Archive for the 'Traffic' Category

Traffic Quiz

Published
by
Mike Lydon
on August 16, 2008
in Traffic
. 9 Comments

Do you fancy yourself a traffic expert? I sure don’t, but thought my status as an observant urbanist might lend itself to a decent score. Well, after submitting to the Tierney Lab Traffic Quiz,  I only got two questions out of ten right. So much for that. Think you can beat me? Take the quiz.

TM thanks Kathryn for the link.

If You Build it, They’ll Get Out of my Way

Published
by
Gabriel Lopez-Bernal
on July 7, 2008
in Miami Mentality and Traffic
. 8 Comments

98% of Americans are in favor of expanded public transportation.  Yes, there is a catch.  This is what the study released today by the APTA concluded:

A study released Monday by the American Public Transportation Association reveals that 98 percent of Americans support the use of mass transit by others.

Now, that is a scary statistic.  With hordes of environmental and financial problems looming over the US economy (chiefly the result of our unappeasable appetites for oil), one would assume that our citizens would become better acquainted with more sustainable lifestyles.  This national mentality falls in line with some situations we’ve addressed here on TM; evidenced by the opposition against bringing commuter rail service to the CSX corridor because it would “hamper the commutes of motorists traveling along several east-west corridors.”

Of the study’s 5,200 participants, 44 percent cited faster commutes as the primary reason to expand public transportation, followed closely by shorter lines at the gas station. Environmental and energy concerns ranked a distant third and fourth, respectively.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news America, but this is not how transportation works:

Anaheim, CA, resident Lance Holland, who drives 80 miles a day to his job in downtown Los Angeles, was among the proponents of public transit.

“Expanding mass transit isn’t just a good idea, it’s a necessity,” Holland said. “My drive to work is unbelievable. I spend more than two hours stuck in 12 lanes of traffic. It’s about time somebody did something to get some of these other cars off the road.”

You will notice that equally important in our quest of reshaping the American Landscape (and mentality) is to create a better understanding of our land use policies.

Recommended Reading:

  • With Gas Over $4, Cities Explore Whether It’s Smart to Be Dense (WSJ)

Traffic jams a thing of the past?

Published
by
Sean Bossinger
on March 28, 2008
in GPS, Traffic and privacy
. 0 Comments
In their March 13th edition, the Economist magazine published this article in which it was written that a company in Washington state, spun off from Microsoft, will be compiling and analyzing real-time satellite transponder and cell phone data from delivery vehicles. The company, INRIX, then will provide this real-time traffic analysis to companies like Tom-Tom, Garmin, and ClearChannel (I guess for their currently lackluster traffic reports), to push to their devices to alert customers of current traffic conditions along various corridors.

On the plus side, it is reported that this information can also be used by emergency authorities to guide them around traffic blockages to provide faster response times. Additionally, this might be able to get us closer to a smarter highway concept, reducing fuel consumption and toxic emissions, and increasing the time we have to spend getting to know our neighbors out there in the sprawl that has become our substitute for small-town America.

Where’s Big Brother again?

Photo Courtesy k2d2vaca at Flickr

Metro Monday: Shockwave Theory Explained

Published
by
Gabriel Lopez-Bernal
on March 17, 2008
in Congestion, Highway, Shockwave Theory and Traffic
. 4 Comments
If you’ve ever been driving along the highway and suddenly everything comes to a dead stop or a slow down for no apparent reason you’ve been caught up in a shockwave traffic jam. The Mathematical Society of Traffic Flow in Japan has created this video to illustrate the shockwave phenomenon. In Miami, you’ll typically find yourself in one of these heading on US-1 southbound just after I-95 (a spot where you should likely be riding metrorail instead…)

Busway-HOT Lane Combo is Smog and Mirrors

Published
by
Gabriel Lopez-Bernal
on February 13, 2008
in Congestion, Congestion Pricing, HOT lanes, Land Use, Larry Lebowitz, Pinecrest, South Miami-Dade Busway, Sprawl, Streetwise, Traffic, US-1 and bus
. 9 Comments
This week’s Streetwise Column by Herald Reporter Larry Lebowitz, presented an “innovative” new use for Miami-Dade’s Busway program. We’ve taken some time to mull over the basics of the plan over the past few days (apparently so have a number of you based on the number of emails I received) and have prepared an analysis of the project based on the data Larry provided in the article.

