ДЕПАРТАМЕНТ ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ г. МОСКВЫ
СЕВЕРО–ЗАПАДНОЕ ОКРУЖНОЕ УПРАВЛЕНИЕ ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ
ГОУ СОШ № 000
Окружной конкурс проектных и исследовательских работ
«Будущее Северо-Запада»
конкурс
«Искатель»
Moscow traffic jams: roads` quality or drivers` irresponsibility?
(Московские пробки: качество дорог или безответственность водителей?)
Исследовательский проект на английском языке
Автор: , 6 класс
г. Москва, ул. Соколово-Мещерская, д.27
Руководитель:
учитель английского языка
МОСКВА
2010 г.
CONTENTS
Constructions………………………………………………………………..… 3
Introduction………………………………………………………………….…4
The development of automobile traffic jams in Moscow streets ……….… 5 - 6
The statistics of highway congestions in our capital ………………….……….7
· The highway congestions during the day………………………….…… 7
· The highway congestions during the week ……………………………..8
· The highway congestions in different seasons of the year…………..…..9
· The untypical difficulties of movement on Moscow roads ………………10
The struggle against traffic jams. Ideas and ways of solution the problem………………………………………………………………………….11
· The general measures of decision the transport problem ………….
Conclusion……………………………………………………………………...14
Literature……………………………………….……………………………….15
Appendix………….………………………………………………………….…16
CONSTRUCTIONS
· MKAD – Moscow Ring Road (The name is a transliteration of the Russian acronym МКАД, Московская Кольцевая Автомобильная Дорога (Moskovskaya Koltsevaya Avtomobilnaya Doroga, Moscow Automobile Ring Road).
· TNS GALLUP MEDIA - In computer networking, the Transparent Network Substrate (TNS) allows peer-to-peer connectivity where no machine-level connectivity can occur. It provides a user-transparent layer that enables a heterogeneous network consisting of different protocols to function as a homogeneous network. TNS forms a transparent layer to which different network protocols can connect. It provides a network of applications above the existing networks of computers. Oracle Corporation typically relies on TNS to provide generic network connectivity to and between Oracle databases, regardless of underlying protocols.
· GAI – stands for State automobile inspectorate (Russian: Государственная автомобильная инