Subject: Beltway Traffic Jams --I don't understand!!

From: [email-masked] (Alex8940)
Date: 2 Aug 1995 17:56:41 -0400

Can someone explain why between the hours of 4:30 and 7:00 there is a
miserable backup on the interloop starting at Wisconsin Ave and stretching
to Georgia Ave ?  I swear, as soon as we pass that exit the pace picks up
from 15 mph to 45 mph.  What's strange is that very few cars get off at
the exit, in fact, I've kept track of the cars along side of me and as
soon as we all go over the bridge, all the cars speed up as if that bridge
had been some kind of obstacle.

What's going on ?????!!!!!!
Claudia

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From: [email-masked]
Date: 3 Aug 1995 10:58:53 -0400

In article <[email-masked]>,
Alex8940 <[email-masked]> wrote:
}Can someone explain why between the hours of 4:30 and 7:00 there is a
}miserable backup on the interloop starting at Wisconsin Ave and stretching
}to Georgia Ave ?  I swear, as soon as we pass that exit the pace picks up
}from 15 mph to 45 mph.  What's strange is that very few cars get off at
}the exit, in fact, I've kept track of the cars along side of me and as
}soon as we all go over the bridge, all the cars speed up as if that bridge
}had been some kind of obstacle.

}What's going on ?????!!!!!!

You'd have to watch the pattern start to figure it out-- it's possible
to get "standing waves" in traffic that persist long after the reason
for it was gone.

-- 
Matthew T. Russotto      [email-masked]     [email-masked]
"Extremism in defense of liberty is no vice, and moderation in pursuit
of justice is no virtue."

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From: [email-masked] (Joe Gregor)
Date: Fri, 4 Aug 95 08:14:44 GMT

The demonstrable need for meaningful driver training and certification.

        -- Joe

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From: [email-masked] (David Wiecking)
Date: 3 Aug 1995 11:21:10 -0400

Alex8940 ([email-masked]) wrote:
: Can someone explain why between the hours of 4:30 and 7:00 there is a
: miserable backup on the interloop starting at Wisconsin Ave and stretching
: to Georgia Ave ?  I swear, as soon as we pass that exit the pace picks up
: from 15 mph to 45 mph.  What's strange is that very few cars get off at
: the exit, in fact, I've kept track of the cars along side of me and as
: soon as we all go over the bridge, all the cars speed up as if that bridge
: had been some kind of obstacle.

Sight distance, pure and simple. People naturally slow down when they aren't
sure what's ahead, but are fairly certain it's alot of traffic. If the road
were straight through the Rock Creek Rollercoaster, things would be faster.
Another contributing factor is the uphill climb just before Georgia Ave,
which also makes people naturally slow down.

Not to mention more cars using this stretch than it can properly handle. 

: What's going on ?????!!!!!!

Live human beings are piloting their cars.
-- 
-=dave wiecking, bethesda, md           
  [email-masked] is used the most
  [email-masked] and [email-masked] also work

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From: [email-masked] (Kenneth T. Cornelius)
Date: 3 Aug 1995 15:35:39 GMT

: Claudia

That's the curviest section of the entire beltway right there.  You also 
have three very busy roads feeding traffic onto the beltway, and there's 
lots of lane switching.  (make that four roads--I forgot 270.)

--
Kenneth T. Cornelius  
[email-masked]

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From: [email-masked]
Date: 3 Aug 1995 20:04:20 GMT

>lots of lane switching.  (make that four roads--I forgot 270.)

But I've also noticed the same thing happening in the morning in the opposite 
direction.  That is, as you approach the Georgia Ave. exit from the east on 
the outer loop.  It's jammed until you get to Georgia Ave., and then traffic 
suddenly speeds up, just as it ENTERS the curvy part.

Or is it just my imagination? :)

--Girirajan--

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From: [email-masked] (Jonathan Hazzard)
Date: 3 Aug 1995 20:43:54 GMT

THREE things are involved:
    1) heavy traffic that exceeds the road's capacity exascerbated by 
merging traffic joining at 270, Wisconsin, and Conn Ave;
    2) repeated sharp curves that slower vehicles like trucks must slow 
down for, at least to the speed limit, which forces faster vehicles to 
change lanes, slowing those lanes in turn, and they block two friends, 
and so on, and so on...;
    3) the steep hill preceding Georgia Ave which keeps many vehicles
speeds down near the speed limit, even without traffic in front.  It's not
that people CAN'T drive faster, accelerating up the hill, it's that they
don't realize that they have an open lane and that they are only doing 50. 

  Once traffic reaches the crest of the hill, right at the Georgia Ave. 
overpass, cars speed up on the flatter ground.  It's really a
psychological thing--many drivers don't realize that they are
accelerating.  I have a hard time refraining from honking at the idiots
who do 45 in the left lane with an open lane in front of them.  NOW YOU
KNOW WHO YOU ARE!  :)

         ~~~~     Jonathan
        ~c--oo    [email-masked]
            -