FAQ - Traffic Engineering
Traffic Engineering's Web Site
Why is the City installing NO PARKING signs on residential streets?
Can the cameras at the intersection see me?
Who controls all the traffic signals in the City?
Can "SCATS" improve traffic flow under any conditions?
Why has "SCATS" made little or no improvement during rush hours?
Will "SCATS" change from red to green as soon as it detects me?
Why doesn't the signal change green for me even though there is no traffic on the main street?
Will "SCATS" always give me all the green time I need to get through the intersection?
Does the camera spy on me (big brother is watching)?
Can the camera see me no matter how far back from the intersection I am?
Why is the City installing NO PARKING signs on residential streets?
The No Parking sign installation program has been progressing on a section-by section basis throughout the City over the last few years. Parking is not allowed on the fire hydrant side of any street in Troy, and parking is not allowed within 15 feet of any fire hydrant. In addition, there is no parking in two thirds of all cul-de-sacs. The reason for these restrictions is immediate access to fire hydrants and buildings in the event of a fire or other emergency, as well as for snow removal and garbage collection. Larger vehicles such as fire trucks, ambulances, snow plows, and garbage trucks require greater clearances to maneuver, especially in cul-de-sacs. Keeping these portions of streets clear of parked vehicles will provide more efficient delivery of City services and reduce the chances for damage to parked vehicles. Thanks for helping to make our City safe.
Can the cameras at the intersection see me?
No, the cameras detect a change in contrast in the area it is focused toward. It counts vehicles that pass under it and no video image is processed. The cameras do not have remote zoom or pan capabilities.
Who controls all the traffic signals in the City?
The Road Commission for Oakland County (RCOC) installs and maintains all the signals. However, the City Traffic Engineering Division monitors the operations continually and makes recommendations for better performance. Citizen input to the City also is followed up with the RCOC. The RCOC can be reached at (248) 858-7250.
Can "SCATS" improve traffic flow under any conditions?
SCATS can only work effectively until traffic demand exceeds roadway capacity. Beyond that point, SCATS can only manage backups No system can "manufacture" capacity where there is not enough. This typically happens 4 hours out of each workday, during the morning and afternoon peak hours.
Why has "SCATS" made little or no improvement during rush hours?
To a certain extent, this is true. When the roadways are operating above capacity, there is little improvement over the old system. The main difference is in the length of the rush hour. SCATS has shortened the rush hours by improving operations during the periods before and after the most congested periods.
Will "SCATS" change from red to green as soon as it detects me?
Unfortunately, this does not always happen. In order to provide fair service to all traffic using the intersection, the signal timing must be at a point where the change can be made before the light will change. Depending on the time of day, the wait for the green can be short or long. Except during rush hours, all of the waiting traffic will normally be allowed through the intersection when the green does come on.
Why doesn't the signal change green for me even though there is no traffic on the main street?
In order to provide coordinated flow on the main street, all SCATS signals must run the same cycle length. There are points in the cycle when the controller can leave the main street green and service the other traffic at the intersection. Also, if a minor approach does not use all of its allotted green time, the extra time is added to the main street green.
Will "SCATS" always give me all the green time I need to get through the intersection?
A traffic signal cycle is like a pie. If someone gets the whole pie, then no one else gets any. Also, the more slices of pie there are, the smaller each piece is. "SCATS" like all signal systems, cannot manufacture time. It can only manage the time that is available.
Does the camera spy on me (big brother is watching)?
The video that comes from the camera is converted to computer data in the Autoscope controller and the picture is lost forever. We do not capture any of the video before it is processed. Even if we did, we would only see the tops of vehicles, not the occupants or the license plates. Big brother is not watching.
Can the camera see me no matter how far back from the intersection I am?
This is not true. The camera looks down at an area behind the stop bar and cannot see beyond this area. SCATS knows how much green to give by counting the number of cars that go through during each green. However, the driver must pull up to the stop bar to be detected.
