As we all know, the traffic problem is increasing day by day in big cities. There are many main reasons for this. Distorted urbanization, the increase in population, and the increase in the number of vehicles are the 3 biggest factors causing traffic problems in cities.
With the formation of crooked urbanization, the roads are not wide enough and not linear enough to provide traffic flow quickly. As a result, we see blocked roads, big queues, and angry drivers.
Encourage the use of alternative routes
Traffic congestion is a familiar sight in many cities and towns. Cars inch along bumper-to-bumper, often at a snail’s pace.
The resulting delays can be frustrating for motorists and costly for businesses. However, there are steps that cities can take to reduce traffic congestion. One effective measure is to encourage the use of alternate routes.
By providing motorists with information about less crowded roads, cities can encourage drivers to spread out and ease the pressure on congested thoroughfares. In addition, cities can also work to improve public transportation options, making it easier for people to get around without having to rely on their cars.
Smart Parking Systems
The cities must adopt smart parking systems to counter and prevent traffic congestion. The traditional parking method can cause irregular vehicle parking that reduces the parking space in an area. This can cause traffic jams, as the driver takes a lot of time finding a parking spot.
However, IoT in transportation has revolutionized the whole method of car parking. For example, ParkSmart is a smart parking solution through which drivers can find an empty parking spot on their smartphones through a specialized app.
It also provides real-time notifications or alerts and the closest route to the driver about its location. Such IoT innovations are beneficial in countering traffic congestion, as they truly contribute and add value to the concept of a smart city.
Automated traffic light system
Another smart way through which traffic jams can be prevented is an automated traffic light system. With IoT in transportation, the working of traffic light systems can be enhanced. With data-driven features, traffic signals can be made adaptive and automated.
This will help to regulate the traffic more conveniently and prevent road blockages. Also, smart programming can increase the response time of traffic signals. It will make them smart enough to respond appropriately to the movement of vehicles of different sizes while maximizing the road capacity.
This will significantly reduce the delays of running engines at traffic signals, minimizing the harmful environmental effects.
Drone-based traffic monitoring system
Drones are becoming increasingly popular for various applications, including traffic monitoring. Drones can be used to collect data about traffic patterns and congestion. This information can be used to improve the flow of traffic and reduce congestion.
Drones can also monitor other aspects of the city, such as construction sites, road closures, and accidents. By using drones to monitor traffic, cities can reduce the need for human resources, which can save time and money.
Multimodal streets
Streets don’t have to be for cars only. In fact, in Europe, many cities have streets where cars share the road with cyclists and pedestrians. Unlike US cities, European cities design their roadways, so walkers and bicycles have room. In the US, most of our designs are geared to cars first, everyone else second.
Major metros like New York City, Los Angeles, Boston, and San Francisco all have projects in the works, or areas up and running, that allow for the sharing of the road, but more can be done in those cities and elsewhere.