Abstract Manager

Traffic signal detection technology has long relied on inductive loops to detect a vehicle and take appropriate action. It’s a simple and low-cost technology that is pretty forgiving for automobiles and trucks with lots of metal, but not as trustworthy for bicycle riders. As a result, riders may roll over to use the pedestrian call button which can lead to unnecessary loss of used green time or undertake unsafe actions by entering the intersection on red due to impatience of waiting for detection and phase change.

Previous work conducted by the City of Ottawa on the EcoDrive I and EcoDrive II projects sponsored by Transport Canada demonstrated the opportunities to modify driver behaviour and increase fuel efficiency through connected vehicles receiving traffic signal phase and timing information.  These projects, the latter winning the 2020 TAC Environmental Achievement Award, resulted in systems and infrastructure that operate to this day, but also the opportunity for the City of Ottawa to question whether these systems could be used to support cyclists and enhance the active transportation experience.

That effort led to the development of the EcoBike mobile application.  Using a cloud-based cellular communications approach, the mobile app enables an advanced virtual demand request to be automatically placed by an approaching cyclist to the central traffic system before they are scheduled to reach the signalized intersection.  This advanced request can reduce the waiting time at traffic signals for cyclists and eliminate undesirable riding activity by ensuring detection and providing confirmation of such detection.  Additional functionality to provide map views, logs for export to the cyclist’s activity tracking apps and collection of anonymized bicycle route/count data, as well as provision of signal phase and timing information to the cyclist may be considered in the future.