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Re: traffic lights




Any operating systems student will remind you that timed lights are only 
effective on one-way streets. On two way streets they can only optimize 
one direction of traffic. Thus, timed lights are best for rush-hour 
traffic, but for not for general use. There are more complex schemes 
which aim to minimize  the number of stops and waiting time for all cars, 
but I'm skeptical. At Columbia's engineering school, there's (was?) a 
computerized elevator control system. Nice color monitors, but the waits 
seem(ed) as long as ever. So much for heuristics... 

I remember a taxi ride in NY up 10th Ave/Amsterdam (a one-way street)
without stopping at a light from the village to 121st street. What a
city... 


-Dave
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David L. Robinowitz			                dlr@clark.net
Georgetown University School of Medicine '99   (202) 387-1662 (phone)


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