The SmartRoute's blog is moving to a new URL.  

As of 6/7/07 you can go to http://html.thebostonchannel.com/sh/blogger/bossmartroutesblog.html

We're still getting up to speed with the graphics and such, but it's the place to go to see our updates from now on. 

Here's a link to Channel 5's story about Boston City Councilor Robert Consalvo's idea to ask drivers to take a pledge to drive the speed limit.  Participating drivers would get a bumper sticker to identify them as a participant in the "Pace Car" program. 

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/13458415/detail.html

You can weigh in on Channel 5's survey, too.  Do you think this is a practical idea that would work?  As for me, I try to drive as safely as possible and follow speed limits, but I must admit a bumper sticker has never adorned my car's bumper and never will.  I am not a "sticker" person.  I must say I don't even like when glue is left behind on my windshield once I get my new MA inspection sticker.  Those of us who carry dusters in our car would probably not go for the bumper sticker option, but I would take the pledge!

What do you think?

Gas prices are at record high levels.  

Some experts believe that changing the way we drive and maintaining our vehicles can improve our gas mileage by as much as 20%, or more.

Here’s a list of very reasonable actions you can take to improve your gas mileage.

Driving Behavior

· Jackrabbit Starts – If you’re gunning it when the light changes, it’s like you’re pouring gas down the drain. Listen to your engine when you “floor it”, that’s the sound of your pockets emptying of money. Accelerate slowly.

· Slow down – Some estimates show that cars get about 21% better gas mileage at 55 mph then at 70 mph.

· Anticipate Stops – Look ahead as you’re driving. If there’s congestion or a stop sign ahead, take your foot off the gas, coast as much as possible. Getting to the red light faster isn’t going to save you time.

· Bumper to Bumper Traffic – Don’t be so aggressive in traffic. If traffic is jammed, the constant repetition of accelerating – braking – accelerating – braking… burns a huge amount of gas. You’ll get better mileage if you allow more space between your car and the car in front of you.

· Turn off the AC – Yes, it might be somewhat less comfortable. No-one said it was going to be easy.

· Right foot driving – Use your right foot to for both accelerating and braking. This reduces the chance that you might be accidentally riding the brake.

· Hills - Build up speed before you reach a hill; maintain steady speed on the up-slope, then coast down the other side.

· If you’re stopped for more than 30 seconds, shut off your engine.

Car Care Suggestions

· Tire Pressure – Make sure your tires are properly inflated.

· Keep your engine tuned – A hard starting engine wastes gas. Think about new spark plugs and filters. Having your mechanic tweak the timing could help too.

· Oil Change – Make sure to change your oil regularly.

· Keep your wheels aligned.

· Clean out your trunk – Every unnecessary pound increases gas consumption.

· Remove items that cause wind resistance such as luggage and bike racks.

Lifestyle Suggestions

· For shorter trips, walk or bike instead. Get a little exercise.

· Consider car pooling

· Take the MBTA

· Avoid driving during rush hour when you’re much more likely to sit in traffic.

· Let your kids run errands. They have young legs, make them can earn their rent.

· Consolidate Errands – Try to get everything done in one trip.

· Plan ahead so that you are not late and don’t need to speed to appointments.

A study done at the University of Warwick in the UK says that men read maps better than women.

I’m going to try to avoid the debate of the validity or accuracy of this study. I’m just a traffic reporter, and am not smart enough to debate the merits. I’m just passing on the link, so don’t yell at me.

Below is an article on the study in PerthNow.

http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,21819451-5005370,00.html

The Associated Press, via Yahoo News, has a story with list of ideas to improve gas mileage.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070529/ap_on_re_us/hypermilers_glance_1

#8 on the list is “Draft sensibly behind tractor-trailers”.

I ask this out of honest curiosity; is there really a sensible way to draft behind a tractor-trailer? I understand the gas saving benefit of doing this. I ride a bike and am fully aware of how much less energy is expended peddling in the draft of another bike. It’s significant.

But is the risk of collision worth advocating this activity, even with the caveat that it be done “sensibly”?

