Project

Few days ago when I was coming back from Dallas, TX while waiting at the signal realized how crazy it is to wait for 5 straight minutes when no other vehicles are approaching from any other direction. I still waited for the RED to turn GREEN. Believe me I waited for almost 6 minutes then I lost my patience. Since I couldn't cross RED Light (I didn't want my midnight picture to be taken by Traffic Cameras & sent to my home with a violation Ticket) I turn right, took an immediate left to the Gas Station and turned right to go Straight from where I was waiting.

I've a proposal to solve the problem with STATIC traffic signals.. I couldn't get better resolution for blip but this one is Little Better.

Legends:
---------------
1. ARROWS: Represent the Traffic Flow.
2. RED Dashes: are sensors which will be implanted far away from Signals and will calculate incoming traffic towards respective signal.
3. GREEN Dashes: Will actually activate the signal as soon as any vehicle crosses it.
4. YELLOW Highlighted Lines: Represents road DIVIDERs

As and when vehicle crosses the RED Dashed line Sensors will inform the signal that they've got incoming traffic. if No other traffic is approaching from any other side / only parallel traffic is reported, Signals will turn GREEN to let the vehicle pass thru (as soon as it crosses GREEN dashed line).

PS: The current YEILD on Left + Right of the Way + Round Robin + Priority (for Emergency Vehicles) algorithms will still be used when traffic flows from all the directions. But it would avoid extra wait time during low rush hours (specially in nights).

I'm sure lot of work has already been done in this regard in better way but just thought of sharing my own concept.

Also checkout this cool prototype.