Optimizing Traffic Light Control using Enhanced DQN: Minimizing Waiting Time for Regular and Emergency Vehicles

An efficient traffic management system is essential to minimize traffic problems and ensure the rapid circulation of emergency vehicles. This research proposes a new single-agent deep reinforcement-learning model using a deep Q-Network (DQN) to optimize traffic lights, aiming to reduce waiting times...

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Main Authors: Bouzi Wissam, Bentaieb Samia, Ouamri Abdelaziz
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Sciendo 2025-04-01
Series:Transport and Telecommunication
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.2478/ttj-2025-0020
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author Bouzi Wissam
Bentaieb Samia
Ouamri Abdelaziz
author_facet Bouzi Wissam
Bentaieb Samia
Ouamri Abdelaziz
author_sort Bouzi Wissam
collection DOAJ
description An efficient traffic management system is essential to minimize traffic problems and ensure the rapid circulation of emergency vehicles. This research proposes a new single-agent deep reinforcement-learning model using a deep Q-Network (DQN) to optimize traffic lights, aiming to reduce waiting times and increase vehicle speed, with particular emphasis on emergency vehicles. Our method incorporates a new state representation, which captures variations in vehicle density and speed that directly influence the reward structure to prioritize both traffic flow and emergency vehicle response times. The decision of the agent is enhanced by a replay memory mechanism, which ensures that experiences are effectively used in learning. The model’s effectiveness was tested in a simulated environment using SUMO, showing significant improvements in traffic management compared to traditional methods. Experimental results show that our system significantly reduces average waiting times and improves emergency vehicle prioritization.
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series Transport and Telecommunication
spelling doaj-art-71a78501b7cf4d1980ee6aed65a2fcfe2025-08-20T02:38:38ZengSciendoTransport and Telecommunication1407-61792025-04-0126326627510.2478/ttj-2025-0020Optimizing Traffic Light Control using Enhanced DQN: Minimizing Waiting Time for Regular and Emergency VehiclesBouzi Wissam0Bentaieb Samia1Ouamri Abdelaziz2Laboratory Signals and Images, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Department of Electronics, University of Sciences and Technology of Oran Mohamed Boudiaf USTO-MB Oran, Algeria, B.P. 1505, El Mnaouar – Bir el Djir2Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Electronics and TelecommunicationsUniversity of Ain Temouchent Behadj Bouchaib Ain Temouchent, Algeria, Road of Sidi Bel Abes N101, 46000Laboratory Signals and Images, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Department of Electronics, University of Sciences and Technology of Oran Mohamed Boudiaf USTO-MB Oran, Algeria, B.P. 1505, El Mnaouar – Bir el DjirAn efficient traffic management system is essential to minimize traffic problems and ensure the rapid circulation of emergency vehicles. This research proposes a new single-agent deep reinforcement-learning model using a deep Q-Network (DQN) to optimize traffic lights, aiming to reduce waiting times and increase vehicle speed, with particular emphasis on emergency vehicles. Our method incorporates a new state representation, which captures variations in vehicle density and speed that directly influence the reward structure to prioritize both traffic flow and emergency vehicle response times. The decision of the agent is enhanced by a replay memory mechanism, which ensures that experiences are effectively used in learning. The model’s effectiveness was tested in a simulated environment using SUMO, showing significant improvements in traffic management compared to traditional methods. Experimental results show that our system significantly reduces average waiting times and improves emergency vehicle prioritization.https://doi.org/10.2478/ttj-2025-0020intelligent traffic light controlemergency vehiclewaiting timespeeddqn
spellingShingle Bouzi Wissam
Bentaieb Samia
Ouamri Abdelaziz
Optimizing Traffic Light Control using Enhanced DQN: Minimizing Waiting Time for Regular and Emergency Vehicles
Transport and Telecommunication
intelligent traffic light control
emergency vehicle
waiting time
speed
dqn
title Optimizing Traffic Light Control using Enhanced DQN: Minimizing Waiting Time for Regular and Emergency Vehicles
title_full Optimizing Traffic Light Control using Enhanced DQN: Minimizing Waiting Time for Regular and Emergency Vehicles
title_fullStr Optimizing Traffic Light Control using Enhanced DQN: Minimizing Waiting Time for Regular and Emergency Vehicles
title_full_unstemmed Optimizing Traffic Light Control using Enhanced DQN: Minimizing Waiting Time for Regular and Emergency Vehicles
title_short Optimizing Traffic Light Control using Enhanced DQN: Minimizing Waiting Time for Regular and Emergency Vehicles
title_sort optimizing traffic light control using enhanced dqn minimizing waiting time for regular and emergency vehicles
topic intelligent traffic light control
emergency vehicle
waiting time
speed
dqn
url https://doi.org/10.2478/ttj-2025-0020
work_keys_str_mv AT bouziwissam optimizingtrafficlightcontrolusingenhanceddqnminimizingwaitingtimeforregularandemergencyvehicles
AT bentaiebsamia optimizingtrafficlightcontrolusingenhanceddqnminimizingwaitingtimeforregularandemergencyvehicles
AT ouamriabdelaziz optimizingtrafficlightcontrolusingenhanceddqnminimizingwaitingtimeforregularandemergencyvehicles