In recent years, an increasing number of people have become concerned about traffic congestion. Latest debates centered on whether the government should provide free public transportation to improve the situation. I strongly disagree with this point since there are more cost-effective options, such as promoting flexible working schedules and improving road network designs.
Firstly, it is obvious that a significant amount of traffic jams occurred during rush hours. During these periods, the traffic volume increases not only rapidly but also significantly in amount, creating a situation that is too overwhelming for the road systems to bear, especially in urban areas. The government may financially motivate employers, such as companies and their own offices, to apply flexible working hours to flatten the traffic distribution. Consequently, traffic volume during peak hours will decrease, which will immediately reduce the possibility of conjunctions.
In addition, we could also improve the road network planning. A latest survey shows that over eighty percent of conjunctions happened near major transportation hubs. Therefore, by utilizing the historic data and simulating traffic flows on road networks to perform forecasts with the support of data analytical techniques, the government may position all existing and potential congestion locations. Nextly, it can optimize the road network designs, such as constructing additional transition roads to ease the situation with a limited amount of spending.
It is true that providing free public transportation will be helpful to address the congestion issue since it will encourage more people to switch their commuting methods from private vehicles to subway systems or buses. However, it will increase the government’s financial burden significantly because the public transportation system generates a remarkable amount of income each year. Giving up this amount of income by turning public transportation into free services could make this option an expensive one.
In conclusion, although free public transportation may ease traffic congestion, promoting stretch working hours and optimizing road networks are superior options in the context of cost consideration. By taking these affordable actions, the government can effectively address the issue and improve the situation.