An Analysis of A Three-Phase Versus A Four-Phase Traffic Lights Regulation for A Four-Leg Intersection

Traffic management of intersections is an important factor that can determine traffic density at the intersection, as well as its surrounding. Long traffic queues we encounter in daily life, were often caused by ineffectiveness of traffic lights management of the cross sections. In this article, an analytic study of traffic light management of a four-leg intersection, based on the kinematic LWR model, was presented. Comparison was based on observing the end of queues over three cycles of red-green lights, under the assumption of a constant traffic flux. On every leg of the intersection, the end of the queues were obtained from characteristic lines of the shock waves. From these observations, the three phase regulation was preferred over the four-phase one. Finally, a case study of Taman Sari - Baltos intersection located in Bandung City, Indonesia, was discussed. Parameter values used in these simulations were obtained from direct observation.