DDOT Uses Data Analytics to Advance Smart Signal Operations Across Washington, DC

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is expanding its use of advanced data analytics to improve transportation operations across Washington, DC, deploying a smart traffic signal monitoring platform at more than 1,600 signalized intersections throughout the District.

The citywide deployment of the Luminus signal performance platform, supported by Flow Labs, follows a successful year-long pilot program that evaluated the technology at more than 50 intersections. The pilot demonstrated how real-world traffic data and advanced performance measurements can help transportation agencies better understand intersection operations and make more informed decisions about signal timing.

The technology represents a growing shift among transportation agencies toward data-driven approaches that use real-time information and analytics to improve mobility, safety, and reliability for all roadway users—including transit vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists.

“DDOT has maintained a successful model for multimodal signal timing optimization for many years,” said Director Sharon Kershbaum. “The addition of probe-based signal performance measures to our toolbox will help us enhance signal retiming and operations by working with richer datasets and more varied performance measures. That is a meaningful advancement in how we serve the people who live in, work in, and visit Washington.”

Traditionally, traffic signal optimization has relied heavily on periodic field observations, traffic counts, and engineering models. By incorporating probe-based data from actual travel patterns, platforms such as Luminus provide transportation engineers with a more comprehensive view of how intersections are performing under real-world conditions.

Through the expanded deployment, DDOT engineers can monitor signal performance across the District’s entire signal network, identify locations where timing adjustments may improve operations, and prioritize retiming projects based on measurable performance data. The system also enables the agency to respond more quickly to changing travel patterns caused by shifting commuting behaviors, special events, construction activity, or other disruptions.

For transit agencies and transportation organizations, improved signal performance monitoring can have significant implications for service reliability. Better-coordinated traffic signals can help reduce delays for buses operating in mixed traffic, improve travel-time consistency, and support multimodal transportation goals.

The deployment is part of DDOT’s broader effort to modernize transportation management through technology, data sharing, and proactive operations. By expanding access to detailed performance information, the agency can move beyond reactive approaches and make targeted improvements based on how the network is actually functioning.