If being patient and frugal would make us happier and healthier, would we choose to do it?

An article summarizing a presentation by Tom Vanderbilt, author of Traffic, provides some key insights into the why and how of vehicular traffic.  I am teaching my third child to drive, and I am proud to say that I have tried to pass along to them the common-sense advice my father passed onto me...almost all of which hits on the two major issues noted within the presentation: maintain constant speed whenever possible, and when necessary to merge, "zipper merge" instead of "branch merge"*.  If we were to add in staying at or below the speed limit during rush hour, and we could significantly reduce the time we spend idling in traffic.

According to the annual Texas A&M study on urban mobility, Chicagoans pump 2.3 billion pounds of carbon annually into the atmosphere.  In addition, Chicagoland driving commuters lose 271,000,000 hours a year at a total cost of over $6 billion.  That type of inefficiency creates an opportunity, but it will take a culture change and policy developments to help us monetize the benefits of correcting that inefficiency.

The presentation, study, and my own observation point to three main opportunities:

1.  Changing driving habits.  Using traffic cameras (a highly controversial tool, I will admit) predominantly during rush hour, we can provide a "stick" to drivers who create or exacerbate congestion through their speed.  Additionally, the expansion of travel monitoring devices from auto insurance companies creates a carrot for those who either avoid using their cars during high-traffic hours, or maintain appropriate driving habits.

2.  Downsizing our personal fleets.  The era of two-car (and even three-car and four-car, etc.) families rose because American infrastructure grew during an era of cheap energy.  Both the financial and social cost of energy have pushed us to a point where we need to rethink how much we really need to drive to maintain quality of life.  The existing capacity in most urban public transportation makes this a cost-effective option.

3.  Rethinking community development.  This flows from the previous item.  In order to help communities (especially suburban communities) rethink their approach, we need to adapt our community planning to avoid single-use zoning in favor of more complementary activities occurring in the same area.

No matter which way we get there, it is to our benefit - financial and physical - to rethink our relationship with the car.