Traffic congestion

Traffic congestion occurs when the volume of traffic on a roadway is high enough to become detrimental to its performance. In congested conditions, vehicle speeds are reduced, increasing drive times. These conditions are also more frustrating for drivers (see road rage), and automobile accidents may be more frequent. Furthermore, vehicles burn unnecessary fuel when stuck at idle. A period of extreme traffic congestion is known as a traffic jam. Traffic engineers sometimes apply the rules of Fluid Dynamics to traffic flow, likening it to the flow of a fluid in a pipe.

Related Topics:
Road rage - Fluid Dynamics

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Economist Anthony Downs, in his books Stuck in Traffic (1992) and Still Stuck in Traffic (2004), offers a dissenting view: rush hour traffic congestion is inevitable because of the benefits of having a relatively standard work day. In a market economy, goods can be allocated either by pricing (ability to pay) or by queueing (first-come first-serve); congestion is an example of the latter. Instead of the traffic engineer's solution of making a "pipe" large enough to accommodate the total demand for peak-hour vehicle travel, either by widening roadways or increasing "flow pressure" via automated highway systems, Downs advocates greater use of road pricing to reduce congestion, in turn plowing the revenues generated therefrom into public transportation projects.

Related Topics:
Anthony Downs - Rush hour - Automated highway system - Road pricing - Public transportation

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