Most

MOST is a new approach to learning about traffic signal timing.  MOST uses a new simulation environment to let you directly observe how the signal timing parameters that you select affect the quality of traffic operations at a signalized intersection.

The MOST course includes seven separate laboratories, with nearly forty individual experiments.  Each experiment has one or more specific learning objectives that will guide your work during that experiment.  Five of the laboratories cover isolated actuated intersection operations, while two cover coordinated signal systems.

The MOST course is not about learning how to use a specific simulation model, though the experiments that you will complete are conducted using the VISSIM microsimulation model.  Nor is it about a specific traffic signal controller, even though you will use Econolite’s ASC/3 controller emulator.  Finally we will not present you with guidelines or standards that you should follow.  The newly-released Traffic Signal Timing Manual produced by the Federal Highway Administration will provide you with this type of information. 

Unlike many courses that emphasize an instructor-focus (with lectures presented to students), the MOST course emphasizes a student focus in which you will learn by doing the experiment, analyzing data that you collect, and drawing conclusions about what makes good signal timing practice.

All of the materials that you will need to complete the MOST course are included on this web site. 

• The seven laboratories are available on the Laboratories link.
• The computer files that you will need for the experiments are available on the Files link.
• The VISSIM and ASC/3 simulation software tools, and setup instructions, are available on the Software link.

If you are an instructor, additional materials are available on the Instructor Materials link.

Please contact Michael Kyte, the principal investigator for this project, at mkyte@uidaho.edu for additional information about MOST. 

Other members of the MOST development team (and the laboratories for which they had responsibility) include:

• Michael Dixon, University of Idaho (1, 3, 5)
• Ahmed Abdel-Rahim, University of Idaho (4)
• Darcy Bullock, Purdue University (6, 7)
• Tom Urbanik, University of Tennessee (2, 6, 7)
• Enas Amin, University of Idaho (2, 3, 4, 5)
• Milan Sekulic, University of Idaho (1, 2, 3, 5)
• Hua Wang, University of Idaho (2)
• Azizur Rahman, University of Idaho (3)
• Anuj Sharma, Purdue University (6, 7)
• Matt Wiesenfeld, Purdue University (6, 7)
• Mike Inerowicz, Purdue University (6, 7)
• Chris Day, Purdue University (6)
• Jim Pline, Pline Engineering

The development of the MOST course was funded through a grant from the Federal Highway Administration.  The development of the course materials was reviewed by a technical oversight committee.  The members of the technical oversight committee include:

• Eddie Curtis, Federal Highway Administration
• Paul Olson, Federal Highway Administration
• Bill Kloos, City of Portland  
• Pam Crenshaw, Federal Highway Administration (now with Federal Aviation Administration)
• Mike Schauer, Federal Highway Administration
• Raj Ghaman, Federal Highway Administration
• Scott Frey, Federal Highway Administration
• Shelley Row, Institute of Transportation Engineers (now with Federal Highway Administration)
• Jim Sturdevant, Indiana Department of Transportation
• Zong Tian, University of Nevada
• Ed Seymour, Texas Transportation Institute
• Ken Courage, University of Florida
• Peter Koonce, Kittelson and Associates