Danish Road Directorate adjusts traffic signals nationwide to improve traffic flow and reduce travel time

Drivers, the environment, and traffic flow all benefit from fewer red lights. Now, there’s good news. Drivers can look forward to shaving off some travel time when they are out on the roads across the country.

The Danish Road Directorate has adjusted almost all its traffic signals, according to traffic engineer and project manager Henrik da Silva. He explains that they observed traffic during rush hours and identified where there was a need for more green lights.

“It’s almost free for the state, but it saves a lot of time for drivers. It’s a huge societal gain, and it’s also good for the environment,” says Mogens Fosgerau, a transport economist at the University of Copenhagen.

The Road Directorate has been adjusting the individual parameters that control each traffic signal. Da Silva says that many of the intersections haven’t been tweaked for decades. With the addition of many new residential and industrial areas, driving behavior has changed, necessitating these adjustments to allow more traffic to pass through.

Among the changes is the traffic hub fondly known as ‘Chocolate Intersection’ in Ballerup, outside Copenhagen, named so because it is near the Toms chocolate factory. This intersection, situated between the Ring Road 4 and Ballerup City Road, will now be quicker to pass through.

“We have implemented a right-turn arrow. So, coming from the south and heading towards Copenhagen, you can now turn in sync with the left-turners,” says da Silva.

According to Fosgerau, these changes are beneficial for both the economy and the environment. The Road Directorate controls about 320 traffic signals owned by the state. The majority of the remaining traffic signals are owned by municipalities. In total, there are approximately 3,100 traffic signals in Denmark.

Fosgerau suggests that municipalities, especially those in the capital where congestion is high, should also start looking at their traffic signals. He says, “They should do the same. They need to ensure that traffic flows as smoothly as possible.”