Traffic Congestion Dips as Economy Falters

High supply, falling demand will ease prices, say experts

(NEWSER) - Gas prices are holding steady at $3.92 a gallon, and that could be on the verge of coming down, reports USA Today . With a key benchmark falling to a two-month low yesterday and growing signs of a global economic slowdown, experts think pump prices will fall short of the most dire predictions , as well as short of last year's $3.99 high and the all-time record of $4.11 set in 2008. Already in pricier markets, such as Chicago and Los Angeles, prices have dropped as much as 20 cents per gallon. More»

Republicans plan to make it a big issue

(NEWSER) - The AP is out with stats that will not be welcome news at the White House: Gas is at $3.53 a gallon, up 25 cents from Jan. 1. Worse, one forecast sees $4.25 a gallon by May. And as the New York Times reports, the GOP can't wait to make this a campaign issue. “This debate is a debate we want to have,” John Boehner told House Republicans this week, according to an anonymous aide. "Certainly, this summer will see the highest gas prices in years. Your constituents saw those reports, and they’ll be talking about it.” More»

Meet the 'diverging diamond' approach, which is catching on

(NEWSER) - Traffic engineers hate left turns because they slow everybody down and are dangerous to boot. Solutions such as dedicated lanes or routing traffic over intersections don't truly solve the problems. What to do? Slate takes a look at an emerging idea called the "diverging diamond interchange," which eliminates left turns altogether. The first one in the US went up in 2009 in Springfield, Missouri, and others are now in the works. More»

405 closure leads to crazy discounts, viral videos, possible flash mobs

(NEWSER) - LA residents are planning to flee or hunker down this weekend as a 10-mile stretch of the 405, one of the nation's busiest freeways, shuts down for 53 hours. For non-Angelenos: This is a big deal, hence the nicknames "Carmageddon" and "Carpocalypse." Some of the most amusing developments:

• Some businesses are offering discounts to woo customers tempted to stay home, the Wall Street Journal reports. A pet photog who makes house calls will give you 20% off with her "4-0-fido" deal. A tattoo shop on a sure-to-be-clogged thoroughfare is offering 15% off. One restaurant will serve a $40.05 four-course meal; a bar is offering $5 Irish Car Bombs and Cadillac Margaritas.
• JetBlue ran a "Fly Over the 405" special—$4 one-way tickets between Burbank and Long Beach, a 40-mile, 20-minute trip. That sold out in less than four hours, the Los Angeles Times notes, but you can still snag a $150 luxury helicopter ride over the traffic snarl, the WSJ adds.

May showed first decline since January 2010

(AP) - Americans spent in May at the weakest pace in 20 months, a sign that high gas prices and unemployment are holding back the economy. Consumer spending was unchanged, the worst result since September 2009, the Commerce Department said today. When adjusted for inflation, spending actually dropped 0.1%—the first decline in inflation-adjusted spending since January 2010. More»