And what exactly does “sensible” mean in this case. How do you sensibly tailgate a tractor-trailer? In what circumstances is this safe activity? How can the average driver know what is sensible versus what is unsafe. Is there some recommended distance from tractor-trailers which is both safe and provides benefit for gas mileage?

Can anyone clarify this for me?

Here, by the way, is a good site:  

http://www.hypermiling.com

As far as I can see, there's no reference here to drafting tractor trailers. 

Yesterday I posted a blog about good and bad ways to improve gas mileage.

Adamg followed up with a comment that I should not have tarred all “Hypermilers” as being supporters and participants in some of the less positive techniques of improving gas mileage.

He is absolutely right. My first thought should have been to praise those “Hypermilers” who are doing everything they can to improve gas mileage and doing it in a safe manner. They are to be lauded, and the rest of us should do everything we can to emulate and replicate their efforts.

Adamg referred to a technique called “Pulse and Glide” that I was not previously familiar with. I’ve done a small amount of reading, and it appears that it’s a technique that is specific to owners of hybrid cars. In this technique, hybrid drivers alternate between periods of Pulsing and periods of Gliding while trying to avoid using the Prius’ large hybrid car battery.   If you have a hybrid, give it a go.

http://hybridcars.about.com/od/ownership/a/pulseandglide.htm

Boston Legal on the Green Line

Desperate Housewives on the Orange Line

Lost on the Blue Line

The View on the Red Line

It could happen.

Digital TV’s are being installed on subway trains in Beijing, China in advance of the Olympics.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/2008/2007-05/28/content_881833.htm

I drove up to Maine over the Memorial Day holiday weekend. On the way up, I saw two cars drafting on the back of different tractor-trailers. I was reminded of how this was a problem during the Energy Crisis back in the 70’s. In an effort to increase gas mileage, you draft behind trucks and use less gas.  Of course, you do it at great risk to your safety.

This is a technique of a new group of drivers called “Hypermilers”. Hypermilers go to extremes to get the best gas mileage possible out of their cars. Unfortunately, while increasing gas mileage is a worthy goal, these "Hypermilers" are doing it a dangerous way in many cases.

A couple of the more heinous tactics they use include:

- Drafting behind trucks. In this case, drivers will ride the bumper of a truck, usually on a highway at high speed.

- Avoid using brakes – Even in turns, even when stopping. Hypermilers will take turns as fast as possible in order not to lose momentum.

In addition to these techniques, which can be both illegal and dangerious, Hypermilers will drive well below the speed limit in an effort to increase mileage. This means that they may be on 93 – 128 – 495 going well below the speed limit.

I’m all for doing your best to increase your fuel mileage, but it should be done safely, in a manner that does not risk your safety or the safety of other drivers.  

1. Keep your tires properly inflated. Under inflated tires require more energy to run, over inflated tires will wear out much faster.
2. Remove unnecessary weight. Take everything out of your car that isn’t needed.
3. Don't drive aggressively. Start smoothly. Try to anticipate conditions ahead so that you don’t have to break quickly.
4. Observe speed limits.
5. Keep your car clean. When your car is dirty, the airflow is not as efficient and can affect gas mileage.
6. Keep your car well maintained. You will get better mileage with filters that are not old and fluids that are not spent.
7. Reduce use of air-conditioning.
8. Consolidate your errands. Do as many errands on one trip as possible.
9. Consider a more fuel efficient vehicle. 

A lot of people expected there would be no more traffic in Boston once the Big Dig was completed.   A lot of people expected Cape delays would disappear once "The Flyover" was finished.    Neither is true.   But that has nothing to do with whether the projects have been successful. 

"The Flyover" was expected to improve traffic heading to the Cape.   It has done that.  I don't believe it was expected to cure traffic woes leaving the Cape.   It hasn't. 

There has been a lot of anticipation and discussion of the new configuration on the approach to the Sagamore Bridge on Route 3 southbound. The new Route 3 “Flyover” has traffic down to one lane as it merges with traffic from the Scenic Highway and onto the bridge. There has been a lot of worry that having one lane would jam up traffic, and the delays would, in fact, be bigger than before.

