Traffic Congestion
a. Our objective is to solve the problem of traffic congestion in and around the Central Interchange in Akron, Ohio, during peak travel hours (aka "rush hours"). Akron's Central Interchange is where Interstate 76 and 77 meet, as well as Route 8, 277, and numerous interchanges. This stretch of highway is ranked #5 on Ohio's list of most dangerous sections of highway. It is also the cause of major traffic delays handling over 300,000 motorists daily.
b. Our approach will be to describe the problem, why the problem exists, and occurrences that exacerbate the problem. Logical reasoning and applicable design examined through the discovery of bottlenecks and resolved through the management of demand and creation of effective process flows to reduce traffic congestion and commute time. We will discuss the effective capacity of the interchange, utilization, flow time, and wait time. We will use examples from other cities who have implemented strategies to reduce traffic congestion through demand management and process flows as well as the following sources: