Beijing to promote smart traffic signal control system: deputy

Guo Jifu, deputy to Beijing Municipal People’s Congress and president of Beijing Transport Institute, expressed that Beijing will study how to promote smart traffic signal control system in 2017 when interviewed on January 17.

Guo said traditional traffic signal lights change for fixed periods taking no account of the traffic flow at neighboring intersections and thus often cause traffic jams during certain time periods, while smart traffic signal control system can work out the best time distribution plan for signal lights according to changes in traffic flow at neighboring intersections to ensure smooth traffic flow.

Currently the traffic signal control system in Beijing needs to be enhanced. The adoption of smart traffic signal control system at intersections will greatly improve traffic capacity but some techniques concerning it still need to be studied and specialized traffic engineers to maintain the system are in shortage. Guo pointed out that presently the construction fund of the system is enough but maintenance fund is lacking and the traffic signal control system needs to be adapted and maintained by professional maintenance teams.