Imagine widening the Busway from two lanes to four and giving buses and carpoolers with at least three passengers a free ride.

It is a stretch of my imagination, that is for sure, but from the looks of it, this does not seem like a promising solution for South-Dade commuters. Granted, the Busway is far from perfect, but adding lanes, albeit managed lanes, is hardly the solution to an ever-growing congestion problem.

Instead of encountering dozens of incredibly looooooong lights at the busy cross streets on today’s Busway, imagine flying over all the major intersections as the government guarantees a reliable 50-mph journey from Dadeland to Florida City or the turnpike interchange near Southwest 112th Avenue.

The sad part about this is that some sort of “benefit” has to be presented for motorists in order to shore up the funds to marginally improve the transit infrastructure. I guess that is one of the major issues we have to deal with when we have a President who in his next financial deficit (that is not a budget) wants to reduce an already anemic transportation fund by $3.2 billion. One major question remains: What is going to happen to all of those cars not going to Dadeland or the Palmetto when they merge back onto a US-1? We cannot honestly expect all these folks to suddenly abandon their cars and hop on Metrorail, can we? Or will the lanes be extended north into downtown, continuing to undermine the reason why Metrorail was constructed along US-1 to begin with - to get people out of their cars.

A similar variably priced tolling plan is about to be introduced on a 24-mile segment of Interstate 95 between Fort Lauderdale and Miami. They are also planned for the expanded Interstate 595 in Broward.

True. However, I do not think drawing comparisons between US-1 and limited access highways is fair. HOT lanes are a novel concept for the highway scenario, but not along a corridor where driveways and intersections all interfere.

Not only could it provide a little relief to the normal wall-to-wall madness on the overburdened South Dixie corridor, but it could also finally fulfill the Busway’s original promise: real rapid transit.

Once again, see our unrelated qualms above on transportation spending as a whole in this country. It’s deplorable!

”Without a strong transit component, this doesn’t work,” said Javier Rodriguez, executive director of the expressway authority.

Amen!

Elevated intersections will incite plenty of sturm und drang from communities along the Busway. The neighbors must be mollified, especially if Transit is forced to relocate its stations away from the intersections to maintain easy street-level access for riders.

Wow, you can say that again. Most of these communities have already reduced the allowable density along US-1 making Mr. Rodriguez’s point listed above extremely difficult to accomplish. Transit needs to treat any further upgrades to this project as a rail project, bringing with that the power to enact land-use changes for the corridor that will continue to prepare it for future rail transit, increase bus ridership, and lay a foundation for preventing future westward and southern sprawl. Without a massive overhaul of the land around the Busway, this corridor will never realize the transit ridership necessary to fund such a project.

Besides noise walls and landscaping, some must-dos:

Whoa, noise walls are a definite must-do-not. This project needs to entwine the Busway (future railway) as much as possible with the surroundings, not create an inhospitable environment for those walking, biking, or using transit.


• All plans must leave a pocket for future light rail or Metrorail within the 100-foot corridor as the Busway was originally intended. It might take 30 to 50 years to get trains there, but that’s what the people were promised and the bulk of the growth is already occurring down there.

Definitely! Can’t stress this point enough.


• The plan must set aside money to re-time all of the signals for cross-street traffic trying to get onto and across U.S. 1 under the elevated intersections.

This is something MDT/MPO should do now to give the 15,000 daily transit riders a surefire benefit to riding the Busway. Which reminds me, what exactly is MDT up to these days?

• An expanded Busway must mesh with the community charettes aimed at future redevelopment of Princeton, Naranja and Goulds into transit-oriented development villages.

• Ditto for preserving the existing bike path and enhancing pedestrian access to and from the Busway.

Once again, we cannot stress how important this is. These details will ultimately make or break a project like this. Take Metrorail for example, it is a great transit system but the surroundings are beyond lousy.

The point of this article was not to criticize Streewise or Larry Lebowitz - after all he’s just the messenger - but rather to condemn a plan which is seemingly being hailed as the golden ticket for fixing congestion. The fact of the matter is, for any real change to come of any of these plans (Metrorail, Bay Link, Miami Streetcar, Busway included) we need to push for land use changes more favorable to living lifestyles which are not automatically governed by the necessity of owning a vehicle.

