yi = Yellow plus All-Red Time
L1 = startup lost time = 2.5 seconds by default
e = Extension of effective green = 2.5 seconds by default

The Lost Time Adjustment is the startup lost time minus extension of effective green. The default for startup
lost time and extension of effective green is 2.5 seconds, so the Lost Time Adjustment defaults to zero. The
extension of the effective green is time vehicles continue to enter after yellow interval begins.
tLA = L1 – e = Lost Time Adjustment
tL = Yi + tLA

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Lagging Phase?
The first two phases within a ring-barrier sequence are considered phase partners. The 3rd and 4th phases
within a ring-barrier sequence if used, are also phase partners. Phase Lagging is used to swap the order of phase
partners.

Eight phase dual ring operation provides phase partners 1-2 and 3-4 in ring 1 and phase partners 5-6 and 7-8
in ring 2.

If Phase Lagging is set to “on” for a phase, it will follow the phase that it normally proceeds. If Phase Lagging is
set to “off” for an even phase, it will precede the odd phase that normally comes before the even phase.

Usually left turns are assigned odd phase numbers and through movements are assigned even phase numbers.
If you wish to have a lagging left turn that follows a through movement, then set Lagging Phase to “on” for this
phase. The oncoming through phase will have its Lagging Phase automatically set to “off.”

Lagging can be used with left turns and their oncoming through approaches. It can also be used to reverse the
order of sequential phases. Lead and lag phase partners must be in the same ring and barrier.

With non-standard rings and barriers, lag and lead may not be available.

Lead-lag phasing on the main street occurs when one coordinated phase leads and the other lags. For
example, phases 1 and 6 lead, 2 and 5 lag.
Coding C-Max recall for a lagging through movement also also forces the lagging left-turn to recall to
max. This feature is called lag phase hold.
Coding C-Min recall for a lagging through movement allows the lagging through and left-turn movement
to gap out. This allows for more flexible lead-lag phasing.

Allow Lead/Lag Optimize?

One of the powerful features of Synchro is that it can optimize the order of phases. When optimizing offsets,
Synchro will check all combinations of leading and lagging phasing so as to improve traffic flow. This is
accomplished by looking at all combinations of the Lagging Phase setting discussed in the previous section.

If it is okay for the phase to be either leading or lagging, set this field to “on” by checking the box. If the phase
must be lagging or must be leading, set this field to “off.”

Some jurisdictions require all left turn phases to be leading. If this is the case, set this field to “off” for all left
turn movements. This will keep the optimizer from changing these phases to lagging.

When using split or sequential phasing, set this field to “on.” This will allow the optimizer to reverse the order
of the phases to improve coordination. The exception to this rule is if the phase order is hardwired into your
signal controller.

Some jurisdictions are hesitant to use lagging left turn phasing because cars can become "trapped" in
the intersection. This phenomenon occurs when one approach allows permitted left turns and the
oncoming approach has a lagging left turn signal.

Lagging left turns should not be used if oncoming traffic has any of the following types of left turn treatments:
✓ Permitted
✓ Leading Permitted + Protected

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✓ Lagging Permitted + Protected with a different split for the left turn than the oncoming left turn.

However, lagging left turns can be used safely if oncoming traffic has any of the following types of left turn
treatments:
✓ Protected leading
✓ Protected lagging (if the oncoming left split is less than or equal to this left's split)
✓ Prohibited (if, for example, this is a "T" intersection, or if a cross street is a one-way street such as
freeway ramps.)
✓ Split Phasing
✓ Protected - permitted left-turn signals developed by the City of Dallas with louvered green indications
or Flashing Yellow Arrow (FYA)

Sequential Phasing

Assign cross street phases to phase 3 and 4 to allow lead/lag optimization with split phasing. Alternatively,
open the Ring-and-Barrier-Designer (see page 12-2) and change the phase sequence from 3-4-7-8 to 4-8.
Lead/Lag optimization is performed on the first two phases in a ring-barrier sequence and on the last two
phases in a ring-barrier sequence.

Recall Mode
The Recall Mode may be edited in either the Timing or Phasing Settings window. This parameter is discussed
in the Phasing Settings chapter. See page 12-8 for more information.

Splits and Phasing Diagram

Figure 11-5 Splits and Phasing Diagram Example

The Splits and Phasing diagram is shown at the bottom of the TIMING settings. It is a graphical representation
of the current splits and phasing and can be used to adjust the splits. To adjust the splits with the mouse, move
the mouse to the right side of a yellow + all red band on the current Splits and Phasing diagram.

The cursor will change into the shape shown here. Hold down the left mouse button and move the
mouse right or left to adjust the split. When the button is released, all of the other colored bands that
are affected will automatically adjust their splits, and any changed information will be shown on the
numbers above.

Permitted movements are shown in gray and protected movements are shown in black. On Figure 11-5, the
southbound left (phase 7) is first protected and then permitted with phase 4.

Next to the movement diagram is a phase number identified with the phase symbol (ø) and inside the green
band is the split time in seconds. In Figure 11-5, the southbound left is ø7 and has a 10 s split.

Remember that the split time includes the Yellow Time plus All-Red Time.

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Splits for phases within a ring are not required to add up. Synchro will extend a phase to make the rings equal.
This extended split is shown in gray on the Splits and Phasing diagram. In Figure 11-5, ø2 has 22 s entered on
the Total Split row, however, it has extended an additional 10 s to make the rings equal.
ø5 + ø6 = 14 s + 36 s = 50 s
ø1 + ø2 + ø2 extension = 18 s + 22 s + 10 s = 50 s.

Changing one of the values for one phase on the Total Split row will not affect the other phase(s). This however
may extend the cycle length. Dragging on the diagram can be used to change a split but preserve the cycle length.

Holding down the [CTRL] key can be used to swap the phase order. When the [CTRL] key is held down
and the mouse cursor is moved over a swappable phase, the cursor changes to indicate the phases can
be swapped. Clicking the mouse changes the phase sequence. Locked timing plans cannot be changed.
Phases can be manually swapped even if marked 'No' for Allow Lead Lag Optimize.

Group Control (Multiple Intersection Control)

Synchro allows you to model multiple intersections with one controller (group control). This allows for the
analysis of complex traffic situations such as a diamond freeway interchange or two closely spaced
intersections. To set up a controller to operate with group control, see the Cluster Editor and the Ring-and-
Barrier-Designer, page 12-4.

Figure 11-6 Group Control Example

On the Splits and Phasing diagram, each intersection has a color associated with it. In addition, the top number
identifies the node number preceded by a # symbol. In Figure 11-6, the two intersections modeled are
intersection #1 and intersection #2.

Clicking on the movement diagram within the Splits and Phasing diagram will jump to the intersection selected.
For instance, if the TIMING settings for intersection #1 are active, holding the cursor over any of the movement
diagrams for intersection #2 will change the cursor to a hand symbol. Clicking will now change the TIMING
settings information to intersection #2.

Pedestrian and Hold Phases

The far-right columns allow an entry of pedestrian only or phase hold. Set the PED phase to any phase dedicated
solely for pedestrians (often called an exclusive ped phase). This is a phase where all vehicle movements are
red and pedestrians can walk anywhere in the intersection. Set the phase number to blank to remove the
pedestrian phase.

Sign Control
If Control Type (see page 8-4) is set to Unsig, this intersection becomes unsignalized and the signing settings
replace the signal settings.

There are three Sign Control settings in the third row of the signing settings window.
a) Free: Traffic goes through the intersection without stopping.

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b) Yield: Traffic has a yield sign and slows down, stopping only if necessary.
c) Stop: All traffic stops, and waits until all conflicting traffic is clear.

Synchro will model unsignalized intersections based on the methods of the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM)
6th Edition (see Chapter 16), HCM 2010 (Chapter 17), and HCM 2000 (page 11-2). When modeling platoons
going through unsignalized intersections, traffic on a free approach goes through. Traffic at stop and yield
approaches are spread out over the entire cycle.

Use Free at a freeway onramp, even if a yield sign exists in the field. A yield sign will cause vehicles to stay and
wait for a gap in the traffic.

Median Width and TWLTL Median

This row appears in the SIGNING settings for unsignalized intersections. This field is the same as the Median
Width in the SIMULATION settings (see page 14-3). Changes to this setting will immediately update on the
MAP view.

The Median Width will be used for two-stage gap acceptance calculations in HCM 2000. If the Median Width on
the main street is larger than the average vehicle length (set in the Network Settings), then two-stage
calculations will be performed. The median is assumed to be a raised median unless the two-way left turn lane
(TWLTL) option is checked.

Refer to page 16-30 for information on using two-stage gap acceptance with HCM 6th Edition analysis
and page 17-26 for information on using two-stage gap acceptance with HCM 2010 analysis.

The number of vehicles that can be stored in the median is equal to the Median Width divided by the Vehicle
Length. For a TWLTL median, 2 vehicles can be stored in the median. No partial vehicles are assumed.

If a file created in Synchro version 6 or older is loaded, the median for the main street is based on the setting
for the side street of the older version.

The Median Width field is used for HCM unsignalized analysis to perform unsignalized analysis with two-
stage gap acceptance. SimTraffic will increase the median width visually; however, SimTraffic is not able
to model two-stage gap acceptance.

Right Turn Channelized

This row appears in the SIGNING settings for unsignalized intersections.

This field is active for the rightmost movement. Enter Yield or Free if this movement has a triangular island and
yields or merges with oncoming left turn traffic. One or more right turns must be selected.

For two-way unsignalized analysis, the channelized right turn traffic will not be considered in the conflicting
volume for other movements, following the HCM guidance for unsignalized analysis.

