How is possible that the traffic is that bad??? (Baltimore: homes, income)

[QuagmireRules]

Hi people,

I am moving to MD soon and I asked for a place to live. Everyone strongly recommended me to be as close as work as possible. I will definitely follow that advice. However, I am wondering how is possible that the traffic is so bad. I have checked on youtube some videos and it looks like for example the 495 has 4 lines each direction... that is a lot!!

What are the reason for the traffic congestion? Maybe, the low speed limit? Maybe the that people do not use to drive on the right line? Maybe a lot of control of police with a big risk of fine?

What are your thoughts?

Thanks!

[adelphi_sky]

Originally Posted by QuagmireRules

Hi people,

I am moving to MD soon and I asked for a place to live. Everyone strongly recommended me to be as close as work as possible. I will definitely follow that advice. However, I am wondering how is possible that the traffic is so bad. I have checked on youtube some videos and it looks like for example the 495 has 4 lines each direction... that is a lot!!

What are the reason for the traffic congestion? Maybe, the low speed limit? Maybe the that people do not use to drive on the right line? Maybe a lot of control of police with a big risk of fine?

What are your thoughts?

Thanks!

I guess you've never been to NYC, Los Angeles, or Atlanta.

High density population (sprawl) + job center (DC Metro) + lack of a hub-spoke-wheel transportation system that is reliable + major interstate
(I95) = traffic.

[choccity]

Too many damn people with cars. Very high density area. Come visit and see for yourself.

[dkf747]

Too many cars, not enough road.

[Alex1484]

Everybody hit the nail on the head. The high density of people in the area. For the most part traffic is a part of life here and it seems to be getting worse and unfortunately even widening the highway will not help. As they continue to build and more people come here, it will be get worse.

[shellymdnv]

Plus you have to figure there will be at least one accident a day on the the major roads. Most of the time they will be relatively minor but there will be times that the entire highway is shut down.

[seanlax]

The fact that so many job centers are clustered throughout the periphery of the metro area contributes greatly to the spread of congestion. It's not just getting to downtown DC or Baltimore that gives you headaches. It's everywhere now. And since there are so many different types of jobs around the periphery, it is rare that 2 income household members work anywhere remotely close to each other, let alone their home :/

Furthermore, public transportation is prohibitively expensive to serve all customers, because their homes and jobs are often so disconnected from everyone else's jobs and homes that transit lines are either packed or empty. It's a weird setup, and spanning 3 distinct jurisdictions tends to make it worse.

[Moth]

Originally Posted by adelphi_sky

I guess you've never been to NYC, Los Angeles, or Atlanta.

High density population (sprawl) + job center (DC Metro) + lack of a hub-spoke-wheel transportation system that is reliable + major interstate
(I95) = traffic.

I generally agree except that New York City has exactly the transportation system you describe. It's the best in the nation.

Comparing NYC to LA or Atlanta is a non-starter.

[ncole1]

I'd imagine that the rapidly worsening Metro system suckage is encouraging more people to switch to driving

[DoughLow805]

I have some additional perspective, while traffic due to high population density is one thing, the traffic planning, engineering is **** poor.

For example, there are highways (395 & 295) without a shoulder for distressed vehicles, leaving them stuck in traffic lanes and narrowing what was a 3 lane highway to a 2 lane highway or a 2 lane highway to a 1 lane highway.

Another example is on/off ramps, you've got people getting on the ramp and off the ramp in the same space. In Alexandria, the on ramp for 395 south and off ramp to Duke Street East is a perfect example, causes congestion simply because of poor planning.

Then there is the lack of coordination of street lights in many places, if I'm New York Avenue, Wisconsin Avenue or others that flow people into and out of the city, coordinate the timing of the street lights so that traffic can flow smoothly.