However, on Friday and through the weekend, there were relatively few delays on Route 3 southbound. The only backup on Friday afternoon was a 3-mile delay on Route 3 southbound that was a direct result of a truck breakdown on the bridge. Once the breakdown cleared, the delays eased as well.

The return trip was less pleasant. There were significant delays (17 miles worth) coming off Cape on Monday afternoon, at the end of the Memorial Day weekend. However, this should not have been a surprise. In my understanding, the “Flyover” was not expected to improve the traffic flow leaving the Cape.

The choke point for traffic leaving the Cape has always been, and continues to be, the Sagamore Bridge itself. Fixing the traffic pattern on the other side of the bridge does little to improve the backups getting to the bridge. It might slightly improve the situation by making traffic move better over the bridge itself, but most of the problems leaving the Cape are a result of slow traffic caused by the bridge itself.

My experience and observation of traffic coming off the Cape is that it starts to move better, once over the peak of the bridge. Traffic would often back up on the bridge, approaching the rotary, but generally only if there was a crash (which admittely was often).  The rotary was not the cause for volume related delays.  "The Flyover" will certainly reduce the number of crashes, which should improve delays.  But the fact remains, the major cause of delays leaving the Cape, the Sagamore Bridge, is still there, unchanged. 

Now that Memorial Day is behind us, we turn our attention to "the morning after" Cape traffic.    This will be a pattern that we will see all summer long.  Many commuters choose to travel off Cape on a Monday morning.  If Monday is a holiday, motorists will leave on Tuesday morning.  Add Cape traffic to the usual morning rush, and it is a recipe for a very slow ride.  Expect lots of grumbling from late coworkers today.

Route 3 North backed up early this morning, and as of this writing, has yet to ease approaching Braintree.   Heavy traffic from about one mile prior to Route 53 in Hanover to the Braintree split lasted until about 9:30 AM.  Normal rush hour delays have traffic slow from Route 228 or Derby Street.  It was a one hour and 20 minute travel time from the Sagamore to Braintree this morning.  But that's not all.

Route 24 North was also a terrible ride.  Delays grew all morning and ultimately stretched back to Route 123.  It was a one hour drive from 495 to 128 this morning, and traffic finally eased off about 10 AM. 

Keep in mind that off Cape delays will be evident every Monday morning through the summer.  If you travel Routes 3, 24, or 495 north, expect lots of company on a Monday ride.  If a holiday falls on a Monday, then Tuesday will be a heavy Cape traffic day. 

By the way, traffic coming from NH was busier, but the delays were not terribly unusual this morning.  

Hey look, it’s another study (this time by GMAC Insurance) showing our driving weaknesses in Boston. Is anyone surprised? No? I’m not either.

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/automotive/13388189/detail.html

This one shows that many Massachusetts residents would NOT pass their drivers test if they were to take it today. And again, as almost all studies show, drivers in the Northeast score especially poorly.

The worst:

50. New York

49. New Jersey

48. Washington DC

47. Massachusetts

46. Rhode Island

Hmmm, I wonder if we should do something about this. Perhaps we could go back to traffic school. WCVB and thebostonchannel.com have opened their own traffic school. Your teacher today will be Cindy Campbell. She carries a ruler.

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/traffic/13359264/detail.html

Here, by the way is the link to the Massachusetts RMV driver’s manual.

http://www.mass.gov/rmv/dmanual/index.htm

Please study it. There will be a test later, and Cindy promises to use the ruler if you fail.

The Boston Police Department has launched "Operation Crosswalk" in order to target drivers who do not stop for pedestrians in a crosswalk.  In a three-hour period, 62 drivers were pulled over for not stopping for pedestrians on Tremont Street.  State laws mandate that pedestrians in a crosswalk have the right of way.  

