TRAFFIC ENGINEERING

Increased traffic volumes, longer drive times, and more crashes often accompany new development and community growth. As an industry leader, our traffic engineers have the knowledge and experience needed to help avoid these challenges.

HLR is well-versed in all aspects of transportation engineering and can identify traffic issues quickly and create design solutions that promote safety and efficiency. Our traffic engineers are licensed in Illinois, Professional Traffic Operations Engineers (PTOE), and certified by the International Municipal Signal Association (IMSA) to design, test, and program traffic signal controllers. We have expertise in a wide range of studies, major data collection efforts, traffic calming, planning and feasibility studies, signal design, and signal coordination and timing (SCAT). Over the past 15 years, this specialized knowledge has allowed us to complete thousands of individual studies and designs, providing traffic engineering support for major transportation projects.


We use the latest technical methods and software in our industry including a variety of traffic analysis and simulation software applications including Synchro, HCS, and SIDRA, maintaining the latest version of each program. We also utilize traffic signal monitoring software including Centracs, TACTICS, Aries, and TransSuite.


Our team will walk your project from analysis through design, construction, and monitoring of traffic signal operations. We always encourage feedback from our clients, consider the needs and concerns of those affected by the project, and objectively evaluate all possible alternatives. This approach enables HLR to provide cost-effective solutions that fit your needs and budget.

  • TRAFFIC SIGNAL AND SYSTEM DESIGN

    Technology is always changing, and having a service group dedicated to specialization in traffic signal and system design enables us to stay current with advances in hardware and software technology such as vehicle detection systems, pedestrian accommodations, and adaptive and intelligent signal systems (ITS). We ensure that plans conform to the relevant design standards and can provide you with fiscally-responsible recommendations regarding maintenance, operations, and replacement options.

  • OPTIMIZATION / RE-OPTIMIZATION OF TRAFFIC SIGNAL SYSTEMS

    As coordinated signal systems age or are changed, their timing plans need to be optimized or re-optimized to minimize congestion. Our engineers have become trusted experts in this area and can use their experience to get the most efficient traffic flow from your system.

  • SIGNAL COORDINATION AND TIMING (SCAT)

    With our knowledge and expertise of traffic signal timing and coordination (SCAT), we are adept at optimizing traffic signals to allow for more efficient traffic movements within a transportation network. With our hands-on approach to engineering, we can help you design, test, observe, and re-test traffic signals until the system runs as efficiently as possible, ultimately reducing congestion.

  • TRAFFIC SIGNAL OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE (TSOM)

    Operating and maintaining traffic signals can be a complicated task for any agency. HLR regularly assists municipal, county, and state agencies with the following elements of TSOM: development of traffic signal modernization and maintenance programs, traffic signal construction and maintenance inspection/supervision, traffic signal system monitoring, traffic signal operation complaint resolution, traffic signal inventory, and traffic signal plan/specification/catalog cut review. We can tailor any combination of services to meet your needs.

  • TEMPORARY TRAFFIC SIGNAL TIMINGS

    When construction activities require a detour, lane closure, or other modification for a signalized intersection, HLR can provide temporary timing services to adapt the timing to the changed surroundings. Our team is also always available to address any concerns and can be on-site at short notice if needed.

  • TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDIES / TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSES

    Developments of all sizes may require analysis of potential traffic impacts to the public street system. HLR has experience in the associated data collection, field observation, analysis, and presentation of traffic impact studies. Our team will provide you with recommendations for mitigation measures and cost-sharing responsibilities for improvements.

  • SAFETY STUDIES

    Safety is a primary consideration in all of our design work as well as our project planning work. We continuously strive to improve traffic safety in our communities and can provide a comprehensive safety analysis if necessary. We use industry-standard criteria and techniques to examine red light-running problems, intersection crashes, and pedestrian crossings. Our traffic team can provide you with cost-effective recommendations to ensure that your transportation network is operating safely and in an efficient manner.

  • SPEED STUDIES

    Speed is an important transportation consideration because it relates to safety, time, comfort, and convenience. We regularly provide speed studies for our clients to analyze the speed distribution of a traffic stream at a specific location to determine if the posted speed limit needs to be adjusted. Our engineers utilize radar guns to gather data on vehicular speeds then use statistical analysis to determine the free flow speed of traffic.

  • TRAFFIC SYSTEM COMPUTER MODELING AND ANALYSIS

    HLR’s traffic engineers are well-versed in a number of traffic modeling programs and can provide a variety of analyses from of a single roundabout intersection to a large multiple arterial signal system.

  • REVIEW SERVICES

    Transportation agencies are often inundated with plans, studies, reports, and applications. Whether you need quality control for internally-produced documents or a review of those submitted from an outside party, HLR’s traffic engineers have the field and design experience to quickly and accurately review your documents.

  • ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC STUDIES

    In addition to the studies listed above, HLR can analyze just about any element of traffic. For example, a traffic-circulation study can be used to evaluate the ability of design vehicles, such as fire trucks and delivery vehicles, to drive through a proposed development. Traffic control warrant analyses can help determine if intersection conditions warrant a change in traffic control devices, such as installation of all-way stop control or traffic signal control. We can also help alleviate concerns regarding the effective use of flashing yellow arrow signal displays for turning vehicles or the optimal operation of a traffic signal.