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How is Estero Traffic Controlled? Q&A

Jillian Scholler, PE, Deputy Director, Lee County Department of Transportation, provided answers to our questions about Lee County DOT and traffic signal operation.

Q1. At one time, I remember the four traffic signals around Corkscrew Road and Ben Hill Griffin Parkway were synchronized. It does not appear to me or others that they are now synchronized.

A. The signals are still coordinated. However, there is significant pedestrian activity throughout the day, which can disrupt coordination among the signals.

Q2. How is the signal at Corkscrew Road and Stoneybrook Golf Drive coordinated?

A. The signal is coordinated eastbound and westbound with Corkscrew Road and Ben Hill Griffin Parkway during the morning and afternoon peak periods, including school times, when traffic demand on the side street is significant.

Q3. How does the signal at Corkscrew Road and Miromar Outlets Boulevard operate?

A. This signal allows only eastbound left turns and southbound right turns, and it operates on a half-cycle across all timing plans. This means that for every cycle at Ben Hill Griffin Parkway, the Miromar Outlets Boulevard side street is served twice.

Q4. How are the signals at Ben Hill Griffin Parkway and Grand Oaks Drive coordinated?

A. The signals for northbound traffic are coordinated with the heavy eastbound left-turn movement from Corkscrew Road onto northbound Ben Hill Griffin Parkway.

Q5. How often is traffic signal timing adjusted for seasonal traffic, school schedules, or other changing conditions?

A. The Corkscrew Road traffic signal system operates Traffic Responsive Programming (TRP) 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The system automatically adjusts timing plans and cycle lengths based on real-time traffic volumes and directional traffic patterns. The timing plans are typically field-checked annually. Signal cycle lengths range from 110 to 170 seconds, with some signals operating on half-cycles during the 150- and 170-second timing plans.

Q6. Does the Traffic Operations Center have the ability to adjust signal timing in real time during backups or special events?

A. Yes. Staff monitor the traffic signal system Monday through Friday from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. In most cases, Traffic Responsive Programming can manage changing traffic conditions automatically. However, special timing adjustments have been implemented for events such as the post-game traffic surge at Everblades games. For anticipated major events, staff can remotely monitor the system and make real-time timing adjustments as needed.

Q7. How long does it take for the traffic signal system to recover after law enforcement manually controls an intersection, such as at Hertz Arena?

A. The traffic signal system typically returns to normal coordinated operation within one or two signal cycles.

Q8. When a pedestrian pushes a crosswalk button, how long does it take for the signals to return to their programmed coordination?

A. Pedestrian crossings on the main roadway temporarily interrupt signal coordination. It generally takes approximately two to three signal cycles for the system to return to coordinated operation.

Q9. I understand that police, fire, and EMS vehicles will eventually be able to receive green lights through intersections. How does the current and future emergency vehicle pre-emption system work?

A. Currently, the Iona McGregor and South Trail Fire Districts use a GPS-based signal pre-emption system. GPS devices on emergency vehicles communicate directly with traffic signal controllers, providing a green light in the vehicle's direction of travel when it approaches an intersection.

Lee County is also developing a more advanced emergency vehicle pre-emption system that will connect the Central Signal System with the Public Safety Dispatch System and the Lee County Sheriff's Office dispatch system. This enhanced system will use emergency response routes established by dispatch to make targeted adjustments to traffic signals, providing green lights where needed while minimizing disruption to overall traffic flow.

Q10. Are Lee County's traffic signal systems using artificial intelligence, and are there plans to expand AI in the future?

A. Depending on how artificial intelligence is defined, Traffic Responsive Programming (TRP) can be considered a form of AI because it collects traffic volume data every 15 minutes and uses algorithms to select the most appropriate timing plan based on traffic volumes and directional travel patterns.

What is Edaptive Technology and how does it Help Traffic?

The next level of intelligent traffic management is Edaptive technology. Unlike TRP, the Edaptive system continuously evaluates traffic volumes to adjust cycle lengths and green times for individual traffic movements. It requires extensive lane-by-lane traffic data collected between and at each signalized intersection. Lee County currently operates an Edaptive system along Cypress Lake Drive. In addition, the County has deployed AI-enabled video and LiDAR detection systems that analyze traffic conditions to improve vehicle detection and enhance roadway safety.

Realizing that expanding our roads in the greater Estero area is years “literally ‘Down the Road,’” AI and technology are the help we can see in the near future. I have to believe LC DOT is looking and planning to implement traffic Adaptive on other roads throughout the County.

Like our home technology, where we have the choice of computer software and hardware (this article was written on an HP Laptop), there are multiple technologies for traffic control.

What is Adaptive Signal Control Technology?

Another technology that was researched is Adaptive Signal Control Technology (ASCT). This technology is used in other Florida counties and cities. Edaptive Signal Control Technology (ASCT) uses real-time sensor data, vehicle detectors, video cameras, and probe vehicle GPS to continuously adjust traffic signal timing (cycle length, green-time splits, and offsets) to match actual demand, second by second. ASCT responds dynamically to what is on the road at any given moment.

The Edaptive system LC DOT currently has is an upgrade from the Adaptive system that was in this corridor. The main difference is that the Adaptive system could change the green times, splits, and offsets but not the cycle length. The Edaptive system can change the cycle length at all times.

Like any solution, there is a cost to implement new software and systems. LC DOT is working to enable new traffic signals with technology (vehicle detectors, cameras, and traffic counters) to support future upgrades and enhancements.

Besides purchasing the right-of-way acquisition for traffic signals, much of the cost of a new traffic signal ($1.2 - $1.5M) is in electronic monitoring technology (hardware and software). Upgrading older traffic signals to support the information gathering technology is also expensive.

How to Stay Up to Date on Lee County DOT?

• To stay up to date on Lee County transportation efforts, follow the MPO and its committees at https://leempo.com/.
• To keep up with Lee County DOT projects, check the weekly Roadwatch Update, posted every Thursday at www.leegov.com/dot/roadwatchupdate.
• Sign up for updates from Lee County Government at www.leegov.com/resources/newsletters, and
• Follow on social media at www.leegov.com/socialmedia .