Design And Construction Of A Traffic Lighting System

ABSTRACT

This project work is on design and construction of a traffic lighting system. A Traffic light is signaling device positioned at road intersections, pedestrian crossings and other locations to control competing flows of traffic.

The road construction safety traffic light system is designed to replace a manual traffic control on a road construction sites. This device can replace one or both flaggers during the two lane closures on the event of a road construction. The road construction safety traffic light system is considered one of the best devices in work zone traffic flow control systems. The device is a portable traffic light unit which can be best utilized in controlling traffic flow in a road construction site for long term or short term lane closures and to control two-way traffic in a single lane. By implementing new technologies in automating traffic flow in road construction site could possibly eliminate the usage of a conventional flagman at all times. The road construction safety traffic light system is a practical solution to solve problems which contribute towards hazards at road construction site and to be inline with the road safety regulation which is taken into granted by the contractors. The automated portable traffic light system can reduce direct costs in man power utilization and increase safety for the road users and construction workers by eliminating the need for a human flagmen. This system is applicable for public and privately funded road construction projects that require overnight or 24-hour traffic control as well as in different weather conditions.

The purpose of this project work is to design and construction a traffic light device that can be used to control the flow of traffic at road intersection.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

COVER PAGE

TITLE PAGE

APPROVAL PAGE

DEDICATION

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

ABSTRACT

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1      GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT

• AIM OF THE PROJECT
• OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT
• PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT
• SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROJECT
• PROBLEM OF THE PROJECT
• SCOPE OF THE PROJECT
• LIMITATION OF THE PROJECT
• PROJECT ORGANISATION

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

• HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECT
• REVIEW OF 2-WAY JUNCTION
• TRAFFIC LIGHT MOUNTING
• TYPES OF TRAFFIC LIGHT

CHAPTER THREE

SYSTEM DESIGN

• DESCRIPTION OF THE SYSTEM BUILDING BLOCK
• SYSTEM DESIGN SPECIFICATION
• BLOCK DIAGRAM OF THE SYSTEM
• DESCRIPTION OF THE OVERALL OPERATION OF THE SYSTEM
• LIST AND DESCRIPTION OF THE SYSTEM COMPONENTS
• COMPLETE CIRCUIT DIAGRAM OF A 2-WAY TRAFFIC LIGHT CONTROL

CHAPTER FOUR

• IMPLEMENTATION, TESTING AND RESULTS
• CONSTRUCTION PROCEDURE AND TESTING
• INSTALLATION OF THE COMPLET DESIGN

• CASING AND PACKAGING
• ASSEMBLING OF SECTIONS
• TESTING OF SYSTEM OPERATION
• PROBLEM ENCOUNTERED

CHAPTER FIVE

• COST OF ANALYSIS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

REFERENCES

CHAPTER ONE

1.1                                                        INTRODUCTION

Traffic lights, developed since 1912, are signaling devices that are conceived to control the traffic flows at road intersections, pedestrian crossings, rail trains, and other locations. Traffic lights consist of three universal colored lights: the green light allows traffic to proceed in the indicated direction, the yellow light warns vehicles to prepare for short stop, and the red signal prohibits any traffic from proceeding [1].

Nowadays, many countries suffer from the traffic congestion problems that affect the transportation system in cities and cause serious dilemma. In spite of replacing traffic officers and flagmen by automatic traffic systems, the optimization of the heavy traffic jam is still a major issue to be faced, especially with multiple junction nodes [2]. The rapid increase of the number of automobiles and the constantly rising number of road users are not accompanied with promoted infrastructures with sufficient resources. Partial solutions were offered by constructing new roads, implementing flyovers and bypass roads, creating rings, and performing roads rehabilitation.

However, the traffic problem is very complicated due to the involvement of diverse parameters. First, the traffic flow depends on the time of the day where the traffic peak hours are generally in the morning and in the afternoon; on the days of the week where weekends reveal minimum load while

Mondays and Fridays generally show dense traffic oriented from cities to their outskirts and in reverse direction respectively; and time of the year as holidays and summer.

Secondly, the current traffic light system is implemented with hard coded delays where the lights transition time slots are fixed regularly and do not depend on real time traffic flow. The third point is concerned with the state of one light at an intersection that influences the flow of traffic at adjacent intersections. Also, the conventional traffic system does not consider the case of accidents, roadworks, and breakdown cars that worsen traffic congestion. In addition, a crucial issue is related to the smooth motion through intersections of emergency vehicles of higher priorities such as ambulances, rescue vehicles, fire brigade, police, and VIP persons that could get stuck in the crowd. Finally, the pedestrians that cross the lanes also alter the traffic system.

The conventional traffic system needs to be upgraded to solve the severe traffic congestion, alleviate transportation troubles, reduce traffic volume and waiting time, minimize overall travel time, optimize cars safety and efficiency, and expand the benefits in health, economic, and environmental sectors. This paper proposes a simple, low-cost, and real time smart traffic light control system that aims to overcome many defects and improve the traffic management.