Another Desperate Attempt to Relieve Congestion on 836

Published
by
Ryan Sharp
on January 9, 2008
in 836, Congestion, Dolphin Expressway, Miami, Miami-Dade County and Traffic
. 11 Comments

Despite having recently spent hundreds-of-millions of dollars to widen and extend the Dolphin Expressway, there is already a new effort to try and squeeze even more capacity on the perpetually congested highway. According to MDX, the eastbound shoulder between the 826 interchange and the NW 72nd Ave on-ramp is being converted into a new travel lane in a futile attempt to keep up with traffic demand. To account for the elimination of breakdown lanes, the speed limit will be permanently lowered to just 45 mph along this stretch. There goes another $800,000 in a desperate move to reduce congestion and justify millions spent on highway construction that will never do anything to fix Miami-Dade’s long-term mobility crisis.

Photo: Wikipedia

The Anti Walk Score

Published
by
Gabriel Lopez-Bernal
on December 10, 2007
in Congestion, Drivability, Drive Score, Manhattan, Sprawl, Traffic, Vehicles, Walk Score and Walkability
. 8 Comments
First we brought you the incredibly useful Walk Score, a program geared to determining how navigable neighborhoods are for people…

Today I’d like to introduce Drive Score, the anti-walking, pro-sprawl, and guaranteed laziness application which uses incredibly flawed methods to create a map of vehicle accessible areas. One would think if you ranked poorly on Walk Score, you’d rank high on drive score, right? Not necessarily. Just for fun, I entered a highly walkable Manhattan address to see how “drivable” this program claims the city to be and came up with an 88! You know, never mind the bumper to bumper traffic, lack of dedicated parking, or any sane analysis, this program spews out pure gibberish…

Mayor Alvarez Holds the Line

Published
by
Gabriel Lopez-Bernal
on December 10, 2007
in Carlos Alvarez, Commission, Everglades, Hold the Line, Kendall, Lowes, Managed Growth, Miami-Dade County, Sprawl, Strong Mayor, Traffic and UDB
. 0 Comments

We some how bypassed this article last week, but, Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez vetoed commission recommendations to approve a number of projects outside of the UDB. The veto will likely stand given that the commission lacks the 2/3 majority to override the mayor, presuming that none of the commissioners switch sides…


“If Miami-Dade moves outside the UDB, it will affect our delivery of services and strain already taxed resources,” Alvarez wrote. “Police and fire rescue services would be spread over a greater area, resulting in longer response times due to greater distances and road congestion.”

Meanwhile, on the losing end of the veto, Lowes’ attorney Juan Mayol laments about not having short drives to buy plywood:


“We are hopeful that the county commissioners will continue to recognize that these hard-working families are tired of overcrowded schools and long drives to buy such simple things as plywood or a garden hose.”

How often are people in Kendall buying plywood or garden hoses? Are these necessary commodities in suburbia? Does anyone else appreciate how he combined critical issues (traffic and education) with such an asinine comment? In any case, I’m glad to see the line will be held till 2009 at the earliest, expanding the UDB, contrary to Mayol’s belief, will further strain our transit infrastructure, water resources, and economy to impermissible levels.

Pricing Ourselves into Further Congestion

Published
by
Gabriel Lopez-Bernal
on October 1, 2007
in Congestion, Downs-Thompson Paradox, Highway Expansion, MDX, Miami, Open Road Tolling, Pigou-Knight-Downs Paradox and Traffic
. 0 Comments
“It follows that increasing road capacity can actually make overall congestion on the road worse. This occurs when the shift from public transport causes a disinvestment in the mode such that the operator either reduces frequency of service or raises fares to cover costs. This shifts additional passengers into cars. Ultimately the system may be eliminated and congestion on the original (expanded) road is worse than before.

The general conclusion, if the paradox applies, is that expanding a road system as a remedy to congestion is not only ineffective, but often counterproductive. This is also known as Lewis-Mogridge Position and was extensively documented by Martin Mogridge with the case-study of London on his book Travel in towns: jam yesterday, jam today and jam tomorrow?”

We’ll Discuss this more in depth later today…

Transitography 17

Published
by
Gabriel Lopez-Bernal
on September 19, 2007
in 836, Congestion, Dolphin Expressway, Flickr, I-95, Miami, Palmetto, Photography, Traffic and Transitography
. 3 Comments

miami traffic jam, originally uploaded by noway.

