Introduction - Road Traffic Congestion - page 6

capacity expansion and demand mitigation strategies for managing nonrecurring
congestion (Chap. 15 ) and recurring congestion (Chaps. 16 23 ). Capacity-oriented

-

(adaptive) strategies (Chaps. 16 17 ) aim at increasing roadway capacity to keep up

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with traf c reduction (mitigation) strategies focus on reducing the

use of automobile travel (VMT) by relying on changes in travel behavior motivated
by pricing, regulatory, or employer-based strategies (Chaps. 18

c demand. Traf

23 ). While some
capacity oriented strategies are relatively easy to implement (for example removing
a physical bottleneck or improving the timing and coordination of traf

-

c signals),
strategies aimed at reducing automobile use (VMT) require behavioral changes.
Modifying travel behavior of individuals by restricting their travel choices for the
larger societal good is more dif cult to implement.

4. Part IV — Conclusions

s key points, sets forth suggested
congestion relief strategies for typical problem locations, and provides a future out-
look to the congestion problem in light of expected changes in socio-demographics,
and in transportation technology.

This concluding chapter summarizes the topic '

1.4 Who Can Benet from this Topic

This topic is intended for a wide audience. It will be especially useful to trans-
portation students, practitioners and researchers. But it will also be helpful to urban
planners, policy analysts, and transportation policy makers by providing a broad
discussion of the issues framing the traf

c congestion problem.

Transportation students will bene t from an integrated understanding of the core

issues framing the traf c congestion problem, as opposed from what they can get

from topics that focus on speci c aspects of the congestion problem.

Transportation practitioners are provided with a quick reference framework to
evaluate the contextual impacts of individual projects.
Transportation policy analysts will bene

t from a better understanding of the

factors in uencing transportation performance.

Policy makers and the general public will bene

fl

t from the topic because it is
organized to cover topics the public cares about, and because it provides knowledge
tools needed to better understand and evaluate alternative solution strategies.