1.2                                                      DESIGN OBJECTIVE

The objective of this design is to create an electronic circuit using digital components and a few linear components such that a digital output is raised to control the traffic at a junction using six (6) lamps rather light emitting diodes LEDS, where three (3) lamps or LEDs serves for one lane and the other three (3) serves for the other lane. Among the three (3) LEDs one is Red, which signifies that vehicles should move. The second is green and it signifies that vehicles should stop. The third as amber which signifies vehicles should get ready to move.

The main objective of this traffic light controller is to provide sophisticated control and coordination to confirm that traffic moves as smoothly and safely as possible.

1.3                                             OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT

The main objective of the study includes:

1. To investigate the practicality of the theoretical knowledge about these components to be used.
2. To experiment on the compatibility of the working relation between components to be used.
3. To investigate the extent to which the design and construction of the control unit can be useful to mankind.
4. To investigate the immediate usefulness of the control system as complimentary to traffic wardens.

1.4                                              PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT

The primary purpose of the traffic light is to attain the safest and most efficient overall traffic flow possible. When properly timed, a traffic signal increases the traffic handling capacity of an intersection, and when installed under conditions that justify its use, a signal is a valuable device for improving the safety and efficiency of both pedestrian and vehicular traffic. In particular, signals may reduce certain types of accidents, most notably, right-angle (broadside) collisions.

1.5                                         SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROJECT

The project design work signifies a lot in modern industrial electronics. This design that replaced the manually used agent which is the traffic warden positioned at different traffic junctions.

In most developed towns in Nigeria, this system is employed at every 2-way junction, so that traffic jam or hold up will be highly controlled and also accidents at this junction are highly minimized.

In advance countries, the type of traffic light employed are inform of robot whose eyes serves as the visual display unit (VDU) when the traffic rule is violated the error detector is effected by the mechanical action of the robot.

1.5                                              PROBLEM OF THE PROJECT

Traffic lights were designed to organize the way in which people and cars utilize an intersection, reducing accidents and encouraging the flow of traffic. However, many problems have been found in the traffic light system, from decreasing one type of accident while significantly increasing another to adding traffic to residential streets viz:

Increase in Accidents

Traffic lights can “significantly increase” the number or rear-end collisions at an intersection. Rear-end collisions occur when one car stops and the vehicle behind him does not, colliding into the stopped car. The traffic signal works correctly for the car that actually stopped at the intersection. However, the second car either fails to recognize the stopped car or fails to stop at an appropriate distance to avoid the collision.

Delay

Traffic lights ensure vehicles proceed through the intersection in an orderly fashion. Before traffic lights, however, there was typically one street (out of the two that make up an intersection) that dominated. Once traffic lights were installed, the dominant street began to share equal time with its cross street. As a result, many areas began to experience congestion on one street during hours of heavy traffic, making traffic delays another disadvantage of traffic lights.

Diverted Congestion

To avoid congestion, drivers will use alternative routes, usually residential streets. This is another disadvantage of traffic lights. As drivers cut through residential areas to avoid the congested stoplight, the congestion on those streets increases, especially when intersections are regulated by a yield or two-way stop sign. The overload causes premature wear on residential streets and inconveniences residents of the area.

Civil Disobedience

Frustration with traffic lights is already high among drivers during hours of heavy congestion. Thus, a malfunctioning traffic light or one that stays on red for a few seconds longer than usual can often inflame drivers. The result is an increase in accidents from cars moving when the traffic light signals them to stop.

1.7                                                 SCOPE OF THE PROJECT

This project makes use of LED lights for indication purpose and a ICs is used for auto changing of signal at specified range of time interval. LED lights gets automatically turns on and off by making corresponding port pin of the microcontroller “HIGH”.

This traffic light is made with the help of counter IC, which is mainly used for Sequential Circuits. We can also call it as Sequential Traffic Lights. Sequential Circuits are used to count the numbers in the series.

Coming to the working principle of Traffic Lights, the main IC is 4017 counter IC which is used to glow the Red, yellow and green LED respectively. 555 timer acts as a pulse generator providing an input to the 4017 counter IC. Timing of glow of certain lights totally depends upon the 555 timer’s pulse, which we can control via the Potentiometer so if you want to change the time of glow, you can do so by varying the potentiometer, having the responsibility for the timing.

1.8                                           LIMITATION OF THE PROJECT

I.                   Cost of Traffic Signals: One of the important of traffic signals is the cost, especially when a less expensive stop sign will do. The cost of installing and maintaining a traffic signal varies, depending on the state.

II.                 This device is only to be used in four-Lane traffic intersection

1.9                                        PROJECT WORK ORGANIZATION

The various stages involved in the development of this project have been properly put into five chapters to enhance comprehensive and concise reading. In this project thesis, the project is organized sequentially as follows:

Chapter one of this work is on the introduction to a traffic lighting system. In this chapter, the background, significance, aim, purpose, objective, limitation and problem of a traffic lighting system were discussed.

Chapter two is on literature review of a traffic lighting system. In this chapter, all the literature pertaining to this work was reviewed.

Chapter three is on design methodology. In this chapter all the method involved during the design and construction were discussed.

Chapter four is on testing analysis. All testing that result accurate functionality was analyzed.

Chapter five is on conclusion, recommendation and references.