Highway Upgrade to Relieve Congestion in London Area

摘要

The United Kingdom's Highways Agency is in the process of completing a ￡301-million (U.S.$537-million) project to widen a 17.5 km stretch of highway near London. The highway-the M1-is a main artery leading north from the city, and the stretch being upgraded is one of the most congested anywhere in the United Kingdom. In addition to widening the highway to ease traffic and implementing traffic management technology to better control congestion, the upgrade incorporates a number of design and material reuse strategies developed with the environment in mind. Unlike most highways, this portion of the M1 does not experience rush hour peaks. As Geoff Bethel, the project manager for the widening scheme, explains it, "With the M1, because the scheme is near the capital, we have a steady flow of traffic during the day, so the peak in the morning starts earlier and it goes until after what would normally be the evening peak. It seems to be a constant flow in both directions." This section of the highway carries approximately 160,000 vehicles a day, and despite increasing fuel prices that number is expected to increase to 200,000 by 2023.