Getting Started: Synchro 8

Getting Started:Synchro 8Version 1.009/20/2013

Table of ContentsI. IntroductionII. Scenario ManagerIII. Import the Background ImageIV. Build the NetworkV. Edit the Node1.Node2.Lane3.Volume4.Signing5.TimingVI. Optimization1. Optimize the Individual Signals2. Optimize the NetworkVII. ReportingGetting Started: Synchro 8Page 1

Introduction to the Synchro 8 Getting Started GuideThis guide will provide a basic understanding of how to use the Synchro 8 software package. This guidewas designed to walk a user through the necessary steps to create a network simulation from opening thesoftware for the first time to the printing the traffic analysis reports.The project used in this example is a rural project in Murray County, GA. The project encompassesthree types of traffic controls; two way stop, all way stop and traffic signal.Please contact Tiffany Turner (tturner@dot.ga.gov) if you have any questions, suggestions about thisguide or if you notice any errors or discrepancies in this guide.Getting Started: Synchro 8Page 2

Setting the Scenario Manager1. Click the Options tab in the Menu Bar and select Scenario Manager2. Enter the followinga. Description PI/Project Name/County Datab. Date the date of analysisc. Time leave blankd. Alternative the alternative being analyzed (existing, no build, build, Alt B, dual lefts, etc )e. Timing Plan enter the year and time for the traffic data (2013 AM, 2036PM)f. Analyst your name or initialsg. Click OKGetting Started: Synchro 8Page 3

Importing the Background Image1. Select Select Backgrounds from the File tab in the Menu BarGetting Started: Synchro 8Page 4

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2. Click Use Bing AerialsGetting Started: Synchro 8Page 6

3. Enter the nearest city (or address, destination, etc ) I the search bar and click the blue arrowGetting Started: Synchro 8Page 7

4. Use the controls within Bing to center the project area in the window.a. Once complete click Set Reference.b. Place the purple thumbnail in the lower left corner of the project areac. Select OKGetting Started: Synchro 8Page 8

5. Click Set Boundariesa. Click Set 1st Boundary Point and set a corner point.b. Click Set 2nd Boundary Point and set the opposite corner pointGetting Started: Synchro 8Page 9

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6. Click Preview SelectionGetting Started: Synchro 8Page 11

7. Click Save selection As single fileGetting Started: Synchro 8Page 12

8. Click OKGetting Started: Synchro 8Page 13

9. The background image is loadedGetting Started: Synchro 8Page 14

Building the Network1. Draw the main line corridor.a. Click the Mapping tabb. Click the Add a link buttonc. Click and hold outside of the background image and drag along the main corridor to a pointoutside of the image past the end of the corridor.Note: The link will be straight. Curvature will be added laterNote: The links will not appear red in Synchro. This is for visibility in the guideGetting Started: Synchro 8Page 15

2. Click the Zoom Tab on the floating menu and click the zoom area to zoom into the area around thefirst intersection.Getting Started: Synchro 8Page 16

3. Click Mapping Add a link to add the cross street. (repeat the click/hold/drag process)An intersection is created when you drag one link over another link. (notice the green squares at each corner).Getting Started: Synchro 8Page 17

4. Move this intersection to match the backgroung by slecting Mapping Move NodeGetting Started: Synchro 8Page 18

5. Repeat steps 3 & 4 to create the entire networkGetting Started: Synchro 8Page 19

6. To add curvaturea. Right click on the link and select Add Curvature.Getting Started: Synchro 8Page 20

b. Click and hold the square and drag to match the link to the existing alignmentNOTE: each “end” of the link can be curved. Experiment by adjust both endsGetting Started: Synchro 8Page 21

7. Repeat Step 6 wherever curvature is neededGetting Started: Synchro 8Page 22

Edit a NodeI. Complete the Node Window1. Double click the Node (intersection) and Select the Node Button2. Select the Screen ButtonGetting Started: Synchro 8Page 23

3. For Unsignalized intersectionsa. Description: Intersection Nameb. Control Typei. Unsig stop or yield control of one or all approachesii. Roundabouts based on HCM 2010 method. Models singleand multi-lane roundabouts and calculatesdelays and queues use the HCM 2010 setting4. For Signalized intersectionsa. Description: enter intersection nameb. Control Typei. Pretimed runs a fixed cycle with no detectors use for isolated intersections where the minorroad volume is lowii.Semi-Actuated-Uncoordinated detectors located on minor approach. Recallsthe main street through phases to max valuesand services the minor road when a vehicle isdetected. Not coordinated because the cyclelength can vary each cycle. use for isolated higher volume intersectionswhere the minor road traffic is moderateiii. Actuated uncoordinated detectors located on all approaches, fullyactuated. All phases have a minimum greentime but are serviced when a vehicle isdetected, no recall maximums are set. Thecycle length may vary each cycle. Use for an isolated intersection where themajor and minor roads have similar trafficvolumesiv. Actuated coordinated All phases except for the assigned coordinatedphases are fully actuated. The signal operates on a fixed cycle length allowing anyunused time in the cycle to be given back to the main lineGetting Started: Synchro 8Page 24

