Traffic congestion and its solutions
A few potential solutions to reduce traffic jams and bottlenecks.
Traffic jams and bottlenecks are a daily headache for motorists across Quebec. Here are some possible solutions.
When traffic jams keep getting longer
Of Canada’s 20 worst bottlenecks, five are in Montreal and one is in Quebec City.1 Though they affect only 65km in all, the annual cost of traffic delays on these roads is enormous:
- 11.5 million hours in lost time to drivers
- 22 million litres in wasted fuel
- 58,000 tonnes of GHGs
- A recent survey found that 62% of motorists believe traffic congestion is getting worse
1. As reported in a comprehensive study on road congestion in Canada, conducted by CPCS for CAA in 2018.
When traffic jams keep getting longer
Things you can do to reduce congestion
Learn the zipper merge (video in French only)
Don’t brake (video in French only)
Quit rubbernecking (video in French only)
10 low-cost solutions to ease traffic congestion
There’s no one solution or magic cure for traffic congestion. Bridges, tunnels, expressways, and mass transit networks need improvements, but other faster, less expensive solutions have also proven effective elsewhere.
See a summary of all solutions proposed in the CPSC study