What causes congestion by Lewis Lehe
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7 Responses to What Causes Congestion?
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No, no no. We just need to add more lanes!
I know you’re joking, but adding capacity is a feasible solution that this video doesn’t address for some reason.
I was kidding, but I do agree with you. However, I do think we need to look at other options much more seriously before adding capacity, something I’m not sure we do today.
We could just get “Anne” to not randomly slow down in the first place. Please?!?
Or we could simply lower the speed limit along urban freeways (45 mph?), allowing more reaction time with the same density
Back in my time at the U, I remember an urban design professor telling us that if they had signed ALL urban freeways as 45 zones from the beginning, people wouldn’t get so cranky about having to “slow down” to 45 during rush hour
What happens to throughput at lower speeds? If cars prior to rush hour were all driving 45 instead of 65 or 75, when would rush hour begin? If cars at the head of the jam were limited to 45 instead of 70, when would rush hour end?
Density causes congestion; too many people in too small of a space. A better question is what methods should be employed to mitigate congestion.
If 25% of those drivers took public transportation, would we call that induced demand? Would the 25% then be filled up by people taking the open opportunity and moving out to the sprawl?