Stop focusing on a cars-first approach for easing traffic congestion
Across the nation, transportation officials approach traffic with a cars-first approach. This can result in many negative impacts on quality of life throughout many urban and suburban regions in the country. In Washington, DC, the average commuter spends eighty-two hours in traffic annually, and in a recent study, there was little hope that this problem would ever be fixed. Officials hear about the problems every day, but they do not know what to do to alleviate the discomfort caused by these long and frustrating commutes.
When driving, our decisions affect not only ourselves and the people in our car, but everyone else who is driving. The traffic congestion on the road depends on the choices of every driver on the road. However, an interesting phenomena, known as Braess’s Paradox, occurs when additional roads are constructed; the traffic congestion does not get any better. Thus, we must stress a course of action that does not place cars as the priority, but instead, focuses on options of mass transportation, including buses and trains.
There are many options to alleviate the pressure on the roads today. When connected with strong transit and road options, a regional trail network can be a feasible option for city planners, and could definitely reduce traffic congestion on the well-travelled roads in cities across the nation. This can reduce traffic on the roads, reduce fossil-fuel consumption, and can result in passengers arriving to their destinations faster, both by car and by train, due to the decreased automobile traffic.
Wojahn, Patrick. “A Narrow View Won’t Ease Congestion.” Washington Post. The Washington Post, 26 Aug. 2016. Web. 31 Aug. 2016.