Traffic Congestion Was Last Century’s Problem…but It Is This Century’s Solution
We all intuitively understand that when we experience rain or snow melt on the edges of a watershed, there is a compounding effect that occurs. ... by the time all this water is concentrated into a tributary, it can accumulate to produce a flood.
We've so grasped this concept that we've taken steps to address the problem in the only effective way possible: at the source. We don't allow people to fill their wetlands. We require developers to retain their runoff on site. We build retention systems to hold back stormwater and feed it into the natural systems more slowly so flooding does not occur. ...
Instead of a river network, examine a similar system of roadways during a typical commute. ...
The cars travel local streets, empty into collectors, then into arterials and major arterials, and then into our highway networks.
It’s Hydrology 101, so why are we so shocked when this produces a flood?
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As per Hydrology 101, the only long-term way to address traffic flooding is to go to the source. Auto trips need to be retained near where they originate, or transformed into non-auto trips, to prevent them from accumulating and flowing further downstream. We need to create local alternatives to an auto trip.
That means building more corner stores and neighborhood businesses. It means creating more local jobs and housing options. It means emphasizing sidewalks and biking infrastructure so that people have more alternative ways to respond to congestion. These things are also good and necessary outcomes if our cities are to become financially strong and resilient.