For all-way stop intersections and roundabouts, the traffic in channelized right turns will not be considered in
the analysis. Channelized right turns are not counted in the two lanes per leg per approach limit. This extension
is not part of the HCM analysis. To be fully HCM compatible, do not code channelized right turns for all-way
stops or roundabouts.

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Critical Gap
This row appears in the SIGNING settings for unsignalized intersections.

The Critical Gap, tC , is defined as the minimum length of time interval in the major street traffic stream that
allows intersection entry for one minor street vehicle. The critical gap is defined in Chapter 17 of the HCM 2000.
The value in Synchro is the value that is defined by equation 17-1 from the HCM 2000. This value is adjusted
for heavy vehicles, grades, and geometry.

For two-stage gaps, this is the combined single stage tC. When using two-stage, each stage is 1 second less.

This value can be over-ridden.

Follow Up Time
This row appears in the SIGNING settings for unsignalized intersections.

The Follow Up Time is the time span between the departure of one vehicle from the minor street and the
departure of the next vehicle using the same major street gap, under a condition of continuous queuing on the
minor street. The follow up time is defined in Chapter 17 of the HCM 2000. The value in Synchro is the value
defined by equation 17-2 after adjusting for heavy vehicles.

This value can be over-ridden.

Roundabout Settings
To select a roundabout, set the Control Type to Roundabout.

The values in the Signing Settings are based on the HCM 2000. The HCM 2000 provides limited modeling
of roundabouts. The only measure of effectiveness is a range of volume to capacity ratios. Use the HCM
6th Edition or HCM 2010 buttons for full modeling of roundabouts.

Roundabout Radius

Inside Radius and Outside Radius control the size of the roundabout. 900 feet is the maximum. These settings
appear in the NODE settings when the Control Type is set to Roundabout. The maximum radius value is 900
feet. The radius settings are only used by SimTraffic to construct the geometry of the roundabout.

Roundabout Lanes

Roundabout Lanes (#) also appear in the NODE settings. This value controls the number of interior lanes
within the traffic circle (maximum of 3 lanes).

Circle Speed

Circle Speed also appears in the NODE settings and controls the speed of vehicles within the roundabout. This
setting is only used by SimTraffic.

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Max Exit Lanes

The Max Exit Lanes setting controls how many of the interior lanes exit the next downstream departure leg.
This information is only used by SimTraffic. See the sub-topic on Roundabout Analysis on page 27-6) for
additional details.

If you have a roundabout with a slip ramp, see the topic Slip Lanes for Roundabouts (page 9-6).

Measures of Effectiveness

Actuated Effective Green

This value represents the average green time observed while the signal is operating in actuated mode. This
value may be less than maximum green time if the phase is skipped or gapped out. The effective green may be
higher than maximum green during coordination depending on the Floating Force Off setting and Yield method
selected. Effective green for left-turns is also dependent on whether the left-turn is protected, permitted, or
both (pm+pt).

The actuated green time is an average of the five percentile green times, subject to the following rules. The
actuated effective green time includes yellow plus all-red time with the total lost time subtracted. The
calculation rules for the HCM (2000 or 2010) Report and Control Delay as shown in the TIMING settings are
slightly different.

 gi + YAR   Ci
g' =   * − tL , (Percentile)
 Ci  25
g' = Actuated Effective Green Time (s)
(use 0 instead of gi + YAR for skipped scenarios)

 gi   Ci
g' =    * + YAR − tL , (Webster)
 Ci  25
(g' is zero if less than 0.1 second)
gi = Percentile Green Time
Ci = Percentile Cycle Length
YAR = Yellow + All-Red time (s)
tL = Total Lost Time (s)

Control Delay Notes:

When calculating Ci, dwell time is subtracted from the cycle length for non-recall phases.

gi is equal to the minimum green time for skipped phases.

The sum of actuated splits may exceed the actuated cycle length. Skipped phases are given the minimum initial
green time, but other phases will not have this time added to their cycle or deducted from their green time.

Dwelled time is added to the green time of recall phases but not added to the red time or cycle length of non-
recall phases.

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HCM Report Notes:

The HCM (2000, 2010, or 6th Edition) Report calculation differs slightly from the Synchro calculation. The HCM
(2000, 2010, or 6th Edition) method requires all lost time from other phases to be included in the red time and
cycle length. The percentile method discounts part of the lost time for other phases if they sometimes skip.

The green time for coordinated phases is calculated by subtracting actuated splits from non-coordinated splits.
The main effect is that yellow time for skipped phases is still subtracted from the split of the coordinated phases.

The sum of HCM (2000, 2010, or 6th Edition) actuated phases will always equal the actuated cycle length.

Actuated Green to Cycle Ratio

This is the average actuated green time divided by the actuated cycle length. See Actuated Effective Green
Time (page 11-13) for notes on actuated green time calculation.

Calculation

g /C =
 ( gi / Ci )
5
g = Effective Green Time (split minus total lost time)
C = Cycle Length
gi = Percentile Green Time
Ci = Percentile Scenario Cycle Length

HCM 2000 Report Calculation

g'/C = g' / C'
g'/C = Actuated Effective Green to Cycle Ratio
C' =  (g' + YAR) = Actuated Cycle Length, equals sum of effective green times
g' = Actuated Effective Green Time (split less total lost time)
Ci = Percentile Scenario Cycle Length

For the HCM 2000 calculation, C' will always be the sum of the effective splits (taking into account ring and
barrier rules). With the Synchro calculation (Ci)/5 may be less than the sum of the actuated splits. This is
because total lost time is not counted for skipped phases when evaluating other phases.

Volume to Capacity Ratio

Timing Settings

The Volume to Capacity Ratio (v/c Ratio) uses actuated green times and cycle lengths. The v/c ratio indicates
the amount of congestion for each lane group. Any v/c Ratio greater than or equal to 1 indicates that the
approach is operating at above capacity. This number is calculated by the formula:
v
X =
s*g /C
X = Volume to Capacity Ratio
v = Adjusted Lane Group Volume (see VOLUME settings on page 10-1)

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s = Saturated Flow Rate (see LANE settings on page 7-1)

g = Effective Green Time (split minus total lost time)
C = Cycle Length

If there are separate lane groups for right or left turn traffic, the v/c Ratios for these lane groups are also shown.
There is a separate lane group for left traffic, if there are left turn lanes and the left turn type is not Split. There
is a separate lane group for right traffic, if there are right turn lanes. Shared lanes are in the through lane group.

For permitted plus protected movements, each Saturated Flow Rate is multiplied by its respective actuated
effective green time and added together.

Defacto Turning Lanes

A dl or dr in the v/c ratio field indicates a Defacto left or right turning lane. If there are two or more through
lanes and a heavy turning movement, it is possible to have a defacto turning lane.

Synchro will flag a defacto turning lane if the turning movement using a single lane would have a v/c ratio
greater than the group as a whole and its v/c ratio is 0.85 or more.

Defacto lanes should be taken seriously. It is possible that the v/c ratio for the entire group is acceptable, while
the turning lane is not acceptable.

To correct a defacto turning lane, change the coding of a through lane into a turning lane. A defacto left or right
turn lane usually indicates the need for an additional exclusive turning lane.

Signing Settings

For unsignalized intersections, the volume to capacity ratio is reported for each movement. Unlike signals, the
v/c ratio is the maximum for the movement, not the lane group. See the HCM 2000 Unsignalized report (page
23-15) for more details about the capacity and delays by lane.

For roundabouts, the high capacity v/c ratio is shown for the approach. This is the high capacity range of
possible v/c ratios for the method. To see the low capacity ratios, see the HCM 2000 Unsignalized report.

Control Delay
Timing Settings

See the discussion of Delay Calculations (page 20-1) for a complete description of the calculations.

Delays in Synchro are Signal Delay, also called Control Delay. These delays are equivalent to the Stopped Delay
multiplied by a constant of 1.3.

In Synchro, control delays are used for analyzing the effects of coordination, actuation, and congestion. Control
delay is the component of delay caused by the downstream control device and does not include Queue Delay.

Signing Settings

For unsignalized intersections, the delay is shown for the movement. Unlike signals, the delay is for the
movement, not the lane group. A value of 9999 indicates no capacity is available. See the HCM 2000
Unsignalized report (page 23-15) for more details about the capacity and delays by lane.

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Queue Delay
Timing Settings

Queue Delay is an analysis of the effects of queues and blocking on short links and short turning bays. This
delay includes the analysis of spillback, starvation, and storage blocking. Additional details on queue delay and
queue interactions can be found in the topic Queue Interactions (page 20-12).

Signing Settings

The unsignalized intersection delay is strictly based on the methods in Chapter 17 of the HCM 2000, which does
not include a term for queue delay. Therefore, Queue Delay is not included in the SIGNING settings.

Total Delay
Timing Settings

Total Delay is the lane group Control Delay plus the Queue Delay. Additional details on total delay, queue delay
and queue interactions can be found in the topic Queue Interactions (page 20-12).

Signing Settings

The unsignalized intersection delay is strictly based on the methods in Chapter 17 of the HCM 2000 which does
not include a term for queue delay. Therefore, Total Delay is not included in the SIGNING settings, only Control
Delay.

Level of Service
Timing Settings

The Level of Service (LOS) for the lane group is calculated by taking the signalized Intersection Delay and
converting it to a letter, between A and F, based on the length of the delay. Refer to Table 8-1 on page 8-8.

The Level of Service is based on the Synchro Control Delay.

Signing Settings

This is based on the movement control delay for an unsignalized intersection. This is based on Table 8-2 located
on page 8-8.

Approach Delay
Timing Settings

This is the delay for the entire approach. The Approach Delay is a volume weighted average of the Total Delays
for each lane group.

