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Running Head: ISSUES WITH TRAFFIC CONGESTION
The Issue of Traffic Traffic Congestion Omar ha!i" Uni#ersit$ of Te%as at E! &aso &rofessor 'arco Rodrigue( RWS RWS )*+,: Rhetoric - Com.osition ,
ABSTRACT
This .a.er e%amines the serious issue of the gro/ing traffic congestion in the United States and the .otentia! to!! it cou!d ta"e on the econom$ if no action is done to .re#ent0 or at !east circum#ent the issue1 With the United States econom$ de.endent on trans.ortation0 and #irtua!!$ e#er$ .erson !i#ing in the United States0 something needs to 2e done 2efore it does 2ecome a ma3or .ro2!em0 as it is .redicted to 2e in the near future1 A!read$ cities such as 4os Ange!es residents can e%.ect a dai!$ commute on a#erage of )15 hours one6/a$1 one6/a $1 Traffic Traffic in most a!! gro/ing metro.o!itan cities continues to gro/ g ro/ /ith no success in sto..ing it0 this is critica! 2ecause near!$ 7,++ 8i!!ion is s.ent on trans.ortation annua!!$ 2et/een the federa! go#ernment0 state go#ernment0 and .ri#ate com.anies1 If a .ortion of this mone$ is used for mass transit0 /e cou!d fina!!$ see a so!ution to the United States9 traffic .ro2!ems1 Truc"ing Truc"ing industr$ is 2ad for the en#ironment and truc"ers get a free .ass to use the roads that /e s.end our ta% do!!ars on0 if instead trans.ort re!ied on trains instead of truc"s0 that a!one /ou!d ha#e a huge im.act on congestion and efficienc$1 efficienc$1 Further0 if /e had more rai! !ines0 /e /ou!d a!so !oo" into high s.eed rai! to ma"e #er$ afforda2!e tra#e! o#er !arger distances much more afforda2!e1 Countries !i"e France0 German$ and a.an ha#e had se#era! successes using 2u!!et trains0 /ith costs much chea.er than air.!anes1
Introduction
An$one !i#ing in a metro.o!itan area has .ro2a2!$ e%.erienced #ehicu!ar traffic congestion1 For the .ur.oses of this assignment0 on!$ the United States /i!! 2e considered /hen ta!"ing a2out traffic congestion1 Congestion is defined as an o#ercro/ding of something0 in this case0 the o#ercro/ding of #ehic!es on road/a$s1 With With the ra.id!$ gro/ing .o.u!ation in ur2an u r2an cities0 cities e#er$/here are e%.eriencing an increase in their #ehicu!ar traffic congestion1 This0 in turn causes se#era! de!a$s /ith man$ ad#erse side effects ;S!o/er emergenc$ res.onse time0 .o!!ution0 !onger commute times to /or"0 and it is causing a ma3or .ro2!em for the the truc"ing industr$ that is res.onsi2!e for the man$ goods /e see in our stores<1 Com.rehensi#e research sho/s that increasing !anes on a road/a$ or adding ne/ roads does #er$ !itt!e ;if an$thing< to a!!e#iate this .ro2!em1 With ur2an gro/th sho/ing no signs of s!o/ing0 and /ith the addition of thousands of ne/ dri#ers on our road/a$s road/a $s e#er$ da$0 it is e#ident that if nothing is done to a!!e#iate this .ro2!em0 our traffic congestion /i!! 2ecome so great that soon it /ou !d 2e im.ractica! to dri#e an$/here1 The intent of this .a.er is to e%.!ore o.tions of a!!e#iating this endemic that is ra.id!$ gro/ing in an un2iased and thorough manner0 and to rea!i(e the de.endenc$ the United States has on re!ia2!e trans.ortation1 The .a.er /i!! focus on ans/ering the fo!!o/ing research =uestions: •
What is the increase in traffic congestion attri2uted to and can it 2e a#oided>
•
Ho/ re!iant is the United States econom$ on re!ia2!e trans.ortation>
•
Is there a need to find an a!ternati#e means of efficient trans.ortation>
•
What are .ossi2!e so!utions to our gro/ing trans.ortation congestion .ro2!ems>
Review of Literature
