Traffic Congestion (DP IB Geography)
Revision Note
Written by: Bridgette Barrett
Reviewed by: Jenna Quinn
Traffic Congestion Patterns & Trends
Many urban areas grow faster than the local government can improve and extend the area's infrastructure
This leads to challenges such as traffic congestion
What is traffic congestion?
Traffic congestion is when:
Traffic flow is significantly reduced
There is a reduction in vehicle speed
The number of vehicles is increased
The view of what constitutes traffic congestion varies from place to place
Traffic congestion affects both people and the environment
The extent of traffic congestion depends on several factors, including:
Size of the urban area
Urban planning
Population density
Transport infrastructure
Population density
These factors affect the amount of traffic and its flow through the urban area
Patterns of traffic congestion
Peak hour congestion
Cities all experience peak-hour congestion
This is increased traffic during morning and evening rush hours
It occurs when most people are travelling to and from work
Events
Urban areas often experience traffic surges when there are events such as concerts or sporting competitions
The amount of traffic is unpredictable and can cause significant congestion
Seasonal variation
The patterns of traffic change during public holidays, school holidays or seasonal events
This can lead to both increases and decreases in traffic
Bottlenecks
These are locations in urban areas where congestion regularly occurs, such as at particular junctions in the traffic infrastructure
Trends of traffic congestion
Urban expansion
As cities expand, they will experience all of the following, which will increase the amount of traffic on the roads:
Growth of industries and businesses
Population increase
Increased size of the urban area
Increased wealth
Increased wealth means that more people can afford cars
Fewer people are using public transport
Traffic Congestion Impacts
There are several impacts of traffic congestion including:
Increased pollution
Longer journey times
Unpredictable journey times
Slower speeds
Increased stopping and starting
Increased pollution
More traffic and starting and stopping leads to higher emissions in urban areas
Congestion in London is estimated to increase emissions by 15%, in Berlin it is estimated to be an 11% increase in emissions
Imperial College London's research estimates that pollution caused the premature deaths of 4000 London residents in 2019
In Delhi, India, 67% of pollution is from traffic and it is estimated to lead to 5000 premature deaths a year
Longer and more unpredictable journey times
The slower traffic impacts the economy
In London it is estimated that traffic congestion costs the economy £5.1bn a year
Research shows that in 2021, the average driver in London spent 148 hours sitting in traffic
Case Study: Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro has a population of 6.7 million (2020)
The population of the greater metropolitan area is estimated at 13.5 million
The mountainous landscape surrounding the city increases the issues with traffic because:
A large volume of traffic is forced into only a few roads
Air pollution causes approximately 5000 premature deaths a year
Causes of traffic congestion in Rio de Janeiro
Car ownership in Brazil has increased by over 25% between 2012 and 2022
The average journey during rush hour takes 50% longer than at other times
Buses are the main form of transport but there are a number of issues with the bus system, including:
There are too few buses for the number of passengers
Safety fears, particularly at night
Lack of air conditioning
Bottlenecks, such as the ones at either end of the Rio Niteroi Bridge, are common
The bridge is 14km long and saves an 80km journey
Cars often breakdown on the bridge, leading to longer journey times
Traffic management in Rio de Janeiro
There have been several attempts to manage traffic congestion in Rio de Janeiro including:
Yellow Line Expressway
Rio Niteroi Bridge
Metro Rio
Trams
Bike Rio
All the management schemes aim to reduce the amount of traffic on the roads
The schemes include both public and private strategies
Yellow Line Expressway
The expressway connects Barra da Tijuca to the North Zone and the international airport
The cost of the road building was so high that it is now a toll road
Every day, 70 000 vehicles use it
This is 13 000 more than it was built for, which has led to congestion
It has reduced traffic on local roads by 40%
Rio Niteroi Bridge
The bridge was built to replace a one-hour ferry crossing or an 80 km road journey
Although effective in reducing journey time, it experiences bottlenecks and congestion due to its popularity
Metro Rio
Three subway lines cross Rio de Janeiro
There are 41 subway stations
The metro carries over 1 million passengers a day
Trams
A tram system connecting the port to the city centre and the airport
There are no emissions
There are 300 000 users per day
The trams decrease journey times
Bike Rio
Bike Rio began in 2011
It is a bicycle-sharing scheme
There are 600 bicycles available at 60 rental stations across Rio de Janeiro
The cycle lanes cross 450 km
Solar panels power the bike stations
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