Signing Settings

For unsignalized intersections, the delay is shown for the approach. Unlike signals, the delay is for the
movement, not lane group. A value of 9999 indicates no capacity is available. See the HCM 2000 Unsignalized
report for more details about the capacity and delays by lane.

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For roundabouts, the HCM 2000 method does not define a delay, so none is shown. The HCM 2010 and HCM 6th
Edition, however, include movement delay and average intersection delay for roundabouts.

The Approach Delay and LOS for main street approaches are not shown because they are not defined for main
street approaches. The analyst needs to examine the left turn LOS and delay to rank the vehicles.

Approach Level of Service

Timing Settings

This is the Approach LOS based on the Total Delay.

Signing Settings

Based on the approach Control Delay.

Queue Lengths
Timing Settings

The Queue Length rows show the 50th percentile and 95th percentile maximum queue lengths. The 50th
percentile maximum queue is the maximum back of queue on a typical cycle and the 95th percentile queue is
the maximum back of queue with 95th percentile traffic volumes (also see Queue Length Calculation, page
20-23).

The queue length reported is the one for the lane with the highest queue (feet or meters) in the lane
group. The total queue length is divided by the number of lanes and the lane utilization factor.

In many cases, the 95th percentile queue will not be experienced due to upstream metering. If the upstream
intersection is at or near capacity, the 50th percentile queue represents the maximum queue experienced.

Similarly, if the upstream intersection has a v/c ratio over 0.8; the maximum queue is approximately equal to
the 50th percentile queue divided by the upstream v/c ratio. For example, if the 50th percentile queue is 150ft,
and the v/c ratio upstream is 0.90; the maximum possible queue would therefore be 150 / 0.90 = 167ft.

Due to upstream metering, the 95th queue may be less than the 50th queue. If the upstream intersection
is operating with v/c>1, the metered arrival rate will be less than the volume for this intersection. Since
metering is only performed with the 95th queue, this causes the 95th queue to be less than the 50th
queue. This situation may indicate a coding problem. Be sure that the Midblock traffic is coded correctly
and that the signal timing and volumes for both intersections are set correctly. This reduced 95th queue
does represent a valid queue because vehicles will not be able to clear the upstream intersection to
queue at this intersection.

The ~ and # footnotes indicate that the volume modeled exceeds capacity. The ~ footnote indicates that the
approach is above capacity and the queue length could be much longer. The queue length is theoretically infinite
and blocking problems may occur. The value shown for the 50th percentile queue is sufficient to hold one cycle
of traffic. This will prevent capacity problems from being compounded by insufficient storage space.

The # footnote indicates that the volume for the 95th percentile cycle exceeds capacity. This traffic was
simulated for two complete cycles of 95th percentile traffic to account for the effects of spillover between cycles.
If the reported v/c <1 for this movement, the methods used represent a valid method for estimating the 95th
percentile queue. In practice, 95th percentile queue shown will rarely be exceeded and the queues shown with
the # footnote are acceptable for the design of storage bays.

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When the Analysis Period is set to greater than or equal to 30 minutes, the PHF will be set to 1.0. See the Queue
Length Calculation on page 20-24.

The m footnote indicates that volume for the 95th percentile queue is metered by an upstream signal.

Signing Settings

For two-way stops, the 95th percentile queue is shown. The queue is the highest for any lane in the lane group.

A value of 9999 indicates no capacity is available. See the HCM Unsignalized report for more details about the
capacity and delays by lane.

For roundabouts and all-way-stop-controlled intersections, the HCM 2000 methodology does not define
a queue, so none is shown.

Warning Indicators
The lower right cells (below the Splits and Phasing diagram) of the TIMING and PHASING settings indicate
potential intersection coding errors or timing problems when red.

Timing Settings

Green indicates no errors.

Conflict indicates a phase or coincident phase(s) serve conflicting movements. Look at the Protected Phasing
row for red phase numbers. No conflict checking is performed on permitted phases.

v/c > 1 indicates that Volume exceeds capacity for one or more movements. It may also indicate volume was
coded without lanes or green time. Look at the v/c row for values greater than 1 or for "No Cap" errors. For
congested intersections, a v/c >1 error may be unavoidable.

Min Err indicates that one or more splits violate minimum timing requirements. Look at the Total Split row for
values in red. Also, compare the Maximum Split in the PHASING settings to the Minimum split. A Min Err may
also occur if timings are too short for pedestrian timings.

Signing Settings

Invalid Sign Control for Unsignalized Analysis: Oncoming approaches must both be free or both be signed. The
intersection is limited to two free approaches.

Too Many Legs for Unsignalized Analysis: The unsignalized analysis is limited to four leg intersections. It is also
possible to get this message if too many legs are on one side of the intersection.

Too Many Lanes for Unsignalized Analysis: HCM 2000 Two-way-stop control intersections are limited to four
lanes per approach. All-way-stop-control intersections are limited to two lanes per leg; however, channelized
right lanes do not count towards this total. HCM 6th Edition and HCM 2010 have different limitations. Refer to
pages 16-22 and 17-18 for additional details.

How to Code an Overlap

An overlap signal indication services a movement during two or more phases of the signal cycle. The phases
typically follow each other in sequence so the last phase serviced provides the clearance intervals for the

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overlap. A common application of the use of overlaps is at a diamond interchange using one controller for both
ramps. Figure 11-7 shows the phase assignments for a typical diamond interchange with overlaps.

Figure 11-7 Use of Overlaps at a Diamond Interchange

In this illustration, overlap A operates with its parent phases 1 and 2 and overlap B operates with its parent
phases 5 and 6.

To code this with Synchro, you do not need to define a new phase number for overlap A and B in the Ring-and-
Barrier-Designer. To code this, simply enter 1 and 2, separated with a space, in the Protected Phases row for
the WBT movement for the left side intersection. Next, enter a 5 and 6, separated with a space, in the Protected
Phases row for the EBT movement for the right side intersection. See Figure 11-8.

Figure 11-8 Coding Overlaps in Synchro

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If a movement is served by two consecutive phases, the clearance intervals (Y+AR) between the phases
are not shown and the signal stays green. Synchro automatically takes this into account when calculating
effective green times, g/C ratios, and v/c ratios.

The listed phases will become the Detector Phases. The phase listed first will be used for split optimization.

Pay careful attention to Detector Phases. They are key to controlling split optimization, as well as skipping and
gapping behavior with the actuated green times and in SimTraffic.

Normally the first phase in the sequence should be the first Detector Phase listed. With a leading left 1, phase 1
is entered first (1, 2), with a lagging left 1, phase 2 is entered first (2, 1).

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Timing Settings Quick Start Guide

There is a lot of information that can be entered into the TIMING settings that can be intimidating for new
users. The purpose of this section is to give the basic steps that are required to quickly get your data entered
into the TIMING settings. For a basic intersection, the steps would be as follows:
1. Enter your LANE and VOLUME settings data for your intersection (refer to Chapter 8 and Chapter
10).

2. Choose the appropriate Phase Template (refer to page 11-2) to match your numbering convention.
This step is necessary so Synchro can use the appropriate template when setting up Turn Types and
phase numbers. To set phases for an east-west or north-south arterial as shown in Figure 11-9, select
the appropriate Phase Template, using the submenu located in the Signal Timing Group of the Home
tab.
This step is not necessary if you want to use the Synchro default template (North/South template) or
if you are coding an unsignalized intersection.

Figure 11-9 Phase Template

3. Choose your Control Type. For signalized intersections, this can be set to a pretimed, semi-actuated
uncoordinated, actuated-uncoordinated or actuated-coordinated. For unsignalized intersections, this
can be set to an unsignalized (stop or yield controlled) or roundabout intersection.
4. Select the appropriate Turn Type for your left and right turns. This is the step where you will define
how your turning movements are phased (protected, permitted, free, etc.). If you have defined the
phase template in step 3, Synchro will automatically assign phase numbers for your turn treatments
based on the diagram shown in Figure 11-9.
If this is an unsignalized intersection, you would select the appropriate sign control (stop, free or
yield).
5. Enter the appropriate Cycle Length. If you are not performing an existing conditions intersection
analysis, you can determine the cycle length by performing an intersection cycle length optimization
or a network cycle length optimization.
6. Enter the PHASING settings (see the next chapter).

7. Adjust the phase splits with the Splits and Phasing diagram using your mouse. Move your
mouse cursor to the end of the phase split and it will change to the shape shown here
(horizontal resize button). Hold down the left mouse button and move the mouse right or
left to adjust the split.

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– Phasing Settings
From the MAP view, click on the desired intersection with the Right mouse button and select Phasing Settings.

From anywhere in the program, press [F8] and select the desired intersection from the list. Then push
the Phasing Settings button or the [F6] key.

The PHASING settings, Figure 12-1, are displayed with information about the phase settings. See Chapter 7 for
details on navigating the data entry screens.

Figure 12-1 PHASING Settings

Layout
The left side of the PHASING settings will display the NODE settings. The rows will be displayed in yellow. Here
you can update data such as the node number, zone name, intersection coordinates, description notes and
signal timing data. See Chapter 8 for full details on the NODE settings.

On the right side are blue shaded rows and columns. There is a column for every phase that has been set in the
TIMING settings. Details on the data entry items are found in subsequent sections of this chapter.

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Percentile Scenarios
The key to modeling actuated signals is to model traffic conditions using multiple traffic scenarios. Synchro
uses the Percentile Delay Method for determining delays and green times.

There are five scenarios modeled, the 90th, 70th, 50th, 30th, and 10th percentiles. Traffic volumes for each
approach are adjusted up or down to model these percentile scenarios. By adjusting the traffic volumes for
different scenarios, the actuated signals can be modeled under a range of traffic conditions.