If the view above seems familiar, its probably because you’ve been sitting in traffic for 50 extra hours per year.

“Americans sat in traffic 4.2 billion hours, or 38 hours per driver, in 2005, up from 4 billion in 2004, according to the transportation research center at Texas A&M University.”

836 West Extension, Demystified

Published
by
Gabriel Lopez-Bernal
on July 5, 2007
in 836, CBS4, Congestion, Dolphin Expressway, MDX, Miami-Dade County, Sprawl, Suburbia, Tolls, Traffic and West Extension
. 2 Comments
A recent CBS4 “investigation” supports our claims that road expansion simply isn’t the solution to the traffic woes in our region. The report puts the new 836 west extension to the “test,” with two vehicles racing to a central meeting point on Bird Rd and SW 137th ave. The results were disappointing to those hoping that the extension would provide western suburbanites with a speedier alternative to the turnpike (you know, because of that exorbitant toll.) What the CBS4 report and many natives fail to understand is just how traffic, roadway expansions, and arterials interact with each other.

To simplify, think of traffic as a fluid (water) and roadways as pipes. The obvious is that when there is a clogged pipe (accident) no water can pass through. Easy enough, right? Now, many people assume that by creating a new path for the water (836 extension) water will be able to flow quickly along this new path. But, given the existing saturated nature of the current western routes (Tamiami Trail, Bird, Flagler, etc.) the new extension alleviates a certain amount of traffic from each corridor, providing no specific time difference impact to any single corridor. If too many cars choose to use the extension, then it too becomes saturated and proves to be just as ineffective as the alternate street routes. In then end, the whole system balances out and our overall personal gain is negligible. Plus don’t forget that any gains will be rendered useless once western expansion continues (you know, because of all that extra “capacity” we created) and more cars are found to fill in the gaps along each of the corridors… Good Luck!

Vatican’s Ten Commandments (for drivers)

Published
by
Gabriel Lopez-Bernal
on June 20, 2007
in Driving, Miami, Rude Drivers, Traffic and Vatican
. 1 Comment

No Joke. I don’t think I could have concocted this story had I tried. I wish the Vatican had been a little more proactive, the “Ten Commandments of Living a Sustainable Life” would have worked just as well…

The Vatican’s Ten Commandments for drivers:

1. You shall not kill.
2. The road shall be for you a means of communion between people and not of mortal harm.
3. Courtesy, uprightness and prudence will help you deal with unforeseen events.
4. Be charitable and help your neighbor in need, especially victims of accidents.
5. Cars shall not be for you an expression of power and domination, and an occasion of sin.
6. Charitably convince the young and not so young not to drive when they are not in a fitting condition to do so.
7. Support the families of accident victims.
8. Bring guilty motorists and their victims together, at the appropriate time, so that they can undergo the liberating experience of forgiveness.
9. On the road, protect the more vulnerable party.
10. Feel responsible toward others.

Apparently, this list hasn’t gotten around to everyone in Miami…

Museum Park Discussion

Published
by
James Wilkins
on June 15, 2007
in Green Space, I-395, James Good, MAM, Miami, Miami Beach, Museum Park, Museum of Science, Public Spaces and Traffic
. 27 Comments
This extraordinary image posted at Skyscrapercity by James Good illustrates the need for revitalization for downtown’s premier park space. As well as how appropriate the location is for Museums with the Metromover stop already in place. The museums will be a great buffer for the park from the intrusive traffic of the highway beside the park. I am also interested in hearing thoughts from our readers regarding the somewhat sensitive issue of the need for, specifically, green park space.

Is it unfair to compare Miami to other cities in terms of green park space when across the causeway is the enormous public space, Miami Beach. I assure you I am a strong supporter for park space in Miami proper, but I feel there is an entirely different analysis required based on the unique quality of the beach. Being the single most obvious draw for all of South Florida residents, the beach almost creates a requirement of other city parks to include an attraction, if they are to be fully utilized. While some would propose a stadium or a waterpark, it seems that the museums are the perfect, compatible solution, in keeping with the desired qualities of a public green space.

