High Speed ORT Lanes?
You've got to love these Open Road Tolling lanes! They really are helpful while you're sitting underneath them at 0mph, during the tail end of rush hour!
Labels: NW Tollway, traffic
What Happened on the NW Tollway this Morning?
Abby Ryan told us all about the "Crash on the Westbound NW Tollway" - but that didn't explain exactly what us reverse commuters saw around 8:30 this morning. There were a total of about 15 cars pulled over to both sides of the road, for about a mile east of Arlington Heights Road, to at least another half mile past the exit. One fire truck, one ambulance, and a bunch of smashed up cars. Many of them had flat front tires.
I seriously am befuddled. The only possible thing that I could think of is that there was a big crash that shattered glass all over the place, which then punctured tires of the cars behind them - causing them to smash into others? That might make sense - except the two furthest along cars were silver Lincoln Town Cars with Livery plates, both undamaged!
Anyone witness it?
Labels: NW Tollway, traffic
Who's Cramming The Roads?
This
New York Times Article discusses (and dispels) some of the common myths surrounding New York City traffic. Perhaps the most surprising, is the fact that 35% of all government workers in the city drive to work - due to the incentive of free parking.
I wouldn't be surprised if a similar statistic was happening in Chicago. Just drive on the highway (or Lake Shore Drive, for that matter) during a federal or bank holiday! It's amazing how much smoother it is. Government - maybe you're the problem!
Link via
Freakonomics BlogLabels: Politics, traffic
Increased Traffic Flow = Increased Fuel Efficiency
It sounds like a no-brainer, but a real economic factor that plays into commuting is often overlooked - idling in stop & go traffic is terrible on the gas mileage! This is where hybrid drivetrains have such an advantage over normal engines, because it allows them to run on strictly battery during the bumper-to-bumper, 3mph lurches that are common. Once working at 70mph, that Prius isn't getting much better mileage than a Corvette.
The ORT conversion of many of our roads will be a cost savings to drivers in many respects - time, stress, and gas prices. And amazingly, the ORT conversion is actually working. This week is the first week where the entire commuting workforce is back to work - no national holidays, no leftover New Year's vacation time. And while traffic on the Kennedy remains slow - it is notably quicker than a few weeks ago. Average downtown to O'Hare time are in the 30 minute range - as opposed to the 40-50 minute range. That's a nice time savings. Add on the increased 10-15% improvement in fuel economy, and it starts to look nice for everybody!
Labels: Kennedy, traffic
Happy New Year!
Welcome back to the world of commuting, dear readers. By now, most of us are back at work - yet those of us riding the Kennedy every day surely have noticed that traffic is moving faster! This is partly due to the ORT lanes being (mostly) finished on both sides of toll plazas! Cash lane work will now continue until June 2007, after which we will have one more ORT lane on the outbound side, but beyond that - it's pretty much done!
The post-holiday week is also responsible for some of our lighter-than-average traffic, as well as the decline in tourism this time of year. But, lest you get used to going the speed limit on the highways, soon the Cubs season will be upon us and traffic will slow to a crawl again. Enjoy it while it lasts, my fellow commuters, for we are now in PRIME TIME for smooth driving.
Labels: Construction, Kennedy, traffic