If traffic is observed for 100 cycles, the 90th percentile would be the 90th busiest, the 10th percentile would be
the 10th busiest, and the 50th percentile would represent average traffic.

The percentile scenarios are likely to occur during the hour for which volume data is provided. These scenarios
are not intended to represent traffic conditions for other times. To model the signals under other traffic
conditions, reanalyze the signals with appropriate traffic volume counts.

Ring and Barrier Designer

The Ring and Barrier Designer allows up to 32 phases to be entered in one of 64 fields. This allows for the
modeling of complex phasing strategies. Phase numbers are entered into the appropriate barrier, ring and
position (BRP) fields in the four rings and four barriers.

When to use the Ring and Barrier Designer:

✓ Group Control (Multiple intersections on one controller)
✓ 5 or more legs
✓ Two intersections on one controller
✓ Single ring controller, more than 4 phases
✓ Diamond interchange
✓ More than 9 phases

Not needed for:

✓ Split phasing
✓ Lagging phases
✓ Standard 8 phase controller
✓ Single ring controller up to 4 phases
✓ 8 phase controller + 9
✓ Many two intersection configurations

To activate, select the Ring and Barrier button from the Signal Timing group of the Home tab.

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Figure 12-2 Ring and Barrier Designer

The [Diamond 4] button is used to set the phases for use with a Leading-Alternating diamond interchange.

Figure 12-3 displays the default phase assignments within the Ring and Barrier Designer. The values in the
table can be modified to meet your particular needs. To revert to the default phasing layout, select the
[Standard] button.

Figure 12-3 Default Phase Assignments in Ring and Barrier Designer

With group control, it is recommended that each intersection use phases in one ring only. All phases for a
node should be in a single ring or possibly two. Normally each ring should contain phases from one node
only (see the Figure 12-4 below).

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Figure 12-4 Intersection Diagram with Ring Structure

Cluster Editor
The Cluster Editor allows multiple intersections to share one controller (Group Control). This is often used in
conjunction with the Ring and Barrier Designer.

To activate, select the Cluster Editor button from the Signal Timing group on the Home tab.

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Figure 12-5 Cluster Editor

Click on an intersection in the Cluster Editor to add or remove intersections from the group (intersection shown
on the right).

Each intersection has a color associated with it in the Splits and Phasing diagram. The color can be changed by
right clicking on the map.

Group Control

Possible Applications
✓ Diamond Interchange
✓ Diamond Interchange with frontage road(s)
✓ Two or more closely spaced intersections
✓ Arterial with wide median modeled as two nodes

Use the Cluster Editor to assign group control.

Each intersection has a color associated with it in the Splits and Phasing diagrams.

The controller number used for data exchange is the smallest node number in the cluster. In Figure 12-5,
the node number 1 is used to identify the two intersection group for data exchange.

The controller number should match the hardware controller number used by Advanced Traffic Management
Systems (ATMS).

With group control, it is recommended that each intersection use phases in one ring only. All phases for
a node should be in a single ring or possibly two. Normally each ring should contain phases from one
node only (see Figure 12-4).

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Minimum Initial
The Minimum Initial is the shortest green time that is guaranteed if a phase is serviced. This is often referred
to as Min Green in actuated controllers and holds the initial green long enough to ensure that the phase can be
extended by detection. The minimum value allowed in Synchro is 1 second and the maximum value is 840
seconds. The large range will allow for the modeling of unusual timing plans.

Synchro does not support added initial or maximum initial. Synchro assumes that the controller and
etectors are set so that the signal will not gap-out before the queued vehicles are cleared.

Do not confuse this field with the Minimum Split setting. Minimum Initial is used in determining actuated
behavior; Minimum Split is used to optimize splits.

Minimum Split
The Minimum Split is the shortest amount of time allowed for a phase.

The Minimum Split must at least be long enough to accommodate the Minimum Initial interval plus the Yellow
and All-Red Time. This will usually be 8 seconds or more. The minimum allowed in Synchro is 3 seconds and
the maximum is 840 seconds. When Synchro automatically assigns splits, it will make sure all splits are greater
than or equal to their Minimum Splits. (This assumes the cycle length is long enough to accommodate all splits.
See the section on Optimize-Intersection Splits on page 19-3 for information about how splits are calculated.

If the Minimum Split is shown in red, it indicates an error. The Minimum Split must be greater than or equal to
the Minimum Initial plus clearance time (Y + AR). If this phase as a pedestrian phase, the Minumum Split should
be greater than or equal to the sum of the Walk time, Flashing Don’t Walk time, Yellow time, and the All-Red
time. Minimum Splits that violate pedestrian timings can be entered. This will prevent the splits from being
reset to the pedestrian timing requirements when optimizing splits or changing pedestrian times.

To set a default for newly created intersections or change all of the Minimum Splits, use the Network Settings,
located in the Options tab.

Do not confuse this field with the Minimum Initial setting. Minimum Initial is used in determining actuated
behavior; Minimum Split is used to optimize splits.

Split Minimum Rules

Here is a summary of the rules for Minimum and Maximum Splits. If any of the inequalities are false, a minimum
error is generated.
MxS ≥ MnS ≥ Mi + Y + AR
MxS ≥ MnS ≥ W + FDW + Y + AR (if the phase has a pedestrian phase)
where,
MxS = Maximum Split
MnS = Minimum Split
Y = Yellow
AR = All-Red
Mi = Minimum Initial
W = Walk

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FDW = Flashing Don’t Walk

Maximum Split
The Maximum Split is the current split time, given in seconds. It is the longest amount of split time for actuated
movements.

It is the amount of green, yellow, and all-red time assigned for each phase. The splits for the intersection can be
calculated automatically using the Optimize Intersection Splits command. The minimum value allowed is 3
seconds.

Refer to the Splits and Phasing Diagram at the bottom of the Timing Settings window for a graphical
representation of the current split times.

The Maximum Split time can be adjusted visually using the Splits and Phasing Diagram in the Timing Settings
window. For additional details, see the topic on Total Split in the TIMING settings, page 11-7.

Synchro will automatically adjust splits if the cycle length changes, if the phase changes, or if the intersection
layout changes. The cycle length will be increased if an increase in Total Split causses the sum of the splits in
any ring to exceed the cycle length. Adjusting the splits graphically on the Splits and Phasing Diagram preserves
the cycle length.

Maximum Cycle and Split Times

In some instances, a long cycle can be useful to model dummy intersections that can stop traffic for an extended
period of time. The Cycle Length and the Maximum Split may have values up to 3000 sec (50 min). The Cycle
Length should not exceed 3000 seconds.

Two examples for using this would be a draw bridge and a rail crossing. At the location of the stop, create a
dummy intersection (create a T-intersection). Keep in mind that this dummy link can be hidden (see page 9-
13). Then you can enter a phase for the main street and a conflicting Hold phase.

Yellow Time
Yellow Time is the amount of time for the yellow interval. Normally, this value should be set to between 3 and
5 seconds, depending on the approach speed, the cross-street width, and local standards. The minimum value
allowed by Synchro is 2 seconds and the maximum is 10 seconds.

To set a default for newly created intersections or change all of the Yellow Times, use the Network Settings,
located in the Options tab.

All-Red Time
All-Red Time is the amount of time for the all red interval that follows the yellow interval. The all red time
should be of sufficient duration to permit the intersection to clear before cross traffic is released.

To set a default for newly created intersections or change all of the All-Red Times, use the Network Settings,
located in the Options tab.

The minimum value allowed is 0 seconds and the maximum is 120 seconds. A large range is used to allow the
modeling of unusual timing plans, such as the example for Two Way Traffic Control.

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Lagging Phase and Lead/Lag Optimize

The Lagging Phase and Allow Lead/Lag Optimize settings may be edited in either the Timing or Phasing Settings
window. These parameters are discussed in the Timing Settings chapter. See page 11-8 for additional details.

Vehicle Extension
Vehicle Extension is also known as the maximum gap. When a vehicle crosses a detector, it will extend the
green time by the Vehicle Extension time.

Vehicle Extension must be at least as long as the travel time from the trailing detector to the stop bar.

Minimum Gap
This is the Minimum Gap time that the controller will use with volume-density operation. If volume-density
operation is not used, set this value to the same as the Vehicle Extension.

Minimum Gap should be at least as long as the travel time from the trailing detector to the stop bar.

Time Before Reduce

When using volume-density operation, this is the amount of time before gap reduction begins.

Time To Reduce
When using volume-density operation, this is the amount of time to reduce the gap from Vehicle Extension (also
known as maximum gap) to Minimum Gap.

Recall Mode
Each phase can have a recall of None, Minimum, Maximum, Coordinated (maximum or minimum), or Ped.
No Recall: The phase can be skipped.
Minimum Recall: The phase will always come on to its minimum, the phase cannot be skipped.
Maximum Recall: The phase will always show its maximum and has no detection. The phase cannot skip
or gap out, nor can it be extended.
Pedestrian Recall: The phase will always show a walk phase. The phase cannot be skipped or gap out
until the walk and do not walk intervals have passed.
Coordinated Maximum (C-Max): Used with coordinated signals only. This option is available for phases
selected as the reference phase in the Offset settings. Phase shows for its maximum time starting at its
scheduled start time.
Coordinated Minimum (C-Min): Used with coordinated signals only. This option is available for phases
selected as the reference phase in the Offset settings. Phase shows for its minimum time starting at its
scheduled start time. Coordinated movements must have detectors. No effect with By Phase yield points
except with lead-lag phasing.

For Fully-Actuated signals, all phases will have No recall or Minimum recall.

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For Semi-Actuated signals, the main street phases have Maximum recall. Side streets have No recall.

For Actuated-Coordinated signals, the recall for main street phases (usually ø2 and ø6) are set to Coordinated
recall (maximum or minimum). The main street phases will receive all unused time from the side streets, have
no detection and always have maximum green. Side street phases usually have No recall.

