Complex Numbers

In a Jam

Very short article today, which is good because I don't really have much energy to comment on it.

Mathematicians have solved traffic jams, and they’re begging cities to listen  
Mathematicians are unimpressed by engineers’ solutions.

I know the headline talks about engineering and mathematics, but it's about something most of us have to deal with on a personal level.

Most traffic jams are unnecessary, and this deeply irks mathematicians who specialize in traffic flow.

Not as much as it irks drivers.

Krylatov would like to solve urban traffic jams forever, so much so that he has coauthored a book of new math approaches to traffic and ways to implement them.

I've said before that I don't mind people using articles to promote their book. This might be an exception. Few people who read this article are in a position to give a damn what the book says.

1. All drivers need to be on the same navigation system.

Yeah, that's going to happen. Maybe when people get over their fear of autonomous vehicles, which will be shortly after pigs fly and right before hell freezes over.

I had a rant prepared in my mind about that, but now it's going to have to wait.

2. Parking bans. Many urban roads are too narrow and cannot be physically widened.

What's the damn point of driving anywhere and suffering through traffic jams if there won't be a place to park?

3. Green lanes. For cities that want to increase electric car use, special lanes should be created for electric cars, providing an incentive for their use.

Or, you know, you could put the parking back in.

4. Digital twins. Traffic demands and available infrastructure can only be balanced with digital modeling that creates an entire “twin” of existing roadways.

I know I haven't messed with traffic engineering for many years, but this bit made no sense to me.

And just in case you were wondering, “The mathematical approach in this case is superior to the engineering and economic one.”

Look. Yes, it's been a while for me. But one thing hasn't changed since I went to engineering school: Engineers do not ignore mathematics. It's, like, an integral part of what they do. If a mathematician comes up with better traffic modeling ideas, I guarantee you it's not the engineers who aren't listening.

It's the politicians.