18 November 2006

Build It And They Will Come

Moscow's traffic is becoming legendary.  Yury Mikhailovich who has clearly never read a single traffic management article in his life has determined that the best way to deal with this is not to invest in more communal transport but to widen the roads.

All the theory says that if you build more roads the amount of traffic will increase until the weight of traffic reaches previous proportions and people start using the over-crowded metro again.

Apparently no one has thought of actually investing in traffic control management software and fining drivers for “blocking the box” nor for actually forcing cars to actually meet the regulated requirements.  None of which makes as much money for YM and his lovely wife as building more roads.

I love the concept that something as complicated as Moscow's traffic management can be resolved in one week -

“The mayor gave the city's Transportation Department a week to set deadlines for the construction of such transit hubs.”
Luzhkov Weighs In on Traffic:

Moscow's mounting traffic problem took center stage at Tuesday's City Hall meeting, with Mayor Yury Luzhkov calling for widening roads leading out of the city.

The mayor's proposals are to be included in an updated plan for city development through 2025.

One way to reduce traffic, Luzhkov suggested, would be to deter people from outside the city from traveling into it. The mayor noted that many people travel to Moscow for shopping and entertainment they can't get in surrounding towns. Developing these areas would mitigate pressure on city roads.

The mayor called for an end to new office towers in the center of the city. And he said highways should be built above railway tracks.

City officials also discussed the creation of transit centers at key metro stations. The centers would make it easier for motorists and bus riders to transfer to the metro. The mayor gave the city's Transportation Department a week to set deadlines for the construction of such transit hubs.

Besides congestion, the new blueprint will focus on kindergartens and other “social” projects, said the city's chief architect, Alexander Kuzmin. More thermal and electricity facilities will be needed to meet the city's growing energy consumption, Kuzmin said.


[composed and posted with
ecto]


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2 comments:

John Gerard Sapodilla said...

The rich and the bitch go living uphill. The poor downhill. Shops upstream, offices downstream. Professionals above, workers below. Banks right, factories left. Then everybody moves from here to there same time.It's traffic, no remedy.

I hope you don't mind if I pick the best of Ruminations. Thanks, Strudel

http://www.strudelbum.com/traffic.htm

Anonymous said...

Money quote (sorry to be weighing in so late):

"One way to reduce traffic, Luzhkov suggested, would be to deter people from outside the city from traveling into it. The mayor noted that many people travel to Moscow for shopping and entertainment they can't get in surrounding towns. Developing these areas would mitigate pressure on city roads."

Now, stop me if I'm wrong, but is this the first time in history that a mayor has said, "Hey! I know! Let's have people shop in OTHER places so our businesses don't sell as much! Obviously, our businesses make too much money ... "

Most mayors I know would look for ways to make it easier for people to get into their cities and spend money, not easier for them to stay away. Something about "helping economic development in the city" or some such weirdness. Guess Moscow just doesn't need it, since everyone there can afford everything and there aren't any poor people in Moscow looking for work.

Oh, wait ...

18 November 2006

Build It And They Will Come

Moscow's traffic is becoming legendary.  Yury Mikhailovich who has clearly never read a single traffic management article in his life has determined that the best way to deal with this is not to invest in more communal transport but to widen the roads.

All the theory says that if you build more roads the amount of traffic will increase until the weight of traffic reaches previous proportions and people start using the over-crowded metro again.

Apparently no one has thought of actually investing in traffic control management software and fining drivers for “blocking the box” nor for actually forcing cars to actually meet the regulated requirements.  None of which makes as much money for YM and his lovely wife as building more roads.

I love the concept that something as complicated as Moscow's traffic management can be resolved in one week -

“The mayor gave the city's Transportation Department a week to set deadlines for the construction of such transit hubs.”
Luzhkov Weighs In on Traffic:

Moscow's mounting traffic problem took center stage at Tuesday's City Hall meeting, with Mayor Yury Luzhkov calling for widening roads leading out of the city.

The mayor's proposals are to be included in an updated plan for city development through 2025.

One way to reduce traffic, Luzhkov suggested, would be to deter people from outside the city from traveling into it. The mayor noted that many people travel to Moscow for shopping and entertainment they can't get in surrounding towns. Developing these areas would mitigate pressure on city roads.

The mayor called for an end to new office towers in the center of the city. And he said highways should be built above railway tracks.

City officials also discussed the creation of transit centers at key metro stations. The centers would make it easier for motorists and bus riders to transfer to the metro. The mayor gave the city's Transportation Department a week to set deadlines for the construction of such transit hubs.

Besides congestion, the new blueprint will focus on kindergartens and other “social” projects, said the city's chief architect, Alexander Kuzmin. More thermal and electricity facilities will be needed to meet the city's growing energy consumption, Kuzmin said.


[composed and posted with
ecto]


Technorati Tags: ,

2 comments:

John Gerard Sapodilla said...

The rich and the bitch go living uphill. The poor downhill. Shops upstream, offices downstream. Professionals above, workers below. Banks right, factories left. Then everybody moves from here to there same time.It's traffic, no remedy.

I hope you don't mind if I pick the best of Ruminations. Thanks, Strudel

http://www.strudelbum.com/traffic.htm

Anonymous said...

Money quote (sorry to be weighing in so late):

"One way to reduce traffic, Luzhkov suggested, would be to deter people from outside the city from traveling into it. The mayor noted that many people travel to Moscow for shopping and entertainment they can't get in surrounding towns. Developing these areas would mitigate pressure on city roads."

Now, stop me if I'm wrong, but is this the first time in history that a mayor has said, "Hey! I know! Let's have people shop in OTHER places so our businesses don't sell as much! Obviously, our businesses make too much money ... "

Most mayors I know would look for ways to make it easier for people to get into their cities and spend money, not easier for them to stay away. Something about "helping economic development in the city" or some such weirdness. Guess Moscow just doesn't need it, since everyone there can afford everything and there aren't any poor people in Moscow looking for work.

Oh, wait ...