Intellectual Defenestration

More Reasons to work at home

From the Baltimore Sun:

Planning Baltimore's transportation future may be harder than it looks, according to a Brookings Institution expert who studies the topic globally.

Anthony Downs, senior fellow at the Washington think tank, told about 450 business and civic leaders at the Downtown Partnership's State of Downtown Baltimore breakfast today, that traffic congestion will only get worse here and elsewhere, given a rising population and increasing levels of prosperity.

...

"Get used to it," he told his audience at the Wyndham Baltimore Inner Harbor. "Traffic congestion is here to stay, and there's nothing you can do to get rid of it. There are some things that can be done to slow down the speed with which it gets worse, but you cannot eliminate it."

Although, it's not as bad as it could be.

Downs reminded the audience that Baltimore suffers a far less severe traffic congestion problem than many U.S. cities. Baltimore ranks 25th in the nation for traffic congestion, according to the most recent figures available, he said.

I actually would be interested to know how and to what extent the growing population of telecommuters has an impact on traffic patterns. Not having to deal with traffic on a major basis is one of the top benefits to me of working at home (the flipside being that I don't get any snow days).

The geeky side of me wonders what the future holds for solutions to traffic issues. Star Trek-style "beaming", flying cars, something else entirely?

February 3, 2004 08:25 PM