Build your own traffic jam

Those interested in matters of transport and urban planning will find this Java-based traffic simulator entertaining. The model – produced by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technoloy can simulate ring roads, highway onramps, the effect of lane closures, and other things.

It definitely demonstrates the existence of tipping points in complex dynamic systems like traffic. Often, you find that a very subtle change has a huge macro-level effect. While the simulation surely isn’t perfect, it does suggest that more capable versions could be excellent planning tools.

The Swiss group has other models, as well.

Author: Milan

In the spring of 2005, I graduated from the University of British Columbia with a degree in International Relations and a general focus in the area of environmental politics. Between 2005 and 2007 I completed an M.Phil in IR at Wadham College, Oxford. I worked for five years for the Canadian federal government, including completing the Accelerated Economist Training Program, and then completed a PhD in Political Science at the University of Toronto in 2023. View all posts by Milan