3 ms·

The research on that is pretty clear that it does alleviate congestion, the question is for how long. It can definitely take a while before that extra capacity

The research on that is pretty clear that it does alleviate congestion, the question is for how long. It can definitely take a while before that extra capacity is used up.

KoolKat23 3y ago
Each additional lane alleviates 50% less reduction traffic the last lane achieved. Diminishing returns.
braingravy 3y ago
The research is very clear that increasing road capacity results in more drivers on those roads, increasing congestion. https://www.wired.com/2014/06/wuwt-traffic-induced-demand/ https://www.wired.com/2014/06/wuwt-traffic-induced-demand/
- HPsquared 3y ago
  More utility provided by the road too, though. Can't forgot that side of the equation.
- cinntaile 3y ago
  Your article says that the intensity of traffic stays the same if you increase or decrease the number of roads, so it doesn't increase or decrease congestion. This just doesn't happen instantaneously. What I said was that it will temporarily decrease congestion, but that the effect will disappear over time.
HPsquared 3y ago
More people end up using the wider road. In some cases it can clog up again if the increase in traffic is big enough. Many factors involved. It's certainly not a rule that "adding lanes never helps traffic", that's insane.
- bluGill 3y ago
  This is a good thing (where it happens) - it means more people are getting things done in your city. The purpose of a city is all the things people can do in them, so more traffic means people doing more things which is good. Now it would be much better if your city built great transit so people didn't have to drive their car.
marcosdumay 3y ago
Well, adding lanes to the traffic bottlenecks decreases congestion. Adding lanes to random places where cars stop due to congestion achieves nothing, and adding lanes to non-congested places that feed the bottlenecks increases congestion. You can find real examples of those tree kinds.

The research on that is pretty clear that it does alleviate congestion, the question is for how long. It can definitely take a while before that extra capacity is used up.

KoolKat23 3y ago

Each additional lane alleviates 50% less reduction traffic the last lane achieved. Diminishing returns.

braingravy 3y ago

The research is very clear that increasing road capacity results in more drivers on those roads, increasing congestion. https://www.wired.com/2014/06/wuwt-traffic-induced-demand/ https://www.wired.com/2014/06/wuwt-traffic-induced-demand/

HPsquared 3y ago
More utility provided by the road too, though. Can't forgot that side of the equation.
cinntaile 3y ago
Your article says that the intensity of traffic stays the same if you increase or decrease the number of roads, so it doesn't increase or decrease congestion. This just doesn't happen instantaneously. What I said was that it will temporarily decrease congestion, but that the effect will disappear over time.

HPsquared 3y ago

More people end up using the wider road. In some cases it can clog up again if the increase in traffic is big enough. Many factors involved. It's certainly not a rule that "adding lanes never helps traffic", that's insane.

bluGill 3y ago
This is a good thing (where it happens) - it means more people are getting things done in your city. The purpose of a city is all the things people can do in them, so more traffic means people doing more things which is good. Now it would be much better if your city built great transit so people didn't have to drive their car.

marcosdumay 3y ago

Well, adding lanes to the traffic bottlenecks decreases congestion. Adding lanes to random places where cars stop due to congestion achieves nothing, and adding lanes to non-congested places that feed the bottlenecks increases congestion. You can find real examples of those tree kinds.