Waze and other nav apps - Should side streets be locals-only during rush hour?

[ATCclears]

I personally use the Waze app (free) and it works very well. My commute between home and work doesn't offer many side streets, but I could see the app re-routing people in the cities.

Should side streets be locals-only during rush hour?

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[Mikej]

No....Residents on the side streets need to hold the city planners responsible for any problems caused by people cutting through their neighborhoods. In other words, it's NOT the drivers or the apps that are causing the problems. It the so called "Public Servants" earning tax payer money that are lax in helping lessen traffic issues. A few years ago the city put up a cluster flop of lights at a 5-way intersection near me. The five stop signs at the NE Prescott and Cully Ave that had been there for years worked quit well, if people followed the general rule for such intersections. The light went in and now the Fremont/60th, and especially Sandy at 60th, have huge back-ups starting around 2:00 pm because of it.

Things like:
Night construction on busy streets.
Synchronization of lights.
Disallowing left turns from busy streets where no center lanes are present.
Insist that bicyclists use designated bicycles lanes on side streets and ticket those that travel on city streets that don't really have room for them to ride without holding traffic back.
Really, really study traffic patterns and use science to help flow.
And of course try to get the drivers to obey general driving laws....Using turn signals. Using turn signals AHEAD of time. Go WHEN the light turns green, not after 4 seconds, and get to the speed limit promptly.
Public service announcements. TRY to get people to realize the part they play in helping get through heavy traffic periods. Getting people to think about driving habits during light traffic flow wouldn't hurt either!

I cut through neighborhoods all the time. BUT I don't speed or run stop signs. Those that do speed or run stop signs need ticketing.

Yeah, Seattle! Figures, and Portland soon. Build massive apartments with no off-street parking, narrow streets for bicycles lanes eliminating MORE parking. And then close streets to motorists who payed for them with the gas taxes.

Traffic and poor drivers are about half of the suck that Portland has going on.

 

[Joe13]

I LOVE Waze...

Cut a 1:45min drive from hillsboro to Vancouver down to just a hair over an hour.

I don't speed much so I don't keep it on regularly because I'm only 12-15 min from work, but when it was 35-45+ I checked it everyday.



So two things for me:

I go the speed limit or a bit slower on housed side streets so as long as that's the norm then it shouldn't be a problem for the locals. If Waze sees a slow down on one street then it routes you around it so there isn't really a lot of stop and go in the area.


My other thought is that my 'secret' side streets and routes around the freeway that used to be 99% dependable are now public knowledge so that kind of sucks for me.

 

[Gaucho Gringo]

Having lived in Portland all my life until 2 years ago I had my own routes that were a lot faster than just following main streets. I was working for a construction company in the 90's that gave out maps to the employees(25 people and I was the only native Oregonian) on how to get there. I would throw the maps away and would go my own route. I was on the job site at least 10 to 15 mins earlier than the others and a few times was 3\4 to 1 hour earlier than the others. Also had my secret route for getting of the Blazer games with no traffic.

 

[RicInOR]

I have seen Waze route people illegally. It tracks how people drive, and if they cut thru a mini-mall or something to avoid a signal, it starts to show as the recommended route.

Good luck getting them to pay for your ticket.

The real solution is to build adequate feeders and main routes. But cars are evil, so.