Use for an intersection that is connected in a series where the major and minor roadshave similar traffic volumesII. Select and complete the Lane Window1. Lanes and Sharing: select the configuration ofeach approach. If a turn lane is shared select itfrom the through lane drop-down.2. Traffic Volume: enter the DHV for themovement3. Street Name: enter the street name for theselected approach4. Link Distance: DO NOT CHANGE*5. Link speed: enter the speed limit6. Lane Width: enter lane width7. Grade %: enter once per approach(use – {neg} for downslopes)8. Storage Length: enter the storage length in feetfor turn bays. If the lane extends to the previousintersection enter “0”9. Storage Lane #: this should be populated by thelanes and sharing input, however it is good tocheck this field. (if the lanes extends to previousintersection the field will have a “0”)10. Right Turn Channelized: ONLY change if youhave a channelized right turn lane (not just astriped median) None: no right turn channelization Yield: no phase is assigned. RTOR only Stop: same as yield Free: 100% green time Signal: movement is controlled by thesignalRepeat for all approaches by selecting the arrows*If the link length here is incorrect, check the scale of the background image. If a background imagewas not used adjust the length by lengthening the link graphic on the map screen.Getting Started: Synchro 8Page 25

III. Select and complete the Volumes Settings Window1. Lanes and Sharing: already entered in LaneWindow2. Traffic Volume: already entered in Lane Window3. Peak Hour Factor:a. 0.92 for urbanb. 0.88 for rural4. Heavy Vehicles: enter % heavy vehiclesRepeat for all approaches by selecting the arrowsGetting Started: Synchro 8Page 26

IV. Select and complete the Signing Window(FOR UNSIGNALIZED ONLY)1. Sign Controla. select stop or yield for the minor streetb. select free for the major street (unless it’s afour way stop)2. Median width:a. used for two-stage gap acceptance calculations.The median storage is determined by themedian width divided by the vehicle lengthb. if a value is enter the median is assumed to beraised unless the TWLTL box is checkedc. this is applied to the minor leg (the traffic thatwill NOT the leg the median is on3. TWLTL Mediana. check the box if there is a TWLTLb. the assumed storage is 2 vehicles4. Right Turn Channelized: keep at noneGetting Started: Synchro 8Page 27

V. Select and complete the Timing Window(for signalized intersections only)1. Turn Typea. For left turnsi. Perm(permitted): turn are permitted after yielding to conflicting movements green ballii. Prot(protected): movement is protected by a dedicated signal phase green arrowiii. Permitted Protected (pm pt)- movement is protected during a portion of the phase andpermitted during the rest of the phase green arrow followed by green balliv. Split – left and thru traffic share a protected phase. Usually when there’s a left/thru lanev. Dallas Permitted (D. Pm) – ignorevi. Dallas Permitted plus protected (D.P P) – ignorevii. N/A – ignoreviii. Custom – ignoreGetting Started: Synchro 8Page 28

b. For right turnsi. Permitted (Perm) –must yield to pedestrians green ballii.Protected (Prot) – movement is protected (no pedestrian conflict) green arrowiii. Overlap(over) – movement is given a green arrow during the compatible left turnmovement of the intersecting streetiv. Permitted Protected (pm ov) – movement must yield to pedestrians during the thruphase but is protected during the compatible left turn phase.v. Protected Overlap (pt ov) – movement is protected. the green arrow overlaps fromthe thru phase into the compatible left phasevi.Free – only to be used when the free turn lane has an acceleration lane downstreamand is not controlled by the signal2. Yellow TimeCalculate using the following equationy where V approach speed (mph)and g grade (ex. -3% -.03)3. Red timeCalculate using the following equationR where W width of the stop line to far side no-conflict point (ft) andV speed of vehicle, mphGetting Started: Synchro 8Page 29

Optimize the Network1. Optimize Each Intersectiona. Double click on a node to select itb. Go to Optimize Intersection Splitsc. Go to Optimize Intersection Cycle Length2. Optimize the Networka. Go to Optimize Network Cycle Lengthsb. Go to Optimize Network Cycle OffsetGetting Started: Synchro 8Page 30

ReportingIn order to more easily identify the reports after printing it is helpful to set up a useful header1. Go to File Create Report (or Ctrl-R)2. Click the Header Button3. Set up the Header/Footer by selecting the fields from the drop downGetting Started: Synchro 8Page 31

For Reports1. Go to File Create Report (Ctrl R)2. Select Reportsa. For Signals HCM 2010 Signalized Summaryb. For Roundabouts HCM2010 Roundabout Detailc. For All way stop control HCM2010 AWSC Detaild. For Two way stop control HCM2010 TWSC Detail3. Select a Scopea. Single Intersection produces the report for a select intersectionb. Zone ignorec. Entire Network produces the report for all the applicable intersections in the network4. Select Preview to view the report5. Select Print to print the reportGetting Started: Synchro 8Page 32

For Two Way Stop Control intersections1. Select HCM 2010 TWSC report2. Choose either Single Intersection or Entire Network3. Double check input data in the Movement sectiona. Volumeb. Peak Hour Factorc. Heavy Vehicles %4. Review theIntersection Delay5. Review ApproachResultsa. HCM ControlDelay (s)b. HCM LOS6. Review Lane Resultsa. HCM Lane VCRatiob. HCM ControlDelay (s)c. HCM Lane LOSd. HCM 95thpercentile queue(veh)Notes: There is not an overallIntersection LOS (see theHCM 2010 for thereasoning) Confirm that the QueueLength does not exceedthe provided storagelength or back into theupstream intersection. Consider the delay andLOS for each movementnot just the minor legapproach. The major leftturns can impact themainline through traffic.Getting Started: Synchro 8Page 33

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