Hopefully, more public safety and awareness campaigns like this will keep pedestrians safe.  Personally, I welcome this campaign.  My sister was hit in the middle of a crosswalk and is permanently disabled, so anything that helps raise awareness and helps pedestrians and drivers safely navigate the roadways is good news.

Here's a link to Channel 5's story.  There is also a survey, too.

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/13376798/detail.html

This was posted a couple of months ago, but I think it’s still good information, in case you are pulled over.   Not that you ever do anything wrong that would require a cop pull you over.

http://exhibitanews.com/article.htm/2007/03/26/5-things-to-remember-when-you-get-pulled-over-by-a-cop

From the Executive Office of Public Safety:

The Massachusetts State Police and over 230 local police departments are participating in the Spring 2007 Click It or Ticket Mobilization that runs May 14th to June 3th. This statewide effort combines extra traffic enforcement, public information, and community outreach to reduce motor vehicle crashes, with special emphasis on the upcoming Memorial Day weekend. There were four motor vehicle-related fatalities over the holiday weekend in Massachusetts in 2006.

This Click It or Ticket Mobilization is coordinated by the Executive Office of Public Safety's Highway Safety Division. Click It or Ticket has helped to increase safety belt use by 16% in Massachusetts between 2002 and 2006 to a record high of 67%. However, Massachusetts still lags behind the national rate of 81%.

It’s National Seatbelt Week

During this week, the president was caught on camera driving on his ranch without buckling up. It was on private property, so it wasn’t a crime.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2007/05/bush_drives_wit.html

Vehicle Infrastructure Integration.

Several years ago I attended a conference in Detroit where this VII initiative was discussed.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070521/COL12/705210345/1007/NEWS05

At the time it was a concept and a proposal by the automotive industry and transportation technology companies. The VII system uses radio and GPS systems to allow vehicles to communicate with each other as well as to a central operations center. This information can be on upcoming breakdowns, emergency crews, as well as oncoming vehicles. If the road is slippery ahead, a car ahead can communicate that information to your vehicle. The information gleaned from VII systems could also help improve congestion by giving traffic management systems such as is operated by Mass Highway and the Mass Turnpike much better and faster information.

WCVB has posted a new page on their web site, Jeff and Cindy’s Traffic School.

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/traffic/13359264/detail.html

“Traffic School” is our effort to get people to think about their driving and, hopefully, to improve their skills.

If you’re from Boston, chances are your skills need improvement.

Our formal driver’s education ends when we get our driver’s license. For most of us that’s when we’re just teenagers. I’m 44 years old. That means I haven’t had a refresher course in 28 years. I’ve developed bad habits. I make bad decisions. I put myself into positions that are less than ideal. I need to be a better driver, especially with a young son who is in the back seat most of the time.

“Traffic School” is our ham-handed way to improve the driving skills of Boston drivers.

Bad drivers will not read this. If you’ve read this far, then you’re probably a good, or at least a conscientious driver. But you’re not perfect – nobody is.

We'll try to update the page with a new article once or twice a week. If you have thoughts about subject matter, please feel free to drop me an e-mail: jlarson@smartroute.com

This Memorial Day weekend is really the first major test of the newly built Sagamore Flyover that has replaced the Sagamore Rotary. Long the pinchpoint for Cape bottlenecks, the rotary was difficult to negotiate.

Here’s a brief primer on the Sagamore Flyover for those of you using it for the first time. Bear in mind that we expect some curiosity slowdowns as drivers get a look at the new configuration for the holiday weekend. Keep your eyes on the road!

Motorists on Route 3 South no longer have to navigate their way through the rotary. Instead, Route 3 is now a straight shot to the bridge. You will see a lane drop, from two lanes to one, right before the Sagamore Bridge. The lane drop is to accommodate traffic coming from the Scenic Highway onto the Sagamore Bridge.

It’s a good idea to get a look at this before your drive it. The Cape Cod Times has made a three-part video called “Learning to Flyover.” Go to www.capecodonline.com and click on “video.”

Please let us know your experiences with the Sagamore Flyover.

