Fort Collins Travel Time Deployment Case Study
The Fort Collins travel time deployment helped the City of Fort Collins, Colorado improve how traffic congestion is managed on busy corridors. Because the city experiences variable and heavy traffic due in part to its population and nearby university, standard timing plans alone could not clear persistent backups.
Project Background
Located on the Colorado Front Range, Fort Collins is home to Colorado State University and has a dynamic travel network that sees frequent congestion. Because of these traffic patterns, the City installed a Centracs ATMS and later added travel time monitoring to help manage changing conditions more actively.
Execution
In 2014, Fort Collins added a BlueTOAD system from TrafficCast and activated the Centracs Blue Toad Travel Time module to gather real‑time speed and travel time data. Later upgrades included the BlueTOAD Spectra system with BlueARGUS software to support a Traffic Responsive application. With these tools, the city can sense when speeds fall below defined thresholds and trigger alternate signal timing plans to reduce backlog or slow traffic. When speeds return to normal, the system switches back to standard time‑of‑day plans.
Real‑World Applications
North College Ave
North College Ave carries heavy truck traffic along an eight‑intersection route. Because volumes can fluctuate widely, this corridor is known locally as the “Truck Parade.” When travel speeds drop below a set threshold, the travel time system prompts the Centracs ATMS to apply a “Truck Plan” to clear the congestion quickly.
Lemay Ave – East Vine Dr
At this location near a rail crossing, trains frequently cause backups. When the BlueTOAD system detects slow speeds during a train event, the ATMS triggers an alternate timing plan that moves the queued vehicles through the intersection after the train passes, and then returns to the normal plan.
Mulberry St (State Hwy 14)
Mulberry is a major connector to the university. After nearby construction changed travel patterns, traffic frequently backed up in unexpected ways. Because the travel time system measures real‑time conditions, it can adjust timing plans to help keep traffic moving.
Operational Benefits
- Improved signal timing responsiveness based on real data
- Reduced congestion during peak and unusual traffic events
- Automatic triggering of alternate timing plans
- Better coordination for traffic near major generators such as the university
- Enhanced ability to manage traffic after unexpected delays such as trains or detours
This Fort Collins travel time deployment demonstrates how real‑time speed and travel time data can be integrated with an ATMS to actively manage congestion and improve mobility.
