  We present a flow-control technique in traffic-light intersections, aiming at
regulating queue lengths to given reference setpoints. The technique is based
on multivariable integrators with adaptive gains, computed at each control
cycle by assessing the IPA gradients of the plant functions. Moreover, the IPA
gradients are computable on-line despite the absence of detailed models of the
traffic flows. The technique is applied to a two-intersection system where it
exhibits robustness with respect to modeling uncertainties and computing
errors, thereby permitting us to simplify the on-line computations perhaps at
the expense of accuracy while achieving the desired tracking. We compare, by
simulation, the performance of a centralized, joint two-intersection control
with distributed control of each intersection separately, and show similar
performance of the two control schemes for a range of parameters.
