congestion

14 Stories

Another SE Asian Nation May Be Moving Its Capital

Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is considering such a switch to provide relief to overcrowded Bangkok

(Newser) - Bangkok is beset by a slew of issues tied to overcrowding, including pollution, traffic congestion, and even sea level rise. That's led Thailand's prime minister to consider a drastic solution: moving the capital elsewhere. The two options that seem the most feasible in Prayut Chan-o-cha's mind, per...

Elon Musk Shares First Photo of Tunnel Under LA

He wasn't joking about digging a tunnel to avoid traffic

(Newser) - When Elon Musk said late last year that the "soul-destroying" Los Angeles traffic was driving him nuts and he was going to "just start digging," a lot of people thought he was joking . Then he started digging. On Monday, the tech billionaire shared a photo on Instagram...

Girl Blows Nose, Solves 6-Month Mystery

The 5-year-old forgot to tell her mom about that sandcastle of safety pins

(Newser) - A California family has finally solved the six-month mystery of what was causing 5-year-old Khloe Russell's nose to constantly exude thick, green, stinky snot—a mystery that even stumped several doctors they visited. It turns out the reason the multiple rounds of antibiotics prescribed for what appeared to be...

Interchange Design Eliminates Left Turns

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...

America's 75 Worst Commutes
 America's 75 Worst Commutes 
Dept. of Road Rage
Oct 3, 2010 9:46 AM CDT

America's 75 Worst Commutes

How does your 'highway to hell' rank?

(Newser) - We all know LA has a traffic problem, but Honolulu? It's No. 2 in the nation, finds the Daily Beast , which crunched the numbers to rank America's 75 worst commutes. Some of the highlights:
  • No. 3, Capital Beltway, Washington, DC: This slow moving route totals an average of 194 hours
...

Loose Zebra Causes Havoc in Atlanta

Ringling Bros. circus animal apprehended on congested highway

(Newser) - An escaped Ringling Brothers circus zebra led police on a mile-long high-speed chase yesterday in Atlanta, interfering with traffic on the city’s already congested Interstate. The episode lasted about 40 minutes, the AP reports. “All of a sudden a freaking zebra comes running down the street like a...

Traffic Congestion Dips as Economy Falters

US sees two-year congestion decline for first time ever

(Newser) - Drivers are spending less time stuck in rush-hour traffic for a second straight year, the first-ever 2-year decline in congestion. Blame high gas prices and the economic downturn, which have forced many Americans to change how they commute. In individual cities, Los Angeles traffic is getting better but is still...

Smooching Gets Kiss-Off in London Rail Station Ban

Lip-lockers confined to 'kissing zone'

(Newser) - "Mind the Kissing Ban" could become the watchphrase of London train stations just as its subways are known for the "Mind the Gap" warning. Officials have posted signs barring kissing in certain sections of the renovated Warrington Bank Quay station because tarrying lovers are causing too much congestion,...

Frisco Debates Downtown Traffic Fee
Frisco Debates Downtown Traffic Fee
Dec 30, 2008 4:27 AM CST

Frisco Debates Downtown Traffic Fee

Motorists balk at prospect of paying up to $5 to drive to city center

(Newser) - A plan to charge motorists for driving downtown in peak hours could be a step too far even for famously green San Francisco, the Los Angeles Times reports. City officials say the plan, which would be the first of its kind in the nation if it passes, would reduce traffic...

San Francisco Pioneers Smart Parking Spots

Wireless sensor network will alert drivers to open spaces

(Newser) - The streets of San Francisco will be getting smarter this fall, reports the New York Times. The city is pioneering a program to add sensors to thousands of parking spaces; drivers will be alerted to empty spaces through displays on street signs or via their smartphones. City officials hope the...

Plane Trips Grow Longer
Plane Trips Grow Longer
Apr 18, 2008 11:33 AM CDT

Plane Trips Grow Longer

Carriers add up to 50% to flight times as congestion adds to ground, air delays

(Newser) - Air travel is the slowest it's been in the past 20 years, thanks to increased congestion both on the runway and in the air. A flight from Las Vegas to New York took 4 hours, 37 minutes in 1988, but that same route now requires over 6 hours, reports USA ...

London Punishes Gas Guzzlers
London Punishes Gas Guzzlers
Feb 12, 2008 5:10 PM CST

London Punishes Gas Guzzlers

Biggest offenders will pay $50 a day to enter city

(Newser) - London will charge the biggest gas guzzlers on the road $50 a day to enter the city, the Times of London reports. The greenest cars, meanwhile, will pay nothing. Mayor Ken Livingstone revised his car-congestion charge to punish SUVs and sports cars by tripling the cost for them, beginning in...

Prez Orders Action to Reduce Flight Delays

Panel will produce plan to cut traffic at Kennedy Airport by end of year

(Newser) - After a summer of nightmarish ordeals for airline passengers, President Bush yesterday ordered his transportation secretary to sit down with the airlines and do something to reduce delays and improve treatment of travelers by next summer. “There’s a lot of anger amongst our citizens about the fact that,...

US Gives Big Jump to NYC Traffic Plan

Bloomberg proposal gets $354M boost, but state legislature must still approve

(Newser) - The federal government has promised to pitch in $354M toward an environmentally sensitive plan to suppress car traffic in Manhattan, New York's busiest borough. But the scheme's chief proponent, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, must still win the approval of the New York state legislature, which initially chafed at his proposal, the...

14 Stories