Signal 1: wz1405_Wenjie Zheng

Mobility has been a crucial issue in city operation. Roadway traffic and vehicles are one of the major players on the road. The article, ‘Traffic Jam? Blame ‘Induced Demand’,’ from City Lab discussed how a good intention could go possibly wrong. (Schneider, 2018) The author, Benjamin Schneider talked about the transportation phenomenon, ‘induced demand,’ and gave the example of Katy Freeway in Houston, TX, and the I-405 Corridor in Los Angeles, CA. He argues that building wider and larger expressway may not relieve the traffic jam or reduce the commuter’s trip time, but rather induces more demand and attracts more vehicles on the road, which eventually increases the trip time and exacerbates the congestion. City governments should now consider more before widening or expanding roads, since it may not be as desirable or beneficial compared to other options. The article offers several solutions to congestion as well, including the congestion charge zone policy practiced in London, Stockholm, and Singapore, and parking charge regime which reduces trips. There is always traffic congestion to a certain degree at the optimal and equilibrium level of vehicles on the road. Instead of widening the road, setting up a mass transit corridor is a somewhat feasible plan. For example, instead of expanding the NJ-495, there are hundreds of buses traveling in and out of Port Authority Bus Terminal and the Lincoln Tunnel every day via the dedicated bus lane, which turns out to be popular and efficient. It is a practical approach for the city government to consider when deciding whether to widen the road.

Bibliography

Schneider, B. (2018, September 6). CityLab University: Induced Demand. Retrieved September 6, 2018, from https://www.citylab.com/transportation/2018/09/citylab-university-induced-demand/569455/?utm_term=2018-09-06T16%3A30%3A52&utm_content=edit-promo&utm_campaign=city-lab&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social