Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
congested areas or city centers based upon the last digits of the vehicle license plate
numbers on pre-established days and during certain time periods (e.g., peak hours
or 7 a.m.
7 p.m.). It has been applied for several decades in large cities in Europe
and Latin America. It also has been applied to manage traf
-
c for special events such
as the Beijing Summer Olympics in 2008, and the London Summer Olympics in
2012.
The earliest known application of limiting traf
c access was in ancient Rome
about 45 B.C. when Julius Caesar declared the center of Rome off-limits, between
the hours of 6 a.m.
4 p.m., to all vehicles except those transporting priests, of
cials,
-
and high-ranking citizens [
3
].
The basic concept is straightforward. Motorists are restricted from entering the
designated area on a given day based on the last two digits of their license plate on a
given day. There is about a 20 % reduction in weekday travel and congestion when
based on the last two digits. Several cities use more digits and extend the prohi-
bitions to more than 1 day per week [
4
].
Road space rationing based upon license numbers has been implemented in the
following megacities [
4
]:
1982: Athens, Greece
1986: Santiago, Chile
1989: Mexico City, Mexico
1997: Sao Paulo, Brazil
1998: Bogota, Colombia
2003: La Paz, Bolivia
2005: San Jose, Costa Rica
2008: Countrywide, Honduras
2010: Quito, Ecuador
Application of road space rationing by license plate numbers in large US and
Canadian cities is not likely in the foreseeable future because: (1) traf
c congestion
in even the largest metropolitan areas has not reached the levels found in Athens,
Greece, Mexico City, or Central and South American cities, (2) street patterns are
better suited to accommodate motor vehicle traf
c, (3) public transportation service
is not usually able to serve dispersed residential patterns, and (4) public acceptance
would likely be low.
20.4 Truck Travel Restrictions
Truck travel restrictions afford an opportunity to reduce congestion along heavily
traveled streets and roads, and in centers with a high concentration of traf
c. They
also improve pedestrian safety and enhance neighborhood quality of life by
reducing noise and air pollutant emissions.
