Removing Certain Geographical Groups of Commuters Reduces Traffic

Printer-friendly versionPDF version

Removing a small percentage of drivers from the road can greatly reduce the commute times and traffic congestion of other drivers.

Newport Beach, Calif., January 15, 2013 - (PressReleasePoint) - In what may become the next great tool in urban planning, researchers have determined a method of reducing traffic congestion based on population data, cell phone usage and average traffic speeds. Based upon this information, the study found that commutes could be significantly shortened if certain groups of commuters from some areas were to choose another mode of transportation to stay off the roads.

The study, conducted by participating researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and University of California at Berkeley, considered traffic congestion in Boston and the Bay Area. Both metropolitan areas experience high levels of congestion through key corridors. For example, the commuters of northern California rely on six bridges to expedite travel around the San Francisco Bay.

What they found was that deleting the trips of a small percentage of regular commuters could effectively reduce travel time of others by 14 to 18 percent. Just removing a single percentage of drivers from certain neighborhoods allowed each metropolitan area to reduce traffic congestion for everyone else, hypothetically speaking.

While the study focused on two specific areas, the principals used to calculate the traffic data could be applied to any urban area. This could then be applied to areas with high incidences of traffic accidents to improve safety. Urban planners could use this information to target the key areas affecting traffic with more public transportation or incentives to stay off the road.

How did researchers determine all this from population, cell phones and traffic data? The study used population to establish a basic idea of where drivers began their trip. Cell phone usage data helped determine their direction and length of trip between the hours of 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Taxi cabs making trips during those hours were also utilized to help exact the speed and flow of traffic.

Decreasing traffic congestion does more than improve safety and reduce the daily commute. If drivers are on the road less, then the pollution produced by their cars will also go down. Drivers may also end up saving on gas whether they are the drivers that stay off the roads or the drivers who have a more efficient commute as a result.

To read more about the study and its methodology, the MIT news release can be found here. If you are injured in a car accident, then don’t hesitate to speak with a personal injury attorney. Visit the Accident Attorneys’ Group for more information about filing a claim and to get a free legal consultation.