To change the coordinated phases set the Reference Phase (refer to page 8-10). To change the signal to
pretimed or non-coordinated, change the Control Type (refer to page 8-4).

Pedestrian Phase
Set this field to yes (check the box) if there is a pedestrian phase for this movement.

Setting Pedestrian Phase to no (unchecked box) will disable the pedestrian phase and the input fields for walk,
do not walk, and pedestrian calls.

Walk Time
This is the amount of time for a pedestrian walk phase.

Pedestrian phases only time when the phase has pedestrian calls, or if the phase has a pedestrian recall.

This value can be ignored if the phase is in maximum recall and the split is long enough to accommodate
pedestrians.

Flashing Don’t Walk Time

This is the amount of time for a pedestrian Flash Don’t Walk phase.

This value can be ignored if the phase is in maximum recall and the split is long enough to accommodate
pedestrians.

When checking and optimizing splits, Synchro requires that the green time be greater or equal to the walk plus
flashing don’t walk times. The clearance time is not part of the flashing don’t walk interval.

Some agencies may allow using the yellow interval as part of the pedestrian clearance time. If this is the case,
subtract the yellow time from the required pedestrian clearance time for use with the Flash Don’t Walk field.
For example, the required pedestrian clearance time is 15 s and the yellow time is 4 s. If the yellow time can be
used for pedestrian clearance, the required Flashing Don’t Walk is then 11 s. This can give shorter side street
phases and more efficient operation.

Pedestrian Calls
This is the number of pedestrian push button calls for this phase. This value is only needed if this phase has a
pedestrian push button.

Do not confuse this field with the Conflicting Pedestrians setting in the VOLUME settings. Conflicting
Pedestrians is the number of pedestrians that right turning traffic must yield to. Pedestrian Calls are the
number of pedestrians activating this phase. Normally the two values will be the same.

When counting pedestrians, people traveling in groups can be counted as a single pedestrian call. This value is
used to determine how many cycles per hour will need to have a pedestrian phase.

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Collecting data about the numbers of pedestrians can be quite time consuming. The following paragraphs
give some guidance on when pedestrian numbers can be estimated.
If you know there are 100 or more pedestrian calls per hour, the walk phase will almost always be called
and exact pedestrian counts are not needed. Set the pedestrian calls setting to 100.
If there are between 1 and 15 pedestrians per hour, the walk phase may only be called for the 90th
percentile. If you know there are some pedestrians, but less than 15 per hour, enter 5 in place of better
data. If there are less than 10 pedestrians per day, set pedestrian calls to 0.
If the phase has pedestrian recall, this field can be ignored.

Dual Entry
Dual Entry can be set to “On” or “Off” for the given phase.

Select “On” (check) to have this phase appear when a phase is showing in another ring and no calls or recalls
are present within this ring and barrier.

Normally, even phases are set to “On” and odd phases are set to “Off.” Recall has priority over dual entry. Below
are examples for a typical eight-phase, dual ring controller.

Examples:
Phases 1 2
Dual Entry No Yes
Recall None None

If there are no calls on phases 1 or 2, phase 2 will show when phases 5 or 6 are showing.
Phases 1 2
Dual Entry No Yes
Recall Min None

If there are no calls on phases 1 or 2, phase 1 will show when phases 5 or 6 are showing.
Phases 1 2
Dual Entry No No
Recall None None
If there are no calls on phases 1 or 2, no phase from this ring will show when phases 5 or 6 are showing.

Fixed Force Off?

The Fixed Force Off setting is used for Actuated-Coordinated signals only. When “On” (check the box),
a non-coordinated phase can show more than its maximum time when it starts early.

In Figure 12-6, phase 4 can start early due to phase 3 being skipped. With Fixed Force Off? set to “On,” phase
4 can use all of phase 3’s unused time. Otherwise this time would revert to the coordinated phases (2 and 6).

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f1 f 2 (coord) f3 f4
f5 f 6 (coord) f7 f8

Max
Fixed Force
f4 Off = 

Early Start Normal Start Force Off

Fixed Force
f4 Off =
.

Figure 12-6 Example of Fixed Force Off

Set Fixed Force Off to “On” to give more time to side streets. Set Fixed Force Off to “Off” to give all extra time
back to the main street.

The amount of time available for side street phases and their starts can also be manipulated by the Yield Point
and using Actuation for the Coordinated phases.

Percentile Green Times

There are five scenarios modeled. They are the 90th, 70th, 50th, 30th, and 10th percentiles. Traffic volumes for
each approach are adjusted up or down to model these percentile scenarios. By adjusting the traffic for different
scenarios, the actuated signals can be modeled under a range of traffic conditions.

If traffic is observed for 100 cycles, the 90th percentile would be the 90th busiest, the 10th percentile would be
the 10th busiest, and the 50th percentile would represent average traffic.

For each percentile scenario and phase, a green time is given. The range of green times for each phase gives an
indication of how often the phase will max-out, gap-out, or be skipped.

Next to each green time is a code indicating how the phase terminates, as defined in Table 12-1.

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Table 12-1 Phase Termination Codes

Code Phase Termination

Sk Phase is skipped
Mn Phase shows for minimum time
Gp Phase gaps-out
Hd Phase held for other ring to cross barrier
Mx Phase maxes out
Pd Phase held for pedestrian button or recall
Mr Phase has max-recall
Dw Main street phases dwells or green
Cd Coordinated phase

Modeling Occasional Pedestrians with Actuated Signals

A common problem with modeling actuated signals is how to deal with a phase with occasional pedestrians.
For example, consider an actuated signal with medium side street volumes and about 10 pedestrians per hour.
With normal traffic, a split of maybe 15 seconds is required, but the occasional pedestrian requires a split of 25
seconds. The predicted delay and capacity of the main street will be strongly influenced by which split is
modeled for the side street. Should the signal be modeled with a split of 15 s, 25 s or something in between?
The choice can change the predicted delay on the main street by 30% or more in many cases.

Synchro's solution to this problem is to model multiple percentile scenarios. With this example the 90th
percentile scenario will use a 25 s split and the others will use 15 s splits. The resulting delay and actuated
capacity in this case is a combination of 80% calculated without the pedestrian phase and 20% calculated with
the pedestrian phase. If you are using the Percentile Delays of Synchro, no special treatment is required for
modeling occasional pedestrians.

Occasional Pedestrians with Other Models

Modeling the occasional pedestrian is more of a challenge with the traditional traffic models. The HCM 2000
allows the user to enter actuated phase times. The manual does not state how to handle pedestrian actuations,
but a reasonable interpretation would be to average greens with and without pedestrian times based on
pedestrian frequency. The actuated green times calculated by Synchro for use with HCM Signals Report and
HCM input files are an average of the five percentile green times. Some of these percentiles will include time for
pedestrians and some will not, depending on the number of Pedestrian Calls.

Some engineers recommend using short phases in conjunction with coordination only in areas where there are
less than 10 pedestrians per day.

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– Detector Settings
From the MAP view, click on the desired intersection with the Right mouse button and select Detector Options.

From anywhere in the program, press [F8] and select the desired intersection from the list. Then push
the DETECTOR settings button or the [F11] key. Clicking on a detector within the MAP view also
activates the Detector Settings.

The DETECTOR settings display a grid in which you can enter detector information. See Chapter 7 for details
on navigating the data entry screens.

Figure 13-1 DETECTOR Settings

Refer to page 9-1 for details on the Lanes and Sharing setting and to page 10-1 for details on the Traffic
Volume setting.

Number of Detectors
This is the number of longitudinal detector sets, not the number across the lanes. Detectors are numbered from
the stop bar back, detector 1 is closest to the stop bar. You can enter up to 5 detectors.

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Detector Phase
The Detector Phase is primary phase for a detector. This is the same as the Detector Phase setting in the TIMING
settings.

There is only one detector phase and one switch phase per lane group.

Switch Phase
The Switch Phase is a secondary phase that extends the entered phase when it is green. This setting does not
place a call and does not call the primary Detector Phase when the entered switch phase is green (per NTCIP
specifications).

This setting can be used for the permitted phase of a permitted plus protected left turn. Do not use with a lagging
left turn because the protected left will not get called while the permitted phase is green. The default for
permitted plus protected is to have the Detector Phase equal to the Protected Phase and Switch Phase set to
none.

Leading Detector, Trailing Detector

Leading and Trailing Detector settings maintain backward compatibility with earlier versions of Synchro (6
and older). The Detector Template automatically updates the Leading/ Trailing Detector fields. For newly
created files, there is no need to edit these values.

Detector Template
Detector Templates allow the user to define the number, position, type and size of each detector, and then
apply those properties to multiple approaches and multiple intersections. Default templates named Left, Thru,
and Right are used to setup detectors for new approaches. You can modify these templates, but you cannot
remove them. It is recommended that you set up templates for all of the standard detector layouts your agency
uses. Give them names such as “Thru 300” for through detectors located 300 feet in advance of the stop bar.

Add Template

Activate the Detector Template Editor by selecting the Detector Template button on the Home tab,
or by double clicking on the left column of the DETECTOR settings. The Detector Template Editor
allows the user to define additional templates in separate columns. Data fields are identical with the
DETECTOR settings.

The inputs on the Template are the same as those in the DETECTOR settings, except for the detector phase and
detector channel.

Select the [New] button to create an empty template and specify the template name.

Select the [Copy] button to duplicate the active column. The copied column will be inserted to the right. Data
can be edited and template renamed.

The [Delete] button will remove the active column. The default Left, Thru and Right columns cannot be
removed.

Use the Update Lane Detectors to Template [This Template] button to update all lane groups with that detector
template name.

