Problem
Predictable traffic jams occur on a daily basis due to factors such as many people working in the same areas at the same times. A large city will have many lanes slow to a crawl in directions into the city around 8 AM and the opposite side of the roadways will see traffic slow down around 5 PM as commuters get off work.
The supply (available lanes for traffic use) versus the demand (the vehicles needing use of the lanes) is not properly utilized. At many peek demand times many lanes sit empty or sparsely used directly adjacent to lanes which become completely congested.
The supply (available lanes for traffic use) versus the demand (the vehicles needing use of the lanes) is not properly utilized. At many peek demand times many lanes sit empty or sparsely used directly adjacent to lanes which become completely congested.
Workaround
Most cities have HOV lanes but that doesn't solve the problem as much as it does simply introduce a new system with many of its own problems.
Solution
Through safe use of signage and barriers, make use of all available lanes for traffic by swapping the direction of lanes in a dynamic way as needed. The same four lane highway which use to bog down at 8 AM and 5 PM should become something like a six lane highway with the remaining two lanes following in the opposite direction.
Should an unpredictable accident occur and block all traffic in one direction? No problem. Let's just borrow a few lanes from the other side of the highway for the stretch of road needed until the accident is cleared.
Should an unpredictable accident occur and block all traffic in one direction? No problem. Let's just borrow a few lanes from the other side of the highway for the stretch of road needed until the accident is cleared.