Expanding The Miami Mentality Theory

Published
by
Gabriel Lopez-Bernal
on May 30, 2007
in Cars, Congestion Pricing, FDOT, HOT lanes, HOV, Highway Expansion, I-395, I-95, Miami Mentality, Planning, Public Transit and Traffic
. 4 Comments
I’ve often defined the “Miami Mentality” on this site as the state of mind prevalent in our region which is generally for transit options, so long as other people use them. The Miami New Times quoted my “Miami Mentality” theory today when discussing the new MDT 7-day pass, which sadly means that my theory is becoming more of a commonly accepted belief. To clarify, through personal account and research, I’ve found that the Miami Mentality is generally against density, non-vehicular modes of transit, in favor of traffic relief measures, and in favor of wider highways and parking- plenty of it too. The Mentality also denounces good urban planning principles often by typically stating, or rather declaring: “That would never work in Miami.” Needless to say, it has taken me quite by surprise to see the latest coverage and reactions in the Sun-Sentinel with regards to the proposed managed lanes on I-95. Their news polls, obtained March 29 and April 4, show an overwhelmingly opposite trend to the Miami Mentality:

March 29 Some state legislators want to start charging tolls to use the car-pool (HOV) lanes on I-95 from I-595 in Broward County to State Road 112 in Miami-Dade County. What’s your opinion?

85.4%
Bad idea. These lanes should be available for free to anyone with 2 or more people in a vehicle. (5917 responses)

14.6%
Good idea. It would raise more funds for transportation and ensure the car-pool lanes don’t get too crowded. (1012 responses)
 6929 total responses

April 4 State officials say I-595 could be widened much more quickly and less expensively by making it a privately operated road with tolls on its express lanes. Your opinion?

35.1%
Good idea. (1773 responses)

64.9%
Bad idea. (3278 responses)
 5051 total responses

Or do they? Perhaps there are some valid reasons behind this shift in the frame of mind or perhaps the Miami Mentality is a little more convoluted than I originally perceived. I’ll choose the latter. Based on the data obtained through the unofficial polls taken by the Sun-Sentinel and in browsing through some of the comments left on the site, it appears that there is a new dimension to the Miami Mentality that I had not previously considered: Money.

“Forgive me for not being able to attend this oh-so important waste of time meeting, but here’s my vote by proxy- NO!!! What a $hitty idea- charge us for what we’ve already paid for? Screw these crooked politicians and their handouts to the contractors- enough is enough!”
-Count me Out, Hialeah, Fl

“The article is at least truthful. The public is invited to discuss the issue. The decision has already been made based soley upon financial reasons. Luxury car lanes have been discussed for years, now they will be a reality. Only in Florida. Guess the Republicans will call it no Lexus left behind.”
-Mike Woods, Boynton Beach, Fl

The views presented outline a general displeasure for paying for expanded highway service, it is expected that the government provide endless capacity and expansions to our already crowded highways. This belief stems from the precedent that the government set throughout the past decades, expanding and creating highway infrastructure “as needed.” The distrust in local policies and “leaders” further exacerbates the situation, casting shadows of doubt across any project where higher costs will be waged on motorists. Contrary to the logic behind congestion pricing, the opinions conveyed show that the new local mentality aims to provide highway and parking access to anyone (which falls in line with the reaction to rising gas prices.) (For more on Congestion Pricing, click here.)

I must also note that the subject matter does not pit public transit against highway capacity expansion. Surely, had that been the case, the results would have shown a desire for rail, provided that others use the system and now apparently that money allocated to the project did not come from highway funding sources (it’s ok folks, there are statutes against that anyway.)

Of course some classic Miami Mentality always finds its way into the picture:

“Maximum use of all lanes is the most efficient use of roads. Car pool lanes do not do that. The “Pay Pool” lanes are only a way for the politicians to get more money without representation. Another non-tax tax. On top of all this Interstate roads are supposed to be free. This is not a state road it is a federal road.”
-just say no, Miami, Fl

“Forget the tolls. Eliminate the HOV lane by opening it up to all drivers. That will increse the available road space by 20 - 25 percent. As an added benefit …no more slow downs caused by drivers gawking at the flashing lights while FHP writes tickets (they have better things to do). It’s a win win deal for both tax payers and drivers, costs nothing and can be put into effect at any time.”
-David, Pompano Beach, Fl

I’m so glad David took the time to do the math for us, he neglected to include how many minutes it would take for for traffic to fill up the additional lane and bring traffic back to a grinding halt (Induced Travel.) Miami Mentality obviously fails to take into account general highway planning principles, is shortsighted, does not recognize the limitations of an autocentric infrastructure, and never considers perhaps that the current method of personal travel and lifestyle are the true problems at hand.

