>> The way to make traffic flow more efficiently is to get a bunch of cars off of the road.
No. I mean yeah, but no. Rural areas are the only place where traffic is low enough to meaningfully improve flow. We should be able to improve traffic flow and MPG without eliminating vehicles. IMHO bike lanes are kind of stupid because putting bikes right next to car traffic is stupid. Same for sidewalks. Separating pedestrian traffic from car and truck traffic would obviously be safer.
If you separate vehicle traffic too thoroughly then you essentially just turn roads into walls for everyone that isn't in a vehicle.
I think the idea of optimising vehicle flow in urban areas is folly. It comes at the cost of too many other things.
Here's an example of what I mean. https://maps.app.goo.gl/pati5dBBTnSgxZ1m9 . It shows a road in a built up area that has been optimised to increase vehicle flow to the airport (using a roundabout instead of lights) and the effect that has on someone trying to travel by foot - turning what would be a <1min walk into 30min.
No. I mean yeah, but no. Rural areas are the only place where traffic is low enough to meaningfully improve flow. We should be able to improve traffic flow and MPG without eliminating vehicles. IMHO bike lanes are kind of stupid because putting bikes right next to car traffic is stupid. Same for sidewalks. Separating pedestrian traffic from car and truck traffic would obviously be safer.