Traffic Congestion

Report

How Will Migration Impact UK Transport and Congestion?

The UK Migration Advisory Committee asked RAND Europe to examine how migration is likely to impact transport networks and congestion. The resulting research is one of the first studies using UK data to provide an empirical evidence base about migrants' travel behavior and impacts.

Journal Article

High Occupancy Toll Lane Performance Under Alternative Pricing Policies

This paper explores how alternative pricing and operating policies influence revenue generation, level of service, and travel time costs for high occupancy toll (HOT) lane facilities.

Journal Article

Making Congestion Pricing Equitable

Identifies and assesses ways of making congestion pricing equitable.

Commentary

Reducing Traffic Congestion and Improving Travel Options in Los Angeles

While traffic congestion plagues many cities, Los Angeles stands apart, routinely ranking first for both total and per-capita congestion delay, with an estimate annual cost at close to $10 billion, writes Paul Sorensen.

Journal Article

Psychological Effects of Patient Surge in Large-Scale Emergencies: A Quality Improvement Tool for Hospital and Clinic Capacity Planning and Response

A novel and practical quality improvement tool can help hospitals and clinics plan for and respond to the psychological consequences of catastrophic events that create a surge of psychological casualties presenting for health care.

Journal Article

Reducing Traffic Congestion and Improving Travel Options in Los Angeles

This article discusses the rationale for pricing strategies as an option for reducing traffic congestion in Los Angeles. Only pricing resist the effects of triple convergence. By increasing the cost of driving or parking in the busiest areas or corridors during the busiest times of day, pricing measures manage the demand for peak-hour travel, in turn reducing congestion. Once traffic flow improves, the prices remain in place, thus deterring excessive convergence on the newly freed capacity. Pricing strategies offer two additional benefits: it generates revenue to support needed transportation investments, and it enables more efficient use of existing road capacity, because roads on which traffic flows smoothly can carry far more vehicles per lane per hour than roads snarled in stop-and-go congestion. It is useful to think of pricing as a means of managing peak-hour travel demand rather than reducing it.

Journal Article

Moving Los Angeles

The authors developed an integrated policy framework that could offer the greatest prospects for relieving traffic congestion and improving transportation options in the Los Angeles region.

News Release

Equity Concerns Raised by Transportation Congestion Pricing Can Be Addressed to Make Approach Viable

Policymakers need to address equity concerns early when implementing congestion pricing to improve traffic flow, as each situation is unique and must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Report

Charging Drivers More at Peak Travel Times Can Be Sound Transportation Policy, But Equity Issues Must Be Addressed

Policymakers need to address equity concerns early when implementing congestion pricing to improve traffic flow, as each situation is unique. Because these policies impose a cost on something that previously was not priced, it can harm lower-income drivers who will be forced to pay additional costs or be

Journal Article

Optimal Highway Design and User Welfare Under Value Pricing

This paper investigates the optimal design of highways operated under a form of congestion pricing called value pricing.

News Release

Comprehensive Study on Traffic Congestion in Urban Los Angeles Suggests Ways to Improve Traffic

A comprehensive look at Los Angeles traffic debunks common myths about the metropolitan region's traffic patterns and details the reasons why congestion is so bad -- and why it will get worse in the coming years without significant policy changes.

Research Brief

Reducing Traffic Congestion in Los Angeles

This research brief identifies key factors determining L.A. transportation policy needs and makes 13 recommendations that together could reduce congestion -- arguably the worst in the country -- substantially within five years.

Report

Thirteen Short-Term Strategies Address Traffic Congestion in Urban Los Angeles

A comprehensive look at Los Angeles traffic debunks common myths about the metropolitan region's traffic patterns and details the reasons why congestion is so bad — and why it will get worse in the coming years without significant policy changes.

Commentary

In Support of the Congestion Charge

The congestion charge on motorists in central London… has brought substantial benefits to those who live and work in London — whether they drive or take mass transit — and it could do the same in traffic-clogged cities in the United States, writes Cameron Munro.

Report

The Potential of V/STOL Aircraft for Passenger Travel in the New York Region

Consideration of the use of V/STOL aircraft to reduce air traffic congestion at the major New York area airports while increasing overall terminal capacity.

Report

Are we willing to pay for congestion-free transportation?

A brief consideration of the problems of peak-hour traffic congestion. The author suggests that, because we cannot afford to provide the facilities necessary to eliminate congestion, we will have to either continue to live with rush-hour congestion ...

Report

Studies in the Economics of Transportation

A study of the efficient use of transportation systems with an emphasis on the effects of traffic congestion.

People

Liisa Ecola