Synchro Training for Transportation Professionals

Instructor: Dr. Xuegang (Jeff) Ban and Peter Yu

When: September 22-24, 2026

Time: Sept 22nd, 1-5pm; Sept 23rd, 8-5pm; Sept 24th, 8am-12pm

Where: WSDOT, 15700 Dayton Ave., Shoreline, WA  98133

Cost: $1000

Requirements: Participants are required to bring their own laptop with Synchro software installed and ready to use prior to the first day of class. More information and to download the software can be found here. 

Description:

The University of Washington Workforce Development Institute (WDI), in partnership with the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), offers this hands-on short course designed to build foundational competency in Synchro, the industry-standard software for traffic signal timing and network analysis. Designed for transportation engineers, planners, and technical staff, the course develops practical skills for coding, calibrating, and interpreting signal networks in a WSDOT operational context. No prior experience with Synchro is required. This is an instructor-led course combining lecture, demonstration, and guided software exercises. Course materials, example networks, and reference documents will be provided.

Upon completion, participants will have a working knowledge of signal timing fundamentals, hands-on experience with the Synchro and SimTraffic software environment, and familiarity with WDDOT-specific protocols and standards.

Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion, participants will have a working knowledge of:

• Signal timing and programming fundamentals, including traffic signal basics, ring barrier diagrams, ,and phasing terminology
• Navigation of the Synchro user interface
• Coding simple multi-node Synchro network with different intersection control types 
• SimTraffic simulation: coding, calibration, and model execution
• Reading and interpreting Synchro and SimTraffic output reports

Instructor Bio:

Dr. Xuegang (Jeff) Ban

Dr. Xuegang (Jeff) Ban is the William and Marilyn Conner Endowed Professor at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering of the University of Washington. His research interests are in the areas of transportation network modeling and optimization, urban traffic modeling and control, and data-driven and AI applications in transportation, with recent focuses on modeling emerging technologies and systems, such as connected and automated vehicles (CAVs), new mobility services, and transportation big data. Dr. Ban has completed or is working on, as the Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-PI, over 50 research projects with a total funding of $15 million. He has published over 180 refereed papers, and is listed as one of the top 50 leading authors in the past 50 years (1969-2019) in the prestigious Transportation Research (Part B) journal. He is an Editor / Associate Editor of several top-notch transportation journals, and served in the Network Modeling Standing Committee (AEP40) and the Vehicle-Highway Automation Standing Committee (ACP30) of the Transportation Research Board (TRB). He received the 2011 CAREER Award from NSF, and the New Faculty Award from the Council of University Transportation Centers (CUTC) and the American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) in 2012. 

Peter Yu

Peter Yu is a graduate student in civil (transportation) engineering at the University of Washington. His research interests include traffic operations and simulation, traffic signal control, intelligent transportation systems, and traffic safety. Peter has served as a three-time
teaching assistant for three undergraduate and graduate courses in transportation engineering and traffic operations. He has developed workshops, course materials, and projects involving traffic signal operations, Synchro, VISSIM, and HCS. Peter was recently honored with the ITE Western District Outstanding Graduate Student Award for his contributions to transportation.

For questions about this course please contact us: 📧 wdi-help@uw.edu.