Comparison of Optimal Signal Plans by Synchro & TRANSYT-7F Using PARAMICS – A Case Study

TRANSYT-7F and Synchro are two of the most extensively used signal timing optimization softwares in Saudi Arabia. Each of them has its inbuilt objective function to optimize signal plan for intersections, which is different from each other. In this paper, the performance of the optimal signal timing plans developed by TRANSYT-7F and Synchro is compared using the microsimulation software PARAMICS. An urban arterial with three intersections and moderately high traffic in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia is studied. Comparison of the optimized plans is done on the basis of queue length and average delay from the simulated results of PARAMICS. The study showed that the optimized plan by TRANSYT-7F gave better results than the plan by Synchro in terms of queue length and average delay. The study also showed a trend of better optimized signal performance when the timing plans are simulated in their respective simulation model.