Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
1.2 Why this Topic
This topic has been prepared to
fill the need for a clear and comprehensive look at
the many dimensions of traf
nes and describes congestion,
explains its causes, describes its consequences, and identi
c congestion. It de
es ways to provide
congestion relief.
Traf
c congestion has been extensively explored for many years in various
articles and topics. But these documents have usually treated congestion from
speci
c perspectives (person travel or goods movement) or discipline (e.g., traf
c
engineering, transit operations, economics, land use planning and zoning).
In fact, there is no lack of interest or knowledge to reduce or manage urban traf
c
congestion to meet one
c
congestion problem that are acceptable requires agreement among the diverse
stakeholders involved. But these diverse stakeholders
'
s expectations. However, to implement solutions to the traf
—
including the various disci-
plines
—
are unlikely to
find convergence on what needs to be done about the growing
traf
c congestion problem without a shared language and common objectives.
Although they may all use the same words
—
in debating the congestion issue, they do not necessarily share the same meaning that
these words convey. To discuss and debate the congestion problem in a public forum
it is necessary to use de
—
congestion, mobility, accessibility
nitions and metrics that allow for clear and unambiguous
exchange of ideas among interest groups. Traf
c congestion solution strategies need
to be described in terms that impacted stakeholders
find relevant to their daily lives.
This topic, therefore, has been prepared in response to the many needs for a
comprehensive, clear, and objective look at the many dimensions and impacts of
traf
c congestion in metropolitan areas.
The topic gives practitioners and researchers, local elected of
cials, and com-
—
munity leaders, information on urban traf
c congestion
its causes, characteristics
—
and consequences
they can use to create a framework that allows diverse interest
groups to debate the issue of traf
c congestion by using the joint platform of
mobility and accessibility. To develop rational policies for managing the urban
traf
c congestion problem, a focus on mobility
and
accessibility is needed. Not just
mobility as traf
c engineers are inclined to favor; and not only accessibility, as
“
advocates favor.
The topic lays the foundations for achieving a common understanding among
the various stakeholders and disciplines and presents simple quantitative methods
for estimating the effects of congestion on mobility, accessibility, travel time reli-
ability, and other quality of life indicators.
Building on this understanding the topic presents a rational analysis framework
that a city, suburb, or a metropolitan area can use when managing growing traf
smart growth
”
c
congestion problems. Thus the topic is useful not only to transportation students
and transportation professionals, but also to urban planners, and transportation
policy analysts and policy makers.
