We're driving less, but highways are more crowded, Chicago-area...

1. most stressful city in US
2. highest sales tax in US
3. worst air quality in US
4. highest gas prices in US
4. murder captial of US (sometimes)

But we're only #2 in traffic gridlock? C'mon!

We need to convert certain major streets into expressway-like alternates during rush hour. The traffic lights should be timed on certain main streets, ones that have already been widened, to allow the traffic to keep flowing with only periodic red lights. LA has already implemented such a plan and it's working greatly. No trucks should be allowed on these streets during rush hour. One example is Cicero Ave---all the way north and south. If Cicero Ave were made to continuously flow north and south by timing the lights differently, it would clear up a lot of the log jam. As it is, one has to creep along one light at a time--averaging around 10 mph.

Now imagine how much the situation would be improved if Western Ave and Harlem Ave also had the same benefit. Major angle streets--Archer Ave on the south side and Milwaukee Ave on the north--should also be cleared up. East-west streets---same thing. Peterson, Irving, North Ave, Madison Ave, Cermak, 39th. 55th, 79th and 95th---make these streets flow!

This is certainly better than the current situation. Now, the lights are timed so that you catch a fresh red at almost every intersection. This is deliberate and meant to generate revenue at photo enforced intersections. Imagine how much more revenue could be generated if we cleared up the log jams and increased overall economic output by doing the same.

I think it has more to do with every major roadway being under major reconstruction at the same time than noted here. There is not a single "expressway" that is not torn up right now. Am I the only one that sees a problem with that way of thinking?

Why do this to us? It just shows a serious lack of planning and forsight. I cannot understand why they can't just put one roadway under construction, put all those workers on it, get it completed and then move onto the next. Same number of man hours, and same time to complete them all. This would simply limit the construction gridlock across the entire grid.

This is simple planning stuff here. I guess this is what happens when you allow your vendors to write your schedule.

Only terrorist supporters drive to work. Fight the war on terror: take public transportation!

I agree with Good Times. It seems that whenever they work on a major road, they usually work on all the alternate routes as well. When they were working on the Edens, they were also working on the northern part of 294. At least they weren't working on the Kennedy too. I could come up with other examples, but so could anyone reading this. A lack of planning, undoubtedly, unless it's a lack of caring.

You have stumbled across

The Jevons Paradox.

It is named after William Stanley Jevons. He noticed that after the invention of the steam engine, Britian’s consumption of coal had increased. This was due to the fact that once the use of coal had become more efficient, the demand for it grew. He concluded that as technology improves and it increases the efficiency of a resource, the total consumption of that resource may increase, rather than decrease.

Basically:
If someone buys a car that gets more gas milage than his old one, he's is more likely to use it more now, hence using more gas. Which equals more traffic.

"In addition, major construction projects, temporarily shutting down lanes on the Edens Expressway, the Stevenson Expressway and the Tri-State Tollway have effectively canceled out the gains from many vehicles being driven less."

Gee! Ya think? Some geniuses decided to put the Edens and Tri-State under construction at the same time, and it causes congestion. You could have paid me a lot less money to give you that kind of an answer.

I'd like to recommend one more option: During rush hour, ban heavy trucks from the roads. Make 6:30-8:30AM and 4-6PM "truck-free". Look at an average stop light: a left turn arrow turns green, and in the time it stays green, you can get twenty cars, or one dump truck through. It then takes several rotations of the light to clear the resulting traffic build-up.

"Until the balance between driving and transit riding improves, the Chicago area is likely to retain its grip on the No. 2 spot for congestion in the U.S."

Until our local, state and federal government give transit a fighting chance with an influx of funding, it will only get worse. It amazes me that no politician has gotten behind this - it's a win win win win.

Of course, some voters will always be against transit, blind to see how their actions are driving up gas prices and congestion...

... As if I had the least bit of faith that things like road use and toll receipts could be accurately measured by the worse-than-useless agencies / companies / cartels responsible for them.

Mass transit and roadway construction can not keep up with the need of a growing population. Funds for roadway improvements are starting to dry up, and mass transit systems are becoming saturated. Workers still need to get to work though.

Government and employers need to look to new more efficient alternatives for workers. For instance, employers and government need to start implementing programs that promote remote work options for office workers. There are literally thousands of office workers who could just as easily be working from a remote office or home telecommuting office.

Remote Office Centers make it possible for office workers to skip the long commute into the city each day by providing office space, internet and phone systems to workers from different companies in shared centers located around the suburbs.

There are many people who need to be onsite. These people need mass transit. However, there are thousands of people who could just as easily work from a remote office near their home.

Remote Office Centers are fairly new, but can be found in many cities by searching the internet for "Remote Office Centers" in quotes. Hopefully, as people start to embrace remote working options, more leasing companies will convert existing properties into remote offices.

The price of gas, and congestion on the roads have reached a point where 'business as usual' is no longer an option. It is time for government, employers and employees to recognize that there are better ways to get to work than driving miles each day on overcrowded roads.