In anticipation of Memorial Day and the traffic it brings, it’s a good idea to go over some of the traffic patterns that we will see leading up to the holiday weekend.

Thursday afternoon: Heavy afternoon traffic is expected. You will see delays approaching New Hampshire and the Cape, and the Pike will be heavy, too.

Friday afternoon: Light morning traffic, very heavy afternoon holiday traffic on all major routes. Don’t forget that a lot of businesses let their employees leave early for the holiday weekend, thus bringing more cars onto the roadway after noon.

Saturday and Sunday: If it is a nice weekend, expect beach traffic and lots of it.

Monday: Memorial Day. Light holiday morning volume. Extensive afternoon delays will begin around 1 or 2 PM, depending on the weather. If it is a nice day, people tend to stay at their vacation spot longer.  The hotels let out around 11 AM, so expect volume forming anytime after that.

In fact, expect Monday morning Cape traffic to be heavy throughout the summer. Many people decide to commute to work on Monday morning to avoid delays on Sunday. We see increased volume coming down from New Hampshire on Mondays, too, but not as much as comes off-Cape.

Tuesday (day after Memorial Day): Very heavy morning ride, especially coming off-Cape. Route 6, 495 and 3 will carry Cape traffic to add to the morning rush.

Save money by splitting the driving.   Save time in the car pool lane.   Take a car off the road.

The price of gas is at an all-time high and seems likely to go higher. Rush hour congestion is growing and shows no sign of subsiding. 

If you drive the highways regularly you know that the vast majority of rush hour commuters are in their cars alone.

Robin Chase of Cambridge, the former CEO and creator of ZipCar has started up GoLoco.com to help people who might be interested in car pooling, but don't know how to find a partner.

http://www.townonline.com/cambridge/homepage/x1263110373

www.goloco.org

People who frequently drive are more active online and savvy than the average consumer.

http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/2007/05/18/drivers-more-active-online

Hopefully drivers aren't surfing while behind the wheel.

USA Today has a story stating that Americans are driving less than we used to because of high gas prices.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-05-17-gas-prices_N.htm

In our Operations Center we observed a significant decline in volume shortly after Hurricane Katrina, when gas prices first rose to over $3 per gallon. I can’t say that we are seeing the same drop in traffic volume with prices spiking yet again.

When the weather is a factor is slowing down the ride, as it was today, many problems develop.  When it's raining, we tend to report visibility issues, slower speeds, spinouts, and generally longer drivetimes.  This morning's award for the longest drivetime goes to Route 24. 

An accident this morning involving a dump truck blocked the center lane of Route 24 North at Route 139 at about 6 AM.  The crash took a long while to clear, as the dump truck also lost a bobcat (piece of equipment, not the fuzzy kind with fangs and claws) in the roadway, too.  Backups at worst extended back to Route 495.  Traffic was at a standstill.  We reported a one hour and ten minute ride from 495 to 128.  For reference, a speed limit ride on Route 24 would be about 17 minutes.

As soon as that crash cleared, another one happened right at Route 106.  No relief for Route 24 travelers today.

Story #1:

http://www.openmass.org/bills/show/3368

A meeting was held yesterday at the state house on House 3684 – It is a petition filed at the request of Leonard Golder regarding the establishment of toll booths at the New Hampshire border on certain highways. This is an idea to put tolls on Routes 3, 93, 95, 495, the major highways from New Hampshire into Massachusetts.

The money raised would, theoretically, go to transportation projects.

Story #2:

In New Hampshire, some people are having problems with the EZ-Pass system incorrectly targeting them for payment on toll fines and fees.

http://www.seacoastonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070516/NEWS/70516002

When you’re driving, you observe the overall flow of traffic. Traffic moves in a fluid manner, not dissimilar from the movement of a river or stream. Not everyone is moving at the same pace, but there’s a general flow that is predictable and observable. When a vehicle enters this flow by bouncing from lane to lane and changing speeds, it interrupts the flow. It creates an unpredictable commotion. It’s in this commotion, this disruption, that there is a higher risk of collisions and injury.

