Still Stuck in Traffic: Coping with Peak-Hour Traffic Congestion

by Anthony Downs

" Congested roads waste commuters' time, cost them money, and degrade the environment. Most Americans agree that traffic congestion is the major problem in their communities—and it only seems to be getting worse. In this revised and expanded edition of his landmark work Stuck in Traffic , Anthony Downs examines the benefits and costs of various anticongestion strategies. Drawing on a significant body of research by transportation experts and land-use planners, he counters environmentalists and road lobbyists alike by explaining why seemingly simple solutions, such as expanding public transit or expanding roads, have unintended consequences that cancel out their apparent advantages. He argues that while there might be some measurable gains from increasing housing densities, most other land-use strategies have little effect. Indeed, the most powerful solutions, including higher gasoline taxes, increased public funding for transit, and highway tolls, are also the least palatable politically. St ill Stuck in Traffic c ontains new material on the causes of congestion, its dynamics, and its relative incidence in various parts of the country. In clear and realistic terms, Downs seeks to explore why traffic congestion has become part of modern American life and how it can be kept under control. "

Genres: Nonfiction, Urban Planning, Transport, Urbanism

471 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Jerry Peace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting. We are our own enemy and we will not give up the fight. So I like Downs' suggestion- sit back, listen to music, have a companion, and treat traffic congestion as leisure time.

[Lance · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually feel rather bad rating this book a 3. It isn't bad, actually. It's just a dry eye-bleeding topic that has a lot of information to impart none of which is as scintillating as the latest romance novel. However, he does introduce some bastardized Shakespeare which, in a more generous mood (I'm hungry), would easily net a 4.

[Mark Kloha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since I work in transportation planning, and I've actually heard Anthony Downs speak at a conference, I decided to read his book. It has lots of numbers, math, and statistics and this book is not for your casual reader. This is an academic book looking into traffic congestion, what causes it, and what can be done about it. Basically, there is nothing new about traffic congestion. It will never go away entirely. In fact, a certain amount of traffic congestion translates into an area doing well more or less economically. The trick is to control the amount of traffic congestion and how to control it. He examines what strategies can work and what strategies will not work. If you are really interested in traffic congestion and don't mind a lot of statistics, then by all means, please read this book.

[Patrick Braga · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book really turns upside-down a lot of ideas about transportation policy, the role of transit and alternative transportation in cities, and the like. It is very lucidly and clearly written, and even if it can be rather dry sometimes, the data is right there to back up Downs's arguments. Downs is an economist, and this really shows in the way he conducts his analyses and makes suggestions, but it is important for planners and engineers alike to understand what he is saying and really think critically about the role of traffic in the city.

[Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Certainly informative, but I fell asleep somewhere in the middle and haven't picked it up since.

[Bob · Rating 5 out of 5]

The bible for transportation planners.