Study Found Connected Vehicle (CV) Applications Prevented 17 Potential Vehicle Crashes in Downtown Tampa.
Florida Deployment Study Examined the Safety Benefits of Connected Signal Applications.
Tampa, Florida, United States
Best Practices: Signalized Intersection Investments
Summary Information
As Florida’s roads grow increasingly congested, improving safety and efficiency at signalized intersections has become a key transportation goal. This study aimed to comprehensively identify and document best practices for signalized intersection investments, with an emphasis on new technologies that use smart and adaptive systems. The study focused on one of Florida’s busiest corridors to guide future deployment of smarter, more responsive intersection systems and reviewed how adaptive and connected signal technologies could help improve performance and safety.
METHODOLOGY
One of the case studies reviewed by this study was the Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA) connected vehicle (CV) Pilot Deployment project. This study evaluated how CV infrastructure could improve safety and mobility at signalized intersections in Florida. The THEA project installed 49 roadside units (RSUs) and enrolled over 1,000 commuters equipped with on-board units (OBUs) to enable real-time communication between vehicles and traffic signals. Conducted over several months, the project used RSUs to collect various data, such as Basic Safety Message (BSM), Signal Phase and Timing (SPaT), and Map Data Message (MAP), to assess message reliability, safety impacts, and potential crash prevention. Results were quantified through recorded safety events and communication logs verified with field observations. The evaluation scope focused on reductions in potential crashes and successful message exchanges.
FINDINGS
The main findings of this study were as follows.
- Pedestrian collision warning contributed to avoiding 24 pedestrian crashes in the Downtown Tampa study area.
- Other CV applications, such as electronic emergency brake light, forward collision warning, and intersection movement assist, were estimated to prevent 17 potential crashes within the study area through faster driver alerts and improved intersection awareness.
- However, of the 51 issued red light violation warnings, 36 (70.6 percent) were classified as false positives, suggesting the necessity of additional parameter refinement.
