The burgeoning cities population is attributed to transport inefficiencies in urban areas. Traffic congestion arises when the demand for road exceeds the capacity of the available infrastructure. It is estimated that traffic inefficiencies cost Nairobi city 50 million shillings daily, which translates to 18.2 billion shillings annually through lost productivity, fuel consumption and environmental pollution (Mungai, 2012). ICT, which involves storage, retrieval, manipulation, and transmission of information electronically, is the basis of modern intelligent transport systems and the ever growing mobile phone technology which are transforming the transport sector. Intelligent traffic management systems have been developed to collect and use real- time traffic data, to detect incidents, predict their impact and suggest appropriate measures to solve the problem. This has been made possible by the use of detective devices such as video cameras, infrared sensors and ultrasonic detectors installed on the roads and parking spaces which collect traffic data. When the data is collected at the detection units, it is relayed to a central data processing unit for analysis and the information communicated to drivers and decision support systems. Although smart traffic management systems are effective and cost saving, in the long run, the cost of implementation remains high for most city governments. It is estimated, installing street line sensors cost about $20 to $30 per sensor per month (Kessler, 2011). The growth of mobile phone technology has provided a cheaper platform for real-time data collection and information sharing through floating car data and crowd sourcing. Floating car data is data derived from a mobile phone stationed in... ... middle of paper ... ...om: http://www.infrastructureaustralia.gov.au/publications/files/Current_Traffic_Congestion_Managemetn_Sydney.pdf:[Accessed 18 March 2014]. Ilan, S. (1985) Telecommunications and Travel Substitution or Modified Mobility, Transport Economics and Policy. Transport and Economics Policy. September, 19(3) pp. 219-235. [Online]. Available from: http://www.bath.ac.uk/e-journals/jtep/pdf/Volume_X1X_No_3_219-235.pdf [Accessed 18 March 2014]. Kessler, S. (2011) ‘How smarter parking technology will reduce traffic congestion‘, Global Innovation Series [Online]. Available at: mashable.com/2011/04/13/smart-parking-tech. [Accessed: 18 March 2014]. Mungai, C. (2012) Unlocking our cities’ horror traffic jam, the IBM way, The East African, 26 May 2012.[Online].Available from: http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/news/...unlock-traffic-jams.../-/index.html [Accessed 18 march 2014].
Q1. Congestions on the roads are a problem for traffic management. What policies will you advocate for reducing congestion on streets and highways? Are congestion charges or building a toll road /bridge a better strategy for addressing this issue? Also, how would you address equity issues in the light of congestion charges implementations? Ch 14
Various aspects of traffic congestion in Toronto have been analyzed in detail. It is clear that Toronto is facing a serious problem of traffic congestion since it is the most congested city in North America. Traffic congestion in Toronto costs over $ 2 billion annually and it is caused by a variety of factors. These factors are categorized into non-recurring and recurring factors. However, the paper focused on recurring factors which contribute to the largest proportion of traffic congestion in Canada. These include increased automobile use, poor planning and lapse in implementation of laws which govern traffic systems. This leads to the use of many private cars by employees who commute to work as opposed to use of public transport systems resulting in congestion. Traffic congestion in Toronto has various adverse effects including barriers to emergency services, delays, idle time and opportunity costs as well as pollution.
Transportation systems are what support the high levels of accumulation and concentration within cities. The bigger the city, the more complex its urban problems are if not properly managed. The largest transportation problems occur when public transportation systems fail to fulfill the many requirements of urban mobility. Urban efficiency is highly dependent on its transportation systems to move consumers, labor, and goods from one point to another. The most outstanding urban transportation issues in the United States are: traffic congestion, longer commuting, inadequacy of public transport, green transportation difficulty, and good distribution (Rodrigue).
There is a serious problem with our nation's roads and highways. I find myself repeatedly avoiding trips to the city for this very reason, as I'm sure many others do as well. This nerve-wracking congestion is even beginning to find its way into the suburbs and surrounding areas of large cities. It is a serious problem that affects everyone who owns an automobile, as well as, businesses that are dependent on reliable and convenient transportation. To top it all off, this problem is getting worse every year. The population of this nation is growing, which translates to an increase in cars on the road. More people are moving to cities and the suburbs that surround them, creating gridlocks everywhere.
With the increasing emergence of traffic cameras around the nation, there has emerged a debate about whether the cameras are effectively functioning to keep drivers safe or whether they are just another source of revenue for cites. Facts have proven that the purpose for the traffic cameras is simply generating more money for the cities. The estimated amount of money that the city of Denver will be making in 2011 from these cameras (Kaminsky)—excluding the ones recently put up—a grand estimation total of seven million dollars… “According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety more than 550 communities in the United States use red light cameras.” (Urie) Research shows how the cameras are not improving safety for drivers, and for inexcusable
These types of apps will reduce parking violations. Often, people forget to reload the meters or are too far to return to the meters. In regard to the parking locator apps, motorist will be able to find parking in crowded cities such as Las Vegas, Los Angeles, or San Francisco. In addition to parking locaters, some of these apps can assist with finding the best rate for parking spots which can be adjusted by the city remotely. How does this benefit the city?
Cameras used at traffic lights are able to monitor the roads to benefit those driving (Li). Those who monitor it will be able to notify the police.