Ok, we have to be fair. No trucks on the roads during rush hour. Thus no cars on the road during non-rush hours.

aullman wrote:

Government and employers need to look to new more efficient alternatives for workers. For instance, employers and government need to start implementing programs that promote remote work options for office workers.
However, there are thousands of people who could just as easily work from a remote office near their home.

Or indeed, work from home. But that type of thinking is far beyond many compaines/employeers. If it cannot be simply, directly and obviously linked to increased profitability, most are not willing to even give it thought.
In these economic times most companies have switched from "thinking outside the box", to strictly inside an ever shrinking box.

The Average You wrote:

<quoted text>
Or indeed, work from home. But that type of thinking is far beyond many compaines/employeers. If it cannot be simply, directly and obviously linked to increased profitability, most are not willing to even give it thought.
In these economic times most companies have switched from "thinking outside the box", to strictly inside an ever shrinking box.

The Feds need to issue huge tax deductions for companies who allow telecommuting, and escalate the percentage based on the higher % of employees telecommuting. That'd be a win-win for both the environment and employees.

history lesson wrote:

Ok, we have to be fair. No trucks on the roads during rush hour. Thus no cars on the road during non-rush hours.

Stoplights are generally timed around the flow of most vehicles... cars. An unusually slow vehicle, like a fully loaded truck, messes that up.

There's already toll structures on the highways to encourage semis to travel during off-peak hours, why not structure surface roads the same?

I think we need a systemic change in the way people move around, especially to and from work. I also think that more pavement is no longer the answer. Seems like gas prices going through the roof did make some at least think about consolidating trips, etc., but when/if gas goes down, what then?

Tomorrow, look at the cars near you and count the # of passengers in each. My guess is that >95% have one. Something is wrong with those numbers.

Do I have a solution? No, but there are a lot of smart people out there who could be tasked with this problem. Surely a solution or solutions exists.

The very concept that it takes a 2000+lb. piece of equipment, no matter how fuel efficient, with all of its associated fuel, fluids, coolants, lubrications, maintenance, etc., to transport a person who likely weighs less than one tenth of that amount, is so flawed that it is laughable.

Yet we continue to rely on, and build upon, this automobile/road system until it brings the entire economy down around us.

Wake up people! A fuel-free 20-30 pound bicycle will get you there in reasonable time, at no cost after the original purchase. Traffic jams are not an issue.

For the physically challenged, there is also public transportation.

Try driving across town where you have a presidential green light run every day.
This would allow you to plan your trip and get there on time. What! You don't get a presidential green light run?
Well now you can.
By taking away all the Lights and introducing Liquid Flow Traffic intersections you can drive across town in peak traffic every day without stopping at a single intersection. Its the infrastructure of the 21st Century. Find out more at www.ubtsc.com.au
Even when cars become zero polluting we will still need a roads infrastructure that works and gets you to your destination faster and safer.
Now is the time to start building and eliminating the economic loss we all suffer at the stop go stop go roads we drive on today.
Join us for the drive into the future.

Julio G Atlas wrote:

Wake up people! A fuel-free 20-30 pound bicycle will get you there in reasonable time, at no cost after the original purchase. Traffic jams are not an issue.
For the physically challenged, there is also public transportation.

Obviously, you work close enough to bike to work or where you have to go. Not everyone does. And public transport does not work for everyone. I work 16 miles from my home. If I were a strong cyclist and could sustain 12mph, that's still over an hour to work. And I'm gonna need a shower & change of clothes when I get there. Not many employers will cover that.

The more you clear up congestion, the more drivers you will attract to the roadway and you shortly return to the same congested state. There is no viable solution that does not include major investments in transit.

Nelson wrote:

We need to convert certain major streets into expressway-like alternates during rush hour. The traffic lights should be timed on certain main streets, ones that have already been widened, to allow the traffic to keep flowing with only periodic red lights. LA has already implemented such a plan and it's working greatly. No trucks should be allowed on these streets during rush hour. One example is Cicero Ave---all the way north and south. If Cicero Ave were made to continuously flow north and south by timing the lights differently, it would clear up a lot of the log jam. As it is, one has to creep along one light at a time--averaging around 10 mph.
Now imagine how much the situation would be improved if Western Ave and Harlem Ave also had the same benefit. Major angle streets--Archer Ave on the south side and Milwaukee Ave on the north--should also be cleared up. East-west streets---same thing. Peterson, Irving, North Ave, Madison Ave, Cermak, 39th. 55th, 79th and 95th---make these streets flow!
This is certainly better than the current situation. Now, the lights are timed so that you catch a fresh red at almost every intersection. This is deliberate and meant to generate revenue at photo enforced intersections. Imagine how much more revenue could be generated if we cleared up the log jams and increased overall economic output by doing the same.

DKS wrote:

1. most stressful city in US
2. highest sales tax in US
3. worst air quality in US
4. highest gas prices in US
4. murder captial of US (sometimes)
But we're only #2 in traffic gridlock? C'mon!

You forgot most corrupt city.