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Is there a way to tag a series of traffic lights that are synchronized to keep the traffic moving? That is, if you're driving at the design speed, traffic lights are turning green in front of you as you drive. This is sometimes done on major roads with many intersections.

I'm a little annoyed at not finding an option to tag this. I find that my OSM-based GPS app often routes me around most green waves thru alternative streets that have fewer traffic lights, but also pedestrian crossings, narrow lanes, sharp turns, bad surface etc. and are clearly the longer and slower route outside the rush hour.

This could also serve to indicate traffic lights that are close by but unsynchronized or even synchronized against each other so that motorists have to stop on successive red lights. (This also exists in my city, ironically on the app's favorite detour around the best known green wave.)

asked 01 Jan '20, 03:18

Rostaman521's gravatar image

Rostaman521
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accept rate: 0%

A fyi: "synchronized" means simultaneous, ie working as one single junction. It falls under traffic signal coordination together with progression (green wave)

(01 Jan '20, 07:34) Kovoschiz

A clever idea, but how do we know if they part of a Green Wave system. wiki info https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_wave

(01 Jan '20, 15:44) andy mackey

@andy mackey I don't believe there's a traffic sign for it, but it's fairly obvious when you're driving, especially if all the lights have the same period like the traffic lights in my city's downtown (so you have permanent green and red waves). There could also be press releases from the city government as evidence that the system exists.

(03 Jan '20, 22:04) Rostaman521

There's this proposal that could be improved upon: https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Proposed_features/Traffic_Signal_Timings.

I find that we should probably start with confirming how to tag one single signalized junction. There's already enough uncertainly over that. By doing this, we could already easily map which are synchronized as one, or close together but separate. Then, we can more elegantly form parent relations for corridor, and area traffic signal coordination (Urban Traffic Control in UK).

permanent link

answered 01 Jan '20, 07:42

Kovoschiz's gravatar image

Kovoschiz
2.4k31147
accept rate: 16%

edited 01 Jan '20, 07:45

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question asked: 01 Jan '20, 03:18

question was seen: 1,325 times

last updated: 03 Jan '20, 22:04

NOTICE: help.openstreetmap.org is no longer in use from 1st March 2024. Please use the OpenStreetMap Community Forum