The =uestion of /hat attri2utes to the gro/th in traffic is o2#ious!$ more cars on a road0 2ut is this trend attri2uted to a gro/ing .o.u!ation or an aging .o.u!ation> Or something different entire!$> To To e%.!ore this =uestion it /ou!d ma"e sense to start 2$ !oo"ing at census data1 According to the United States Census 8ureau0 the cit$ of E! & aso0 Te%as Te%as has e%.erienced a stead$ increase in .o.u!ation 2$ a2out ?0+++ .eo.!e e#er$ $ear1 This means that there are more dri#ers on the roads at !east for the cit$ of E! &aso1 E#er$ metro.o!itan cit$ in the state of Te%as Te%as a!so sho/s an increase in .o.u!ation e#er$ e#er $ $ear1 4oo"ing at this chart the US Census 8ureau .ro#ides0 /e can see that from )@5+6,+)? the .o.u!ation has dou2!ed1
An$one !i#ing on the West Side of E! &aso "no/s that as recent!$ as )+ $ears a go there hard!$ used to 2e an$ an $ traffic during rush hours0 no/ it9s 2ecome hea#i!$ congested during traffic hours1 And Interstate6)+ has remained unchanged in the /est side of E! &aso for o#er *+ $ears0 as o..osed to the East Side /hich has added se#era! !anes and inc!uded 4oo. *B? in ho.es of a!!e#iating traffic0 after hundreds of mi!!ions do!!ars /ere in#ested in these .ro3ects in ho.es of a!!e#iating traffic0 traffic is sti!! a ma3or issue for man$ East6E! &aso residents1 These resu!ts confirm /hat Tan$a Sn$der of the Property and Environment Environment Research Center conc!uded in her research essa$ A Stud$: 8ui!ding Roads to Cure Congestion is an E%ercise in Futi!it$1D In her essa$0 'rs1 'rs1 Sn$der conducts e%tensi#e research that a!! .oints that the common!$ he!d 2e!ief that 2ui!ding ne/ roads and e%.anding the ca.acit$ of current ones is futi!e0 as it does nothing to !essen the congestion 2urden1 The &ro.ert$ and En#ironmenta! Research Center is the o!dest research center in the United States that s.ecia!i(es in go#ernment .ro.ert$ and its usefu!ness1 'rs1 Sn$der /ho authored the essa$ is a graduate of the Har#ard Schoo! Sch oo! of 8usiness and has earned her 'aster9s degree in Trans.ortation Trans.ortation management1 In addition0 according to a sur#e$ conducted on Sur#e$ 'on"e$0 the resu!ts a!! conc!uded that for e#er$ student that too" the sur#e$0 the$ the$ ha#e a!! fe!t that the$ the $ ha#e a!! seen a gro/ing increase in traffic and commute times to the Uni#ersit$ of Te%as at E! &aso ha#e gone u. in the .ast fe/ $ears1 This sur#e$ /as aimed at students students of the UTE& as it .ro#ides a constant !ocation !ocation that doesn9t mo#e0 and since the ma3orit$ of UTE& students are commuter students that commute from a!! o#er E! &aso0 it /as a good meeting .oint to gauge traffic1 The sur#e$ cou!d ha#e 2een 2etter had it inc!uded facu!t$ and staff that ha#e 2een communicating to and from UTE& for for o#er )+ $ears as it /ou!d 2e a 2etter gauge of ho/ traffic in E! &aso has changed cha nged throughout the $ears1
According to a!! research done0 the increase in traffic is most!$ attri2uted to a gro/ing num2er of motorists on the roads1 These conc!usi#e a!! .oint to a .o.u!ation gro/th0 it is not .ractica! nor feasi2!e to do an$thing a2out .o.u!ation gro/th0 and it9s 3ust a side effect of ur2an !ifest$!e and our gro/ing .o.u!ation e#er$ $ear1 Since /e can9t do an$thing to cur2 the .o.u!ation gro/th0 /e /ou!d need to e%.!ore other a!ternati#es to a!!e#iate traffic congestion1 Without trans.ortation there is no econom$1 8an"s need trans.ortation so .eo.!e can de.osit/ithdra/ mone$ and for 2an"s to transfer mone$1 &eo.!e need trans.ortation to get to /or"0 schoo!0 to #isit the doctor0 to #isit friends1 Stores re!