Mathematicians are hoping to solve traffic james with a variety of methods. Some of those methods involve using technology to help make more room. (Image Credit: RayBay/Unsplash)
It’s the age old problem. Why can’t we engineer a solution?
Traffic jams can be a big inconvenience, especially in major cities where motorists have difficulty moving around freely and the pollution can build up, causing even more problems. For awhile now, scientists have been eager to find a solution to these traffic jams. Alexander Krylatov, a mathematics professor at St. Petersburg University wants to help put an end to it and improve traffic flow around the world by using technological approaches. He co-authored a book titled “Optimization Models and Methods for Equilibrium Traffic Assignment” that could help solve this issue.
As mentioned in the report, to help with this obstacle, all drivers need to be on the same navigation system. This is necessary because cars can only be efficiently rerouted if instructions are obtained from one center hub. As it stands now, one navigation system rerouting only some drivers does not fix the issue. It will only create more traffic hurdles.
The report also suggests setting up parking bans. Since most urban roads are very narrow and can’t be physically widened, it increases the likelihood that cars would wait in a line on the road. With a traffic flow model in place, it would ensure that parking spots can be transformed into lanes, freeing up more room for vehicles already on the road.
Additionally, dedicated lanes could also be used solely for electric vehicles, which could come in handy for cities who want to motivate other drivers to make the switch to electric cars. Cities can build special routes for these lanes and it will be a lot easier to get around using them.
Mathematical models can also play a role in traffic control. This can be implemented by developing digital twins of transport systems based on the models. The software applications, which are simulations, will be an extremely useful thought tool in the hands of transport engineers.
Traffic modeling can be quite complex, especially because it doesn’t predict any of the driver’s efforts, but instead, it assumes that they’re only meeting their own goals.
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