Traffic congestion has reached crisis point in some places in the US, but not everyone believes that congestion is a major national problem, warranting a federal government response according to a new report by the Congressional Research Service.
As congestion is a largely geographically defined, metropolitan issue, congressional action to date has tended to favour a local response. This approach is predicted to continue, but if congestion were to be escalated and defined as an issue of national significance, it will be a major future policy focus. Signs of this approach are already emerging with the US DOT “National Strategy to Reduce Congestion” which places congestion at the heart of the federal surface transport programme. Congestion charging demonstrations are also ongoing with nine cities being selected by the US DOT as semi-finalists for the ‘Urban Partnerships’ programme, which will be witled down to five in due course.
This report helps remind us of what an International and local issue congestion is and the impact it can have on our daily lives. Steps to tackle congestion are being taken the world over. Promising outcomes are predicted, but only time will tell what results we can expect.
(Source: Cascadia Prospectus)