Over the past decades, automobile production and highway construction have multiplied, while urban mass transit systems have been dismantled or allowed to fall into disrepair. The end result has meant more pollution, traffic congestion, wasted energy, urban sprawl, residential segregation, and social disruption.
It is 1am on a summer Saturday night, the wind is gently blowing through your hair and your favorite song is playing on the radio. The stress of your daily, white-collar routine is left behind for just one night – a single evening out with your friends to catch up on the chaos of your lives. You cannot help but enjoy this rare crack in your hectic, nine-to-five schedule; a fleeting moment when everything feels right and you feel free. In the distance, you notice flashing lights. Thinking little of what they could mean, you continue your journey. Suddenly, you come face-to-face with one of the most despised enemies of urban life: traffic. As you slow to a grinding halt, you cannot help but feel irritation, anger and helplessness. It is ruined. Your one night is completely ruined. As you take your place in the endless parking lot that was once a four-lane highway, you realize that the source stoppage is a massive construction project. You look and hear them pound at the pavement with their jackhammers. Trying to control your frustration, you take a deep breath, exhale, and turn your head away. Again, you feel the victim of this deepening social crisis: the shortage of skilled workers.
Traffic engineers and planners need information about traffic. They need information to design and manage road and traffic system. They use the information for planning and designing traffic facilities, selecting geometric standards, economic analysis and determination of priorities. They use this to justify warrant of traffic control devices such as signs, traffic signals, pavement markings, school and pedestrian crossings. The also use this information to study the effectiveness of introduced schemes, diagnosing given situations and finding appropriate solutions, forecasting the effects of projected strategies, calibrating and validating traffic models.
The development of every nation hinges on the effectiveness of their transportation systems. Movement of goods, services and people to and from locations is made possible by transportation systems. The importance of effective transportation systems cannot be over-emphasized. Many countries face transportation problems and my country Ghana is no exception. A trip of about 30 minutes usually takes about an hour or more due to traffic jams. This is seriously impacting productivity and has become a topical issue in the country. The situation is the same in Uganda where I currently work. To this end, Transportation Engineers are needed to design roads/ highways that will stand the test of time, plan effective traffic management systems to reduce
Traffic lights are signaling devices located at road intersections and pedestrian crossings, they are now part of our everyday life. Before traffic lights were invented, policeman would control traffic, but accidents would still occur frequently. This is when J.P Knight took action in 1868 and made the first traffic light. It was installed outside the British Houses Of Parliament but didn’t last long since it exploded in 1869 due to a gas leak. It was only in 1912 that a man named Lester Wire created an electrical traffic light that is still used today. There are three main types of traffic lights: fixed timed, semi actuated and fully actuated. Fixed time traffic light are light where “signals change according to a pre-set timing. The signals will cycle all the time even if there is no vehicle or pedestrian demand.” (a). In semi actuated signals vehicle detectors and push buttons are installed on streets and roads. The traffic signals will remain green until either a group of vehicles is detected or a pedestrian pushes a button. Lastly in fully actuated lights “ signals are programmed to change with minimum green times depending on the traffic and pedestrian demand on all approaches. The signals will change based on the demand from each approach.” (b).
As we know the rail is expected to a transportation which is the transport of low-carbon and least of emissions from the transport. Malaysia in always congestion situation especially in city Kuala Lumpur must be very encouraging the rail transportation greater use in future and supporting this sustainable transportation by the way of the rail transport system in Malaysia still need a lot of improve to provide the services.
Economies thrive on the ability of mobility. Mobility allows people to go to work, attend school and travel far and wide by using some form of transportation. It allows people and ideas to mix more freely. Over time, mobility has taken many forms, from the backs of animals, to carriages and now the automobile. Since the invention of the automobile, we have been able to decrease transportation costs, travel vast distances and decrease travel times. We are able to facilitate relationships, foster trade between places and find better jobs. However, due to the inaccurate pricing of the roads, driving cars has turned from an innovation to pure frustration. The problem is traffic congestion; the increased usage of cars has created slower speeds and longer travel times due to greater demand for the road than the road has to offer. Roughly 3.4 million Americans endure extreme commutes, in which the trip to work and back eats up at least three hours of each day (Balaker, Staley 2006). Congestion slows life down by causing massive delays, eating away at valuable time and productivity. This has become a major issue because people are stuck in traffic when they do not need to be and conditions will only continue to get worse without government intervention. Many solutions have been offered and discussed but few have been implemented. This paper will serve to outline the economic theory behind traffic congestion, alternative policy options there are for dealing with traffic congestion and ultimately what the best strategy is to solve this problem. The solution I propose is to price the highways accurately to achieve the optimum number of vehicles on the road.
The development of urban transportation has not changed with the cities; cities have changed with transportation. This chapter offers an insight into the Past and the future of Urban transportation and is split up into a number of different sections. It includes a timeline of the different forms of transport innovations, starting from the earliest stages of urban transport, dating back to the omnibus (the first type of urban transportation) and working in a chronological order until eventually reaching the automobile. However, these changes in Urban transport did not happen for no reason. Different factors within society meant urban transport needed to evolve; points will be made on why society needed this evolution. In contrast I will observe the problems urban transport has caused in society as a result of its rapid progression. Taking account of both arguments for the evolution of urban transport, I will look at where it will go in the future.