The Result
Optimization Mode leverages predictions to evaluate thousands of potential future traffic scenarios in real-time to optimize traffic flow, reduce congestion, and improve overall transportation efficiency and safety. With NoTraffic Optimization active, St. Albert’s corridor delivered a 24% reduction in all-day delay (5.7 seconds less per vehicle), including a 24% improvement in the AM peak and 28% in the PM peak.
The largest gains hit the city’s known pain points: shorter delays on critical movements at Hebert and Superstore, improved progression through the corridor, and visible reduction of spillback at both Henday ramp intersections.
Environmental benefits followed operational efficiency—estimated CO₂ emissions dropped by over 5,500 tons, reinforcing that modern signal optimization can generate fast, measurable outcomes using existing infrastructure and agency-defined policies.
NoTraffic Optimization managed five intersections on St. Albert Trail: Gate, Hebert Rd, Superstore, Henday North, and Henday South ramp terminals—balancing mainline progression with side-street access on the city’s primary access route.
Measures: control delay (s/veh), peak period delay, phase-level delay at Superstore, and red-light running events.
| Metric | Improvement |
| Overall Delay | Reduced 24 % |
| Delay at Key Location (Superstore Ph5) | Reduced 59 % |
| Red-Light Running | Reduced 33% |
| AM Peak Delay | Reduced 24 % |
| PM Peak Delay | Reduced 28 % |
| Total Economic Value * | Over $ 19 M CAD ($14 M USD) |
| CO₂ Reduction ** | Over 5,500 mt |
| CO₂ Reduction (tree-equivalents) ** | 50,000 |
Measurable ROI From Operational Signal Changes
St. Albert’s project shows what NoTraffic Optimization can do for agencies managing a constrained arterial that must function as both a commuter route and the city’s front door. It can continuously tune cycles, splits, and offsets to reduce corridor delay, strengthen progression in the dominant peak direction, and curb the queue growth that leads to left-turn and ramp-terminal spillback.
Just as important for signal teams, Optimization pairs those operational gains with rich, intersection- and phase-level performance data—so improvements can be verified, communicated to stakeholders, and sustained without constant manual retiming cycles. For cities and counties looking for outcomes without widening roads, this case demonstrates a repeatable path to faster travel, more reliable peak operations, and meaningful emissions reductions using the infrastructure already in place.
NOTES:
* Total Economic Value shown in USD and CAD represents time and gas savings over the initial 5-year warranty plus operational savings related to signal re-timing, included data and analytics package, persistent camera installation, and NOC support
** Over initial 5-year warranty period
