Traffic Jam * USA - Seeking an End to the Era

IBM Long Island executive, James Houlihan, writes that Long Islanders are resigned to traffic jams ...

New York,NY,USA -Newsday, by James Houlihan -18 June 2009: -- ... This is a mistake, considering the vast sums of money traffic adds up to in lost revenue and increased operating costs for businesses, as indicated in one report... He points to the intersection of digital and physical infrastructures as a critical step toward solving the traffic crisis... Houlihan notes that Singaporean highway officials gather traffic data from global positioning system devices in taxis and from tiny sensors incorporated in the roadway, and use this data to anticipate traffic jams and reroute the flow of vehicles. Meanwhile, city planners in Kyoto simulate large-scale traffic scenarios and analyze their impact, and the system can optimize traffic signals to reduce jams and more accurately predict how community traffic will be affected by a new shopping mall or traffic regulation. Houlihan mentions Long Island's INFORM highway traffic monitoring system, which supplies motorists on major roads information about current traffic conditions. "INFORM could serve as the foundation of a system with true predictive capabilities--one that enables authorities to notify drivers in advance of likely tie-ups," he writes. "The system could even suggest alternate routes tailored to individual drivers"... (Photo from dreamstime: Traffic jam in Los Angeles)


* Reducing Congestion by Building Up

New York,NY,USA -The New York Times -8 June 2009: -- Most crowded U.S. urban centers still have congested roads, even with other modes of transportation available, and encouraging ideas like bicycles can sometimes exacerbate conditions by reducing existing lanes, according to a commentary from Rafael Viñoly Architects... The firm recommends building upward with an electric pod-car concept, complete with elevated track and designated stations for the one- or two-person electric vehicles. "A system of loops throughout the city serves zones where traffic density is highest," the firm writes. "The total number of passengers carried by all modes of transportation, including the subway, thus increases by approximately 18 percent; carbon emissions decrease by as much as 30 percent." (Auto Image: 1. G.P.S. audio navigational system. 2. Portal for electricity, provided by elevated track)...In addition, the elevated track, which they call the Upway, can also carry public utilities such as streetlights, telecommunication, and air filters, while providing passengers with unique city views...