Readers Share Ideas to Speed Up Freeways

Dear Readers:

We’ve all at one time or another been trapped behind an immobile line of traffic. We curse the roads. We grumble about other drivers. We dream of Star Trek-style transporters beaming us directly to our destination.

Fortunately, the more industrious among us spent some of this time devising ways to improve traffic conditions. Today, we turn this space over to them and their ideas.

Dear Traffic Talk:

The Department of Motor Vehicles should issue every licensed driver in Los Angeles and surrounding counties a sticker, bearing one of the five business weekdays, which must be displayed on the bumper of their cars.

On this designated day that vehicle must not be operated on any freeway . . . People who own and operate more than one vehicle could receive, for example, one Monday sticker for every vehicle registered in their name. Exemptions would be extended to motorcycles and electric cars, emergency service vehicles and business and industry.

This would be similar to the odd/even gas-rationing plan implemented years ago. In the beginning there may be a few loopholes, and some individuals will go to a lot of trouble to beat the system, but I contend that it will have a positive overall impact on the freeway systems.

Linda Ackerman

Santa Clarita

Dear Traffic Talk:

I’ve noticed that drivers fast approaching backed-up freeway traffic cause the traffic behind them to slow up more than necessary because the sudden, collective, rapid braking of all the new arrivals propagate and maintain waves of additional braking behind them. Not only does this slow the overall speed of all the cars on the freeway, but it also increases driving risk and air pollution.

To mitigate this phenomenon, variable-speed-limit zones should be established along urban freeways subject to regular rush-hour slowdowns. A series of permanent traffic sensors in the roadbed would gather continuous information on traffic volume and speed and, via a computed algorithm, would display a lower-than-55-mph speed limit on digital signs when there is slowed traffic ahead.

This procedure would create a long stream of slower and more smoothly flowing traffic. Also, the display of lower speed limits will give drivers advance warning of slowed traffic ahead and a sense of its severity, allowing some to choose alternate routes.

Gregory Wright

Sherman Oaks

Dear Traffic Talk:

Under present laws and custom, not much can be done about drivers who drop farther and farther behind moving traffic as they read, make phone calls or sink into a trance-like state.

We need to modify the part of the Vehicle Code that requires drivers to keep “an assured clear distance” ahead. It should be revised to maintain “a reasonable clear distance,” with the added provision that drivers unable or unwilling to keep pace with other vehicles moving in any lane on a limited-access roadway either yield to the right or exit the freeway and give their cars to any person holding a “Will Work for Food” sign at the off-ramp.

James Foy

Van Nuys

Traffic Talk appears Fridays in The Times Valley Edition. Readers are invited to submit comments and questions about traffic, commuting and what makes it difficult to get around the Valley to Traffic Talk, Los Angeles Times, 20000 Prairie St., Chatsworth, Calif. 91311. To record your comments, call (818) 772-3303. Send fax letters to (818) 772-3385. Include your name, address and day and evening phone numbers. Letters may be edited, and no anonymous letters will be accepted.