What term describes the time required for one complete signal cycle?

The term that describes the time required for one complete signal cycle is known as Cycle Length. This term encapsulates the total duration it takes for a traffic signal to go through all of its phases, including green, yellow, and red lights for all directions being controlled. Understanding Cycle Length is crucial for traffic engineering as it directly impacts traffic flow, vehicle queue lengths, and overall intersection efficiency.

While the terms like Cycle Duration and Signal Length may seem similar, they are not widely recognized as standard terminology in traffic signal operations. Phase Time refers specifically to the duration of a particular phase within the cycle rather than the complete signal cycle itself. Cycle Length is the most precise and commonly used term for this concept in traffic engineering literature and practice.