Introduction
Traffic! A word which has effectively been in the public domain for more than few decades in the overview that seeks to highlight the various frustrating epitomes that individuals does encounter in the diverse means of transport. Relatively the United States of America is a fast world nation, which consequently depends on the diverse means of transport in the context that tries to make it efficient to help deliver the various aspects of enhancing the economic development.
The nation is served by the various wide developed road terminus which efficiently brings out the efficacies of the daily 24 hours running economy around the globe. Rail, water and air networks help to facilitate the nation’s communications systems and delivery of the diverse needed goods and services globally. The vast majority of the passengers travel for shorter distances using automobiles. “Traffic calming aims to reduce the dominance and speed of motor vehicles. It employs a variety of techniques to cut vehicle speeds” (Downs 2004 p. 89).
Hence air transport efficiently serves the longer distances and shipment of large cargo is done by ships and relatively there are premium express shipment systems for the various goods that are urgently needed
Hence traffic safety in the United States has to a larger view been curbed in the context that will help to efficiently bring the core issues and necessities of the economy at stake. The issue has been elevated from the context under which the revolution of embracing various efficient means in the traffic system of the country been channeled to the national government.
Causes of traffic
The major cause of traffic including jams in the United States is the large number of vehicles in the highways in the states capital. The contributing factor to this is the State of roads in the in the country. The primary concern is the ownership and the jurisdiction of the roads in the country. The roads are mainly owned and on the same view maintained by the state and local governments. Hence in this view the federally owned roads are found in the national parks. In that view the traffic in this strongholds are controlled by and the flow definitely put in the view that can be understandable. In the other view, the interstate highways system of roads are maintained and controlled by the state government. Hence, the cause of traffic in the cities capital is the high number of vehicles in the cities. Consequently, they run hand in hand with the essence under which the roads are publicly owned hence to control the traffic flow becomes hard “To apply it only to a particular street is to run the risk of pushing accidents, pollution and "rat-ruing" into neighbors’ area (Downs 2004 p.67)”.
The number of roads is also not directly proportional to the number of vehicles present in the roads. Hence this means that the capacity of roads to hold the large number vehicles in the country is limited. The photograph below illustrates the high number of vehicles in relation to the roads capacity. This is because many individuals are purchasing personal vehicles which are brought into the cities consequently causing the traffic jams in the road terminus linking the states. This consequently means that traffic demand exceeds the roadway capacity which definitely contributes to the 50% of the total congestion as illustrated below.
Another cause is the poor weather conditions in the country’s cities. This is caused by high fog and hail associated snow and high winds which consequently causes low visibility among the drivers. Hence in the essence of that case, the drivers can easily cause accidents on the roads. To avoid this, consequently the motorists indulge in the consent of moving slowly on such circumstances. Traffic consequently gets clogged in the sense that moving is curtailed by the weather conditions that curtail the visibility within the cities. This arises from the concept under which the smoke from the industries get mixed up with the mist causing smog which directly holds up the vehicles on the roads (Gaski, 1994 p.90).
Poor signal timing consequently causes over 25% of the traffic congestions in the United States of America. This is as illustrated by the American highway users’ alliance (2004). This consequently depicts that the motorists in the highways delay in the following of the traffic signs in the various arenas around the towns and cities. Hence this consequently causes traffic congestions in the cities.
Effects of traffic in USA
Most are the problems related to the traffic in USA just like the rest of the due to the heavy and large number of vehicles on the roads. This heavy traffic exposes a lot of effects both positive and negative to the people and the environmental impact. The effects are as result of traffic congestion on the roads. The effects range from economical to environmental in nature. “The result of their thinking was development of a new concept in traffic management” (Soderbergh 2001 p.29).
In the context of economic impact and efforts, most of the drivers arrive to work late leading to waste of time. This time wastage leads to reduced productivity in business as well as in the lives of the drivers. Traffic delays lead to a consequential delay in shipment because trucks cannot deliver the cargo on which therefore transfers the effects of time wastage and delays in shipment. This may event lead to alterations of the shipment schedules. Drivers foregoing other activities and this reduces consumer spending and the attendance of events may be low due to delays.
Drivers at times becomes very impatient due to the traffic delays caused by the congestions and some may end up driving dangerously and carelessly leading to road rage or accidents putting both their lives an d of pedestrians at risk. This may result in drivers developing stress which may worsen their health conditions putting them at danger.
Traffic congestion leads to the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere which may lead to global warming and other adverse climate change effects which in turn affect the ecosystem heavily. These gases may also cause unpleasant conditions in our immediate environment like smog accumulation which may reduce visibility leading to road accidents in winter (Soderbergh 2001 p. 45). These gases may also lead to respiratory complications to people in the immediate environment. The high and the increasing number of vehicles leads to high accumulation of the gases in the atmosphere leading to global warming and climate change effects in the long run. Traffic congestion leads to noise pollution making the environment unfriendly.
The traffic congestion has led to increased mass transit. This makes drivers to think of other transport options to reduce the congestion in the roads. Many passengers may opt for a bus or light rail or even a subway. This will help reduce the road congestions as well as saving on fuel and tend to reduce stress associated with dangerous driving.
Solutions to the problems
In the first problem of the number of vehicles being more than the road capacity, the national government of the United States, have imposed the various measures to help curb the traffic congestion issues. The government has also put in place the various advisory measures to help the drivers to use the public means instead of using personal vehicles in the city center. This will effectively help in the reduction of the number of vehicles in the roads making it efficient roads to be in a position to handle vehicles effectively. The major achievement is through the expansion of the highways to be able to improve the roads terminus in the various cities of the nation to help curb the traffic congestions that are costing the country’s economy through the wastage of fuel in the traffic jams. This is illustrated by the photo below of the improved road terminus (Soderbergh 2001 p.23).
The solution to the poor weather conditions have been addressed in the essence that seeks to highlight the weather patterns of the nation. Through the weather forecasting, the motorists are advised on the changed procedures of the variations of the seasons. For example, during winter the motorists are advised to use public means to get to their work places. Hence in this context, the weather patterns are well predicted and motorist advised on the context that will aim at reducing traffic congestion in the cities (Gaski, 1994 p. 123).
The solution to the signaling of the motorists in the city centers, the traffic departments have indulged in the inclusion of the various roads signs to effectively direct them on the relevant movements in the city roundabouts and imposing strict measures to help reduce the traffic jams within the cities. This makes it efficient for the traffic to flow smoothly.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the traffic in USA is an a current issue that needs concern so as to better the lives of people by reducing the effects or coming up with solutions to the causes a swell as curbing the effects. Several measures have been taken into account to better the conditions on the roads so as reduce the congestion as well as reducing the effects. The government of USA has put in place regulatory measures to reduce the number of cars turnover as well as increasing the capacity of roads. The drivers have been advised to observe road signals keenly in order to reduce the chances of blocking pathways causing congestion at the terminus. During winter when snow is dense the drivers are advised to use public means of transport so as to reduce congestion in roads as well as chances of road accident that may occur as a result of congestion and snow. Traffic congestion is therefore an issue of great concern which needs greater attention and regulation.
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Suggested Sites from where the sources were used;
http://traveltips.usatoday.com/effects-traffic-congestion-61043.html
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/Traffic/story?id=462298&page=1#.UWUxGzf3TxU
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1448219/
www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811620.pdf
