- April 27, 2021
- Case Studies, In the Media
Kimley-Horn Helps City of Austin Adjust to Changing Traffic Patterns Through Signal Timing Data Analysis
Tom Hartmann, P.E., PTOE, IMSA TS II
Senior Traffic Engineer
Kent Kacir, P.E.
Senior Traffic Engineer
Tom Hartmann, P.E., PTOE, IMSA TS II
Senior Traffic Engineer
Kent Kacir, P.E.
Senior Traffic Engineer
The City of Austin is well-known as a focal point for technological innovation. When traffic almost disappeared due to the widespread lockdowns from COVID-19, the City looked to Kimley-Horn and transportation technology solutions to collect and analyze traffic data to understand the effects of this sudden change in traffic patterns.
With more than 33 critical corridors, 1,000+ signals, and 600+ cameras, Kimley-Horn helped Austin’s Mobility Management Center (MMC) leverage big data analysis tools to gain insights quickly and adapt accordingly. This data was complemented by the use of Kimley-Horn’s KITS Smart Cities software. Our data-driven and proactive approach improving signal timing operations for the City during the pandemic led to the recommendation to use the off-peak traffic plan all day due to low traffic volumes. This approach saved the citizens of Austin time, resulting in more than $2.8M in benefit. In total, the Kimley-Horn team made changes to 856 traffic signals and 571 school zone flashing beacons. The team then used this data to implement a tailored plan to return traffic to normal.
To learn more about how Kimley-Horn leveraged probe-based traffic data to take the City of Austin’s operational goals to a new level, read the case study.
About the Authors
Tom Hartmann, P.E., PTOE, IMSA TS II
Tom has worked in the private sector and local government with a focus on traffic operations, specifically coordinated traffic signal systems and advanced traffic management systems, for more than a decade. His experience in ITS (fiber and wireless designs and master planning), innovative data sources, traffic signal design, traffic and safety studies, bike and pedestrian operations, and transportation planning provide a holistic approach to traffic operations with a focus on safety and efficiency. Tom has retimed more than 3,400 traffic signals throughout Texas, Oklahoma, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. Tom’s experience also includes various traffic engineering studies and designs including citywide data collection programs, bicycle and pedestrian standards and crossings design, speed and safety studies, signal system evaluation and design, special event traffic management plans, incident management plans, stop sign and traffic signal warrant studies, and arterial and intersection operational analyses.
Kent Kacir, P.E.
Kent Kacir is a Senior Traffic Engineer based in Dallas, Texas. He has more than 34 years experience primarily focused on traffic operations and ITS. He has worked on all facets of the ITS projects from preliminary engineering to construction documents and from System Engineering for advanced traffic control systems to software engineering and deployment and acceptance testing.
Kent is the project manager for the City of Austin’s Mobility Management Center. He is a senior engineer in the development of Transportation Systems Management & Operations (TSMO) for Texas DOT, and works on several ITS Master Plans in both Texas and Oklahoma.
As a licensed professional engineer in Texas and five other states, Kent is an active member of ITE and the Transportation Research Board (TRB). Within TRB, he is a standing member of the Traffic Control Devices Committee.