$ on shi.ments arri#ing on time so .eo.!e can 2u$ groceries1 Gi#en that the ma3orit$ of the United States is sti!! .o/ered 2$ coa!0 /hich is hau!ed to .o/er .!ants #ia truc"s and trains0 the energ$ in the United States is su.er de.endent on trans.ortation1 Sim.!$ .ut0 the United States de.ends on trans.ortation0 /ith traffic congestion sho/ing no signs of s!o/ing0 a!ternati#es need to 2e found or the United States econom$ /ou!d 2e in turmoi!1 According According to the sur#e$ mon"e$ resu!ts0 )++ of the fift$6si% sur#e$ed students said that the$ need trans.ortation for /or"0 schoo ! .ur.oses and to 2u$ their da$ to da$ needs1 According to the United States e.artment of Trans.ortation0 the Federa! Go#ernment of the United States s.ends 7B@ 8i!!ion annua!!$ constructing co nstructing ne/ roads and u.dating current roads0 /ith an additiona! tota! of 7?+ 8i!!ion annua!!$ from each state1 A!! to!d in the United States near!$ 7)*+ 8i!!ion is s.ent 2ui!ding0 maintaining0 and im.ro#ing road/a$s in the United States1 With 7)*+ 8i!!ion 2eing s.ent annua!!$ and /ith !itt!e to sho/ in terms of traffic congestion0 it is c!ear that something needs to 2e done1 These roads and high/a$s are made .ossi2!e through ta% do!!ars0 $et one .o.u!ar so!ution to .ossi2!$ he!.ing our ou r Nation9s traffic traffic .ro2!em is recei#ing no go#ernment funding /hatsoe#er1 Rai!road trans.ortation seems to 2e the most agreed u.on fi%
for our nation9s trans.ortation /oes1 According to the Te%as &u2!ic &o!ic$ Foundation9s Found ation9s research entit!ed Freight Rai!9s &otentia! to A!!e#iate Traffic CongestionD the so!ution to traffic congestion doesn9t need to 2e some ne/ grand idea0 in fact it re!ies on an idea that has 2een around for ,++ $ears: Freight Rai!1 Freight Rai! recei#es n o federa! mone$0 $et it is the most re!ia2!e means of trans.ortation0 and it9s e#en chea.er and more energ$ efficient than the a!ternati#e method ;truc"ing<1 A!so0 in cities /ith #ast su2/a$ s$stems0 car2on emissions are
much !o/er on a .er6ca.ita 2asis1
In the gra.h0 e#en for shorter distances ;?++ "m< it is more cost effecti#e to use trains0 and it is near!$ t/ice as efficient to use rai! o#er !onger distances1 It is the most feesi2!e and efficient means of trans.ortation1 If a .ortion of the mone$ the de.arment of trans.ortation s.ends goes to/ards im.ro#ing rai! trans.ort0 man$ sources agree that tha t cou!d 2e the so!ution to a!! of our .ro2!ems in regards to trans.ortation1 Trains are more re!ia2!e0 the$ use !ess fue!0 there isn9t traffic on trains0 and if /e 2ring faster trains to the United States0 /e cou!d see these costs di. e#en further1 There a!read$ is techno!og$ that /ou!d a!!o/ a train to tra#e! u ./ards of *++ mi!es .er hour /ithout s.ending a sing!e ga!!on of gaso!ine using e!ectromagnets1
Works Cited
Bibliography Association of American Railroads. (2014). Overview of America's Freight Railroads. Association of American Railroads. Cox !. !. (2001). (2001 ). Freight Rail's Potential to Alleviate Trac Congestion. A"stin #exas$ #exas #exas %"blic %"blic %olicy %olicy &o"ndation. &o"ndation. 'hali . (201* April +). ,#-% #ransportation "r/ey. -l %aso #exas ,nited tates$ "r/ey oney. achalaba . (2011). #he &"t"re of Rail$ &reight Railroads ha/e made a strong comebac in recent years. Can they stay on trac The Wall Street Jornal. Jornal . nyder #. (2014). A t"dy$ By"ilding Roads to C"re Congestion is an -xercise in &"tility . Pro!ert" and #nvironment Research Center . Center . #he Congress Congress of the ,nited ,nited tates. (2003). (2003). Freight Rail Trans!ortation$ %ong&Term sses. !ashington sses. !ashington .C. $ Congressional B"idget ce. ,nited tates Cens"s B"rea" . (2014). State ( Cont" )ic*Facts. cens"s.go/. )ic*Facts. cens"s.go/.
