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VIDBE-Q Volume 63 Issue 4
pedestrian route information to allow the signal system to anticipate pedestrian arrival at
the intersection and reduce pedestrian wait time. Finally, the app will use real-time
information of approaching buses being communicated to the signal system to facilitate
the pedestrian's timely arrival at the bus stop to meet the bus that the pedestrian is
trying to catch.
Technical Approach
The technical approach taken to provide these capabilities combines emerging
connected vehicle technology, specifically the use of Dedicated Short Range
Communication (DSRC) radios, with recent advances in real-time, adaptive traffic signal
control, embodied in the surtrac traffic signal control system. The basic components of
the PedPal solution are illustrated in Figure 1 below.
DSRC communication technology, the first element of our approach, has been
projected as the future basis for vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication, and
DSRC radios are already available in selected 2018 production models of vehicles sold
in the US. It promises to provide much greater visibility of approaching vehicles to the
intersection than is possible with current vehicle detection technology. From the
perspective of pedestrian travel, DSRC provides a uniform communication framework
for gaining access to real-time vehicle information as well as a means for the pedestrian
to interact directly with the intersection.