Reassuringly, every so often, a voice of reason chimes in:

“the reason for the carpool lane is to encourage drivers to carpool and take cars off the roads. what they should be doing is expanding the number of car pool lanes to 2 or 3 each way and then maybe more people would carpool.”
-John, Santa Maria, Ca

But, then again, let the few voices of reason come from a city clear across the country…

In Search of the "American Dream"

Published
by
Ryan Sharp
on May 23, 2007
in Florida, Palm Coast, Population, Sprawl, Sustainability and Traffic
. 2 Comments
In an article today in the Herald, Flagler County (emphasis on City of Palm Coast), is touted as the fastest growing county in the United States. Whenever I hear “fastest growing city/county” in the United States, as if that implies a fantastic place to live, I am always skeptical, especially given the deplorable planning history of fast-growing places in this country. Upon hearing that, I usually think of places like Las Vegas, Southwest Florida, and the Atlanta exurbs.

What I found interesting, is that the author (and inevitably the hostile commenters) took an angle that emphasized the emigration of South Floridians to the Palm Coast area, even stating:

“Driving a chunk of Flagler’s growth: a couple thousand South Floridians. Some say they left to escape congested roads, confining cookie-cutter developments, and skyrocketing home prices”.

Yeah, yeah. I hear it all the time - “I can’t wait to leave Miami (usually lumping it with all of Dade/South Florida)”. Jeer the overdevelopment, traffic congestion, high home prices, high insurance, overcrowded schools, blase blase. So let’s move upstate to this smaller county where everything is just peachy? Not so fast my friend.

Let’s break Palm Coast down for what it really is/will be:

If you examine it from satellite (above), you’ll notice that nearly every subdivision neighborhood is comprised of scatter grids with poor connectivity. This means almost all traffic from each subdivision neighborhood will be dumped onto a handful of collector roads (e.g. Palm Coast Pkwy, Belle Terre Pkwy, etc). As this city grows, these roads will quickly become overwhelmed with traffic. Inevitably, officials will move to widen the arterials into de-facto highways, with at least three lanes each direction along with 40-45 MPH speed limits, long traffic light headways, and huge intersections. Due to the auto-centric nature of these roads, sidewalks will be small (if they even exist), awkward, and useless because pedestrians will have to cross large surface parking lots to get to cookie-cutter shopping centers.

They probably wouldn’t walk in the first place, because even though their home may be in close proximity to where they want to go, the lack of thru-streets and presence of tangible subdivision boundaries will force the pedestrian to go way out of their way just to reach the arterial (as seen above). Biking wouldn’t be much of an option, either, because of the same reasons above plus the fact that riding on these arterials will be very dangerous (if not illegal).

To add fuel to the fire, Palm Coast has an extremely low average population density of only 862/square mile. This, in conjunction with single-use zoning, creates very large distances between places, making driving everywhere (even for the most basic trips) practically a necessity. Subsequently, officials write into the city code massive parking requirements for all land uses, further inducing trips by automobiles and justifying driving everywhere. At this point, most people become much more concerned with their private property then the lifeless public spaces afforded by such an environment, so things like golf courses get built instead of public parks.

Soon enough, this area will run out of land to accommodate population growth because for years unnecessarily large building footprints have been used during the current boom. Combined with the geographic location, property values will shoot up fast (already have, to some degree), traffic congestion will increase, commute times will increase, and people will really be screwed as gas prices inevitably continue to rise. Schools will probably be overcrowded (already mentioned in the article), crime will probably increase due to a variety of reasons, property insurance will be sky high, and soon people will be citing all the same reasons they left South Florida (insert other sprawl town here) in the first place.

Sorry, there’s no chance in hell I would endorse this place, let alone move there. It is about as unsustainable as any city I’ve ever seen, and a classic example very poor urban planning.

I think it’s funny that people are already complaining about problems stemming from the area’s recent growth. If growth there continues along this paradigm, the problems will only get worse.