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Use the Update Lane Detectors to Template [All Templates] button to update all lane groups with any detector
template name.

Detectors associated with a template are not automatically updated when the template is modified. Therefore,
apply the Update Lane Detectors to Template button after modifying a template.

There is no cancel button. Use the undo command to roll back to the previous settings.

Figure 13-2 Detector Template Settings

Detector n Position
This is the distance from stop bar to the trailing edge (closet to stop bar) of detector n. This setting is for all
lanes in the lane group.

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s4 s3 s2 s1

D4 D3 D2 D1
D4 D3 D2 D1

d2

d3
Stop
d4 Bar

D = Detector
d = Distance
s = Size of Detector

Refer to the example in Figure 12-3. In this example, detector 1 (D1) has a position of zero feet, detector 2 (D2)
has a position of d2, detector 3 (D3) has a position of d3, and detector 4 (D4) has a position of d4.
Figure 13-3 Detector Position

Detector n Size
This is the size of the detector in the traveled direction. The default for detectors made from Leading Distance
is 6 ft (1.8m). This setting is for all lanes in the lane group. In this example, detector 1 (D1) has a size of s1,
detector 2 (D2) has a size of s2, detector 3 (D3) has a size of s3 and detector 4 (D4) has a size of s4.

Detector n Type
This options are Calling, Extend, Cl+Ex; Calling places a call when the phase is yellow or red. Extend places a
call when the phase is green. Options for delay, queue, and extend detectors are set by using a non-zero time
for these options.

All detectors modeled in Synchro are presence detectors, not passage (or pulse) detectors.

Detector n Channel
Enter the detector number used by the controller. If there is a different detector channel for each lane, enter
each value separated by columns. Traditionally the detector number is the same as the phase number, and one
channel is used for all the detectors for a phase. Newer installations may have a separate detector input for
each lane to allow volume counts. If the detector channels across three lanes (left to right) are 11, 12, and 13;
enter “11,12,13”.

The Detector Channel is not currently used by Synchro or SimTraffic, but can be imported and exported
in UTDF data access. In the future, there may be a conversion program to convert counts by detector
number into counts by turning movement for use by Synchro.

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Detector n Extend
Detector Extend, or "carry over" is specified in tenths of a second. This value extends the call for the specified
value after the call drops.

One application is to have 3 seconds extend time on advance detectors, and 0 extend time at the stop bar, in
conjunction with a gap time of 0.5 seconds. This will allow the advance detectors to hold the phase green, while
the stop bar detectors will not.

Detector 1 Queue
Enter the Queue time here to have the stop bar detector act as a queue detector (the old name is “Type 3
detector”). A queue detector will extend the phase during the first q seconds, and then be silent. Queue detection
is useful for extending the phase during the queue clearance time, then later allowing the advance detectors to
extend the phase.

If the stop bar detector extends the phase for 3 seconds, this will create 3 seconds of green after the last vehicle
enters the intersection. This vehicle will be well beyond the intersection during the clearance interval. This will
create extra delay for the opposing movements.

Detector 1 Delay
Enter the Delay time here to have the stop bar detector act as a Delay detector. A delay detector will not place
a call on red or yellow, until the vehicle has been there for at least d seconds. A delay detector will extend
normally on green. Delay detectors are useful for right turn lanes with right turn on red allowed. If a vehicle is
able to turn on red within, for example, 10 seconds, it is not necessary to bring up this phase.

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– Simulation Settings
From the MAP view, click on the desired intersection with the Right mouse button and select Simulation
Options.

From anywhere in the program, press [F8] and select the desired intersection from the list. Then push
the SIMULATION OPTIONS settings button or the [F10] key.

The SIMULATION OPTIONS setting displays a grid in which you can enter SimTraffic simulation specific
information. See Chapter 7 for details on navigating the data entry screens.

Figure 14-1 SIMULATION Settings

Refer to page 9-1 for details on the Lanes and Sharing setting and to page 10-1 for details on the Traffic
Volume setting.

The Lanes and Sharing and Traffic Volume settings are the only two rows that apply to Synchro. All
other rows are only used by SimTraffic. If a simulation is not going to be performed, these settings do not
need to be entered.

Storage Length
The Storage Length is the length of a turning bay in feet (meters) and is the same value found in the LANE
settings. If an intersection has a left turn storage bay of 150 feet (45 meters), enter "150" ("45") in this box. If
the left or right turn extends back to the previous intersection, enter "0". For additional information, see the
topic in the LANE settings, page 9-4.

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Storage Lanes
Code the number of lanes in the right or left storage bay. This value only appears when the Storage Length is
greater than 0. By default, the number of Storage Lanes is equal to the number of turning lanes. This is the
same value found in the LANE settings. For additional details, refer to page 9-5.

Taper length
The Taper Length affects the visual MAP view drawing. In SimTraffic, the Taper Length impacts when vehicles
can start entering the storage. The default is 25 ft (7.5 m).

Lane Alignment
When adding a lane, lanes are added on the right or left. The setting will allow the user to specify how lanes
align through an intersection. Figure 14-2 illustrates the options. The choices are as follows:
A. Left
B. Right
C. L-NA (left, no add)
D. R-NA (right, no add)

The default is Right for right turns, Left for left turns and through, and Right-NA for U-turns.

A C

Lane Alignment: Lane Alignment:

Left Left - NA

B D

Lane Alignment: Lane Alignment:

Right Right - NA

Figure 14-2 Lane Alignment Options

Consider the examples in Figure 14-3. Part A shows an example where the EBT and NER are green at the same
time. There are four upstream lanes (two EBT and two NER) flowing into four downstream lanes. In order to
prevent a conflict, the EBT is forced to use the left lanes downstream by setting the Lane Alignment to L-NA.
The NER is forced into the downstream right lanes by setting the Lane Alignment to R-NA.

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Part B of Figure 14-3 shows a T intersection with continuous flow in the eastbound direction. In this case, the
EBT and SBL are allowed to operate without conflict. To do this, set the EBT Lane Alignment to R-NA and the
SBL to L-NA.

Some adjustment in median width and/or link offset may be necessary to align the approach lanes with
the departure lanes. You can turn on the Intersection Paths in Map Settings to graphically show the path
of the vehicles crossing the intersection and verify lane alignment.

A B Southbound Left
Lane Alignment:
Left - NA

Eastbound Through
Lane Alignment:
L-NA

Barrier
Eastbound Through
Lane Alignment:
Right - NA
Northeast Right
Lane Alignment:
R-NA

Figure 14-3 Lane Alignment Examples

Lane Width
Lane Width is the width of a single lane in feet (meters). The default is 12 feet (3.7 meters). Also see the topic
on Lane Widths on page 9-4.

Enter Blocked Intersection

The Enter Blocked Intersection setting controls simulation modeling gridlock avoidance. The four options for
modeling blocked intersections are "Yes", "No", "1" and "2". The default value is "No", for intersections and
"Yes", for bends and ramp junctions. We suggest that you set Enter Blocked Intersection to "No", for high speed
approaches and movements.

A vehicle will slow for an intersection, if there are 4 other vehicles ahead of it, but behind the stop bar.

A side street of an unsignalized intersection can be set to 1 or 2. This will allow 1 or 2 vehicles to enter a blocked
intersection from the side. This can help the capacity of driveways.

Median Width
The Median Width is used to set the width of the median. Left turn lanes are considered to be positioned in the
median even if they are not defined as storage lanes.

This setting can be overridden. The default is calculated as follows:

Formula for a link:

1) sum of (width of left turn lanes + width of left storage lanes for reverse departing link)

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2) reduced by minimum of (left storage, left storage for reverse departing link)
3) widen to match wider median on through approach

Median Width must be set for each direction independently.

Figure 14-4 illustrates some examples of median width. In A and C, the median width has been set
automatically. Parts B and D show a manual over-ride of the Median Width setting.

A B

Width = 24'
Median
Width = 0'
Median

2 through lanes, no left turn lanes

2 through lanes, no left turn lanes
Median Width manually set to 24'
Median Width automatically set to 0'
(Note: median width set on both ends of link)

C D

Width = 48'
Median
Width = 12'
Median

Left lane placed

in median

24'

24'

Opposing
Opposing
median
median
automatically
automatically
set to 12'
set to 12'
2 through lanes, 1 left turn lanes 2 through lanes, 1 left turn lanes
Median Width automatically set to 12' Median Width manually set to 48'
(Note: median width set on both ends of link) (Note: median width set on both ends of link)

Figure 14-4 Median Width Examples

Link Offset
The Link Offset setting is used to offset the roadway alignment to the right or left of the centerline. This can be
used to create a dog-leg intersection, if there are no internal stop bars (see Figure 14-5 A).

For an onramp or other acute intersection, use a positive link offset value for onramp, and a negative link offset
value for an offramp (see Figure 14-5 B). In the figure below, w is the width of the mainline lanes used as the
link offset for each ramp.

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A B
w = Link Offset w = -36
+48' on east end of link
-48 on west end of link 36'

Median = 48'

w = 48'

w = +36

Figure 14-5 Link Offset Examples

Crosswalk Width
The Crosswalk Width is used to control the width of the crosswalk and the location of the stop bar. Figure
14-6 illustrates the crosswalk in SimTraffic. The stop bar is located on the upstream end of the crosswalk.

Corner Point

Cross
Walk
Width

Width Right

Corner Point

Width Left

Figure 14-6 Cross Walk Width

Notes about driveways:

Avoid placing too many driveways along your link. Some driveways with short storage and taper lengths can
be used. To reduce space of driveway intersections, set crosswalk width on the main street to 4ft. and draw the
driveways at 90-degree angles.

Vehicles will not initiate or complete lane changes within an intersection. Too many driveways reduce
opportunities for lane changes.

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TWLTL Median
The TWLTL Median is visual only. Vehicles will not use the TWLTL.

The two-way left turn lane (TWLTL) Median setting draws a TWLTL in the median. The median will be colored
with the pavement color and dashed yellow lines will be added. Storage taper lengths still apply. Setting the
TWLTL “on” (check) will also set the TWLTL for the reverse link.

The TWLTL Median setting on one end of a link sets the TWLTL Median on the reverse end of the link.

Headway Factor
SimTraffic applies the Headway Factor to model Saturated Flow Rates for individual lane groups. Headway
Factor is not used in any of the capacity calculations in Synchro.

The Headway Factor is based on the Ideal Saturation Flow, lane width factor, the grade factor, the parking
factor, the bus stops factor, and the area factor. The headway factor is magnified by 30% because at cruise
speeds, about 30% of the time per vehicle is taken by vehicle passage and 70% by the headways.

1.3 *1900
HWF = − 0.3 = Headway Factor
fw * fg * fp * fbs * fa * Ideal

The Headway Factor is calculated but can be overridden.

Turning Speed
This is the Turning Speed for vehicles in miles/hour (km/h) while inside the intersection.

Synchro does not use this information. It is only used when modeling in SimTraffic.

The NETWORK settings have a network wide turning speed option.

For large intersections or intersections with large turning radii, increase the Turning Speeds. This will give
improved capacity in SimTraffic.

The Turning Speed should be adjusted if you are using SimTraffic to model a freeway section.

Turning speed is adjusted by driver speed factor.

Lane Change Distances

The Lane Change Distances are used for calibration of SimTraffic lane changing logic. Editing these values will
not affect Synchro.

There are four parameters as shown below.

✓ Mandatory Distance is the distance back from the stop bar where a lane change must commence.
✓ Positioning Distance is the distance back from the Mandatory point where a vehicle first attempts to
change lanes.

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✓ Mandatory 2 Lane Distance is added to Mandatory Distance if a second lane change is required during
the simulation.
✓ Positioning 2 Lane Distance is added to both Mandatory 2 Lane Distance and Mandatory Distance to
determine the beginning of the positioning zone for the first of two lane changes.

All distances are measured from the stop bar. See the discussion on Lane Choice and Lane Changes on page
30-5.

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–Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA)

This chapter focuses on the Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) capabilities in Synchro. The TIA module allows users
to manually input the number of expected trips or import them from a previously created TripGen file. The new
trips can then be automatically distributed and routed through the Synchro roadway network. Each of the
various menus items and screen were developed to minimize the number of input steps required by the user
to complete a traffic impact analysis. The following are just a few of the key features of TIA;
• Users can directly input entering/exiting vehicle trip information or import new vehicle trips directly
from a previously generated TripGen 10 file
• Create and analyze multiple developments within the same Synchro file
• Automatically distribute and assign vehicle trips to study intersections
• Select which development volumes to analyze within Synchro
• Account for pass-by trips by intersection
• Create reports summarizing the distribution of trips to each development driveway as well as all of
the impacted intersections.

The following sections provide an overview of various TIA menus and steps required to code and analyze the
effect of new vehicle trips generated by a proposed development.

Traditional TIA Process

Trip Generation

The first step in completing a TIA is typically calculating the number of vehicle trips traveling to/from the
proposed development during a one hour period. The TIA module allows users to manually input the number
of vehicle trips or these values can be imported via Trafficware’s TripGen 10 software.

Trip Distribution

The second step involves selecting a series of origins/destinations (external nodes) from Synchro’s roadway
network. The user first selects origins (external nodes) within the roadway network where trips are expected
to travel to/from the development. The user then selects driveways (external nodes) that provide direct access
to the proposed development. The possible routes that vehicles could take to/from the development by either
the Quickest (time) or Shortest (distance) are then calculated.

Trip Assignment

This is the last and final step within Synchro’s TIA module. The number of vehicle trips are calculated and used
or Synchro analysis and optimization once saving and exiting TIA. Volumes computed using the TIA module
will also be used in SimTraffic.

Synchro will show these volumes for the selected developments within the Volume Settings Screen.

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Overview of Menu Selections and Calculations

Each of the new menus within Synchro’s TIA module is highlighted within this section.

Starting TIA

The TIA icon is located in the Lanes and Volumes group on the Home tab. Upon pressing the TIA icon,
a new window will open with the TIA interface.

TIA Main Menu

Once within the TIA module, the tool bar displayed above will be available for use. This tool bar includes all of
the necessary functions required to successfully code a proposed development’s traffic characteristics.

Prior to exiting TIA, press the icon to save the data that has been entered within the various TIA screens
and return to the main Synchro interface.

Developments Menu

The first step within TIA is to create a development. This is accomplished by pressing the Manage
Developments button. Once selected, an input screen will appear. This screen includes a variety of
development characteristics that can be input for descriptive purposes. This screen allows users to create new
development(s). Users should first select New to create a development. The first entry line, Development Name,
must be entered for each development that will be included within the current Synchro file. Once a development
name has been entered, the additional properties can be entered if desired. Press Done to close this window
when finished entering the various development properties.

Figure 15-1 TIA Manage Developments

Trip Generation Menu

Upon selecting this Menu item, the screen shown below will be displayed. Users have the option of manually
entering the number of Entering and Exiting trips or importing the trip generation data from a previously
created TripGen 10 file. A description of each key parameter required for the Use Manual Entries option is
highlighted below. It should be noted that the Total column will automatically populate based on the values
entered within the Entering and Exiting columns. Once the appropriate data has been entered, press OK.
• Driveway Volume – The Total number of trips (across all driveways) Entering and Exiting the
proposed development should be entered within this row.
• Pass-By Volume – Total number of pass-by trips based on the proposed land uses within the
development. Pass-By trips are defined as trips to/from a land use by vehicles already traveling along

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the adjacent roadway network. These trips are often accounted for separately at a developments’
driveway because they can be treated as a “credit” for already being on the roadway. For example, if a
new gas station was proposed on a lot that you drive by every day and once constructed, you decide to
stop in one morning. You would be considered a pass-by trip since you were already on the roadway
and would not be considered a new trip (vehicle) to be added to the roadway. Refer to the latest edition
of ITE’s Trip Generation Manual for additional information.
• Adjusted Volume – This value represents the net number of new trips to be distributed throughout the
Synchro network as coded by the user. The values in this row are automatically calculated and filled in
by Synchro.

Figure 15-2 TIA Trip Generation

Users also have the option of importing an existing TripGen 10 file directly from within Synchro’s TIA module.
Simply select the Use TripGen Data option and navigate to the appropriate input file. A description of each key
parameter is highlighted below. Once the appropriate data has been selected, be sure to press OK.

• Alternative – Each Alternative coded within the TripGen 10 will be available for selection from the
drop-down menu.
• Phase – Each Phase coded within the TripGen 10 will be available for selection from the drop-down
menu.
• Time Frame – Each Time Frame coded within the TripGen 10 will be available for selection from the
drop-down menu.

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Figure 15-3 TIA Import Trip Generation

Users should review the data listed within the Development Summary to confirm their selections.

Origins/Driveways Menu

The Origins/Driveways menu includes two of the most critical functions within the TIA module. These menu
items allow the user to identify the origins and destinations of each development included within a
development. Upon selecting this menu item, a screen identifying the Origins and Driveways of the current
development will be displayed. An Origin is defined as an external node where the primary trips for the selected
development will originate. Driveways are identified as external nodes that allow trips to access the current
development being analyzed.

Exiting primary trips for the selected development will travel from a Driveway to an Origin.

Users should simply click on the appropriate external node(s) as an Origin or Driveway based on the
development being analyzed. Each node will be highlighted with the color designated within the TIA Map
Settings screen. The screen shot below displays the Origins in Yellow. Once the Origins have been selected, users
should click the Driveways radio button and select external nodes for each Driveway. Nodes coded as Origins
may not be coded as Driveways.

Figure 15-4 TIA Origins and Driveways

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Routing Menu

Once Origins and Driveways have been coded, selection of the Routing menu item will direct Synchro to calculate
paths (routes) between the Origins and Driveways based on the current roadway network within Synchro. The
Quickest (time) method for calculating the inbound and outbound routes will be used by Default. This method
uses the calculated travel time along each link along with the movement delay associated with the relevant
movements along each route. The Shortest (distance) can be selected if preferred. This method calculates the
inbound and outbound routes based upon the distances along each link on the route. Each route or path can be
displayed within the roadway network by selecting a row within the table.

Figure 15-5 TIA Routing

If changes to the route are necessary, select Manual Define. A dialogue screen will appear. Users should now
select the appropriate nodes that belong to the route being coded.

To assign zero (0) volume to a route, check Omit.

Figure 15-6 TIA Manual Define a Route

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The Recalculate Routes button should be used when changes to the study intersections could have affected the
calculation of a route. This function updates both the Routing and Trip Distribution, using the current data in
Synchro. Routes may be affected by changes to volume, signal timing, or adding/deleting nodes.

Trip Distribution Menu

The Trip Distribution menu includes a summary of the percentage of inbound and outbound trips along each
route for the current development. Each route includes value for Percentage In and Percentage Out. By default,
these percentages are computed based on the entering values at each of the Origins that were selected
previously. Users have the option to adjust these values as needed. Refer to Example One (located at the end of
this chapter) for more details. The In % and Out % columns must each total 100%.

Figure 15-7 TIA Trip Distribution

Users have the option to include Pass-By trips as part of the analysis by selecting Yes for the Pass-By
Distribution? menu option. The default percentages can be adjusted by the user if necessary. The volume of
pass-by trips is entered within the Trip Generation Screen. Refer to ITE’s Trip Generation Handbook for more
information about when to use pass-by trips.