Predictability may not be something you ascribe to in daily life. It’s not considered romantic to be predictable, but it’s a very important in being a good driver.

You’ve seen the driver who is all over the road weaving between lanes, tailgating, and speeding up or slowing down. He’s always looking for the fastest lane, impatient to get there, wherever that may be, as fast as possible.

This kind of driving behavior causes accidents. When someone is driving unpredictably at varying speeds and quickly changing lanes in an unsafe manner, it makes it much more likely that other people will make a wrong decision. It’s also much more likely that other drivers will be unaware of his presence. Often it’s the case that this kind of erratic behavior will result in a collision that doesn’t even involve the driver who was acting erratically.

The ironic thing is that this erratic (bad) driver likely thinks he’s a good driver. That’s why he’s driving like he is. It’s this unfounded confidence in his own ability that convinces him that he can drive in a far riskier manner without consequence. It disregards the needs of other drivers for predictable and consistent behavior on the part of other drivers. It’s this false skill that puts the rest of us in danger. We have no way of knowing where he is going next, if we even know he’s there in the first place. This unpredictability is a major issue in collisions.

The truth is the actual amount of time saved by a driver weaving in an out of traffic is quite small. Admittedly it is a little faster, but only a little. Let’s list the downside:

You know they guy sitting next to you got a better deal on his ticket. There’s a new web site that claims, with 75% accuracy to be able to tell you the best time to buy your airline tickets.

http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=internetNews&storyID=2007-05-15T090519Z_01_N14329160_RTRUKOC_0_US-TRAVEL-INTERNET.xml

http://www.farecast.com

Now you can be the smug guy with the cheap ticket.

From our friends at the Dept. of Conservation and Recreation:

The General Edwards Bridge on Route 1A connecting Lynn and Revere is scheduled to close this weekend to vehicular and pedestrian traffic.  The closure will happen from 3 AM Saturday, May 19 to 5 AM Monday, May 21.  They are testing the counterweights on the bridge span.  If the work is completed earlier than 5 AM Monday, the bridge will open up a bit sooner. 

Traffic will be detoured to Route 107 (Broadway in Revere, Western Ave. in Lynn) during this closure period.

Every time there’s a study / survey / analysis of the worst American drivers / worst places to drive / worst road rage Boston is at or near the top. Another story is in the national media today.

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/13320203/detail.html

One of the unfortunate things about these stories is that we Bostonians take pride in these badges of dishonor. We think of it as a joke, or a right of passage.

It’s not. It’s sad and dangerous and costly.

The fact is (and it is a fact) that we drive badly. This means that we have more accidents, are more likely to get hurt, experience higher levels of stress and anger, have higher insurance costs and end up sitting in more traffic than we need to.

If we were better drivers we would save money, sit in less traffic, have less stress and get to our destinations faster. Seems smart, doesn’t it?

I heard people talking about this story this morning we saying that we need to relax and “take a deep breath” when driving. And that may be true, but it takes much more than just that. We need to drive better, and that means paying better attention, making better decisions, planning our route better, as well as being more courteous.

Thebostonchannel.com has a discussion about why we are so rude.

http://forums.ibsys.com/viewmessages.cfm?sitekey=bos&Forum=6&Topic=15887

Most of us think that tractors roll along on their wheels, of course.  Click this link below to see how some drivers think a tractor moves best.  Certainly not the fastest way, but innovative, yes!

http://englishrussia.com/?p=918

We have seen turkeys, geese, dogs, cats, moose, and even cows in the roadway before, but this morning brought animal-related drama of a different sort: llama drama!

It seems three llamas escaped from their “fama” (a.k.a. farmer) in Dedham this morning. They ran into an empty parking lot near Route 135, ran around and had some fun before they were captured. Hey, llamas want to commute, too. Perhaps they caught our Route 128 traffic report and wanted to see the delays first hand! Or first hoof in this case. Perhaps the llamas’ next trip will be to the Bahamas.

All bad jokes aside, no one was injured and no traffic tieups resulted.