PURPOSES: This paper presents the development and evaluation of the smart hardware-in-the-loop systems (SMART-HILS) that evaluate traffic signal operations of a new real-time traffic signal control system called SMART SIGNAL at the traffic management center (TMC) level. METHODS: The layouts of the hardware and software components of the SMART-HILS were introduced in this study and its performance was tested using real-time traffic signal operation algorithms embedded in the SMART SIGNAL control server by utilizing the VISSIM simulation model. In this study, the SMART-HILS management software was developed using .NET programming language. Fewer random seed numbers were used for the test scenarios by conducting statistical tests to address the shortcomings of a longer time due to the adoption of the simulation time as the real-time by the TMC server. RESULTS : It was determined that SMART-HILS can communicate with TMC and VISSIM for both upload and download directions within acceptable time constraints and evaluate new design algorithms for traffic signal timing. CONCLUSIONS : In practice, traffic engineers can utilize SMART-HILS for testing the traffic signal operation alternatives before their selection and implementation. This application could increase the productivity of traffic signal operation.