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Figure 15-8 TIA Pass-by Trip Distribution

The Recalculate Distribution button should be used when changes to either the base volumes or site generated
volumes may impact the distribution of trips, but no changes to the geometry have been made. This function
updates the Trip Distribution, but Routing remains the same.

Trip Assignment Menu

This menu is the final step within TIA. Upon selecting Trip Assignment, a new screen is displayed with three key
display areas. The top section of the screen includes a list of Routes and the number of Trips In and Trips Out of
each driveway. These values are equal to the total number of trips entered within the Trip Generation screen
multiplied by the percentages entered in the Trip Distribution screen. Revisions to the number of trips can not
be made within this screen. Users must go back to the Distribution menu to adjust percentages or to the Trip
Generation menu to adjust the total number of trips in or out of the selected development.

The center section of this screen displays the Pass-By volumes in each direction, for each driveway.

Figure 15-9 TIA Trip Assignment

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The list displayed in the lower right (Developments for Analysis) allows the user to select which
development(s) to include within the Synchro analysis. Users should place a checkmark in the selection box
displayed in the Include column to “send” the assigned intersection volumes to the Development Volume (vph)
row of the Volume Settings screen. The volume sent is the sum of each assigned intersection turning
movement volumes for all developments that were selected.

The Future Scenarios section allows the user to increase the intersection traffic
volumes by including up to four growth rates for a specified number of years. The
input growth rates are applied to the Combined Volume (vph) to calculate the values
listed within the Future Volume (vph) row displayed in the Volume Settings screen.
The Future Volume (vph) values are used in all Synchro calculations.

TIA Map Settings

This menu item allows users to customize the color of key parameters displayed within the TIA Map window.
Click or move the mouse over one of first four menu items for a color palette to appear. Select the color of your
choice from the drop-down menu. A brief description of each menu item is highlight below.
• Origin Color – Display color for each Origin Node.
• Driveway Color – Display color for each Driveway Node.
• Route Color – Display color for the selected path (route) between an Origin and Driveway.
• Highlight Color – Display color used to highlight nodes that may be selected when creating Origins,
Driveways, and Routes.
• Show Node Numbers – If checked, the node numbers associated with the Origins and Driveways will be
displayed within the TIA Map Screen. If unchecked, the Origin # will be displayed in the middle of the
node.

Applying TIA Volumes to Synchro Analysis

The newly assigned volumes from the TIA Module will be displayed in the Development Volume (vph) row of
the Volume Settings screen for each intersection that was included within a route calculated in the TIA
module.
The Combined Volume (vph) is the sum of the values included in the Traffic Volume (vph) and Development
Volume (vph) rows.
Finally, the values in the Future Volume (vph) rows are the Combined Volume (vph) with the Growth Rate
applied over the specified number of years from the Trip Assignment menu. The analysis within Synchro and
SimTraffic is based on the volumes listed within the Future Volume (vph) row.

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Figure 15-10 Volume Settings with TIA results

Reports
Users have two reports to summarize a TIA analysis. The reports are located within Synchro’s Create Report
menu.

Distribution

This report summarizes the percentage and volume number of development generated trips to/from each
driveway

Figure 15-11 TIA Trip Distribution Report

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Impacted Intersections

This report includes summary of each intersection affected by a development within the current Synchro file.
The figure below depicts an example of this report.

Figure 15-12 TIA Impacted Intersection Report

Integrity Check
When data is changed in Synchro after adding a Development to the TIA module, the Routing and/or Trip
Distribution calculated may no longer be valid. This can happen if volumes are changed, a movement is added
or deleted along the route, or a node is created or deleted.

On any of these events, a “TIA is out of sync” message is displayed at the bottom of the Map View. To resolve
this error, first lauch the TIA module. A message is displayed containing details about the error(s).

Figure 15-13 TIA Integrity Check

If movements or nodes included in one or more route(s) have changed, it is recommended that you Recalculate
Routes to ensure that all routes are consist of current and valid movements.

If volumes have changed for one or more movements, you may choose to Recalculate Routes or Recalculate
Distribution. Recalculating the distribution will maintain the current routes, but recalculate the distribution
percentages based on the current volumes.

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Step-By-Step Examples
This section includes two step-by-step examples highlighting each of the various menu items and capabilities
of the new TIA module included within Synchro. Users are encouraged to code the proposed driveway(s) that
provide(s) access to the development prior to using the TIA module. In addition, intersections along the
roadway network should be coded with the appropriate number of access driveways to be included within the
TIA analysis.

Basic Example – Manually Entering Trips

This example highlights the steps required for one proposed development with only one driveway and zero
pass-by trips.
1. Select TIA Icon: Upon selecting the TIA Icon, a new screen within Synchro will be displayed. This
screen includes all of the necessary menus and data input screens to successfully analyze the effects of
a proposed development located within the Synchro network.

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2. Select Developments from Main Menu: Once selected, the screen below will be displayed. Select New
to create a development within the TIA module.

3. Enter Development Information: Begin entering the development characteristics as deemed

necessary. The Development Name is the only input element that must be entered. The other data
elements are optional, but should be coded for descriptive purposes. Be sure to press Save once you
have enetered the the appropriate fields. The second screen listed below will then be displayed. If
desired, you can always come back to this menu by selecting Developments and pressing Edit.

4. Enter Trip Generation Characteristics: Since the development in this example only has one land use,
the entering and exiting trips can be manually input within the Trip Generation screen. Select the Trip
Generation menu item and code 100 trips for the Entering Driveway Volume and 50 for the Exiting
Driveway Volume. The Trip Generation screen should look like the figure below.

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5. Enter Origins/Driveways: For purposes of this example, only four Origins and one Driveway will be
coded. The nodes are designated as follows:

• Origins – 33, 43, 71,74

• Driveways – 10

The following sub sections describe each of the key menu selections included within the Distribution
Menu. Upon selecting the Distribution Origins/Driveways menu item, follow these steps:

a) Be sure that Origins is selected and begin clicking the nodes listed above as Origins. The node
numbers should be highlighted by a Yellow circle upon selection.

b) Now choose Driveways and select the node designated as the driveway noted above. The
node number should be highlighted by a Red circle upon selection.

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6. Review Routing Characteristics: Review the routes by pressing the Routing button. Be sure to
review both the Inbound and Outbound routes. For purposes of this example, the Shortest (distance)
option will be used. If a route is selected in the Routing screen, the route will be highlighted within
the TIA Map screen. If it is necessary to adjust a route, select Manul Define and select the nodes along
the desired route.

7. Review Trip Distribution Characteristics: Review the calculated distribution percentages by

pressing the Trip Distribution button. Once again, be sure to review both the Inbound and Outbound
percentanges. For purposes of this example, No should be selected for the Pass-By Distribution? option.
The following highlights the calculation of the percentages:

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a) The default percentages for the four routes are automatically calculated based on the existing
volumes along the various inbound and outbound routes. Since the development’s driveway
is new, the existing traffic volumes into and out of the driveway are zero, thus affecting the
calculated values for %in and %out.

Example Calculations:
At Node 33 Inbound Volume = 2,000
At Node 43 Inbound Volume = 100
At Node 74 Inbound Volume = 10
At Node 71 Inbound Voume = 0
Total Inbound Volume = 2,000+100+10+0 = 2,110

% Inbound for Origin One at Driveway = 100/2,110 = 4.74%

8. Review Trip Assignment Characteristics: Review the calculated Trips In and Trips Out by pressing
the Trip Assignment button. These are the trips that will be added to each of the intersections’ turning
movements along the calculated routes. For purposes of this example, a future growth rate will not be
entered.

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The last step is to place a checkmark within the Include column of the Developments for Analysis
section of the Trip Assignment screen. Completing this step will now “send” the assigned trips to the
Volume Settings screen within Synchro. The assigned volumes will be displayed within the
Development Volume (vph) row.

9. Review Volume Setting Screen for each Intersection Included in a Route: Select the Save icon. You
should now be sent back to the main Map screen. Review each of the intersections to confirm that the
appropriate values are displayed within the Development Volume (vph) row. The figure below is the
Volume Settings screen for Node 3.

The Combined Volume (vph) row includes the addition of the Traffic Volume (vph) and Development
Volume (vph) rows. The Future Volume (vph) row displays the final volumes that will be used within
the Synchro analysis adjusted for Future Growth, if a value was entered.

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Multiple Development Example – Use of TripGen, Pass-Bys, & Future Growth

This example highlights the steps required to add another development to the Synchro File used in the first
example described above.
1. Select TIA Icon: Upon selecting the TIA Icon, a new screen within Synchro will be displayed. This
screen includes all of the necessary menus and data input screens to successfully analyze the effects of
a proposed development located within the Synchro network.

Developmen
t

Developmen
t

2. Select Developments from Main Menu: Once selected, the screen below will be displayed. Note the
development name from Example One is displayed. Select New to create a development within the TIA
module.

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3. Enter Development Information: Begin entering the development characteristics as deemed

necessary. The Development Name is the only input element that must be entered. The other data
elements are optional, but should be coded for descriptive purposes. Press Save once you have
enetered the the appropriate fields. The screen listed below will then be displayed. If desired, you can
always come back to this menu by selecting Developments and pressing Edit.

4. Enter Trip Generation Characteristics: The trip generation characteristics in this example will be
obtained from a previously created TripGen 10 file. Begin by pressing the Importing TripGen
Volumes button. Once the TripGen 10 screen appears, select the appropriate Alternative, Phase and
Time Frame desired analysis purposes. For purposes of this example, the Weekday PM Peak Hour of
Adjacent Street Traffic should be selected. The TripGen 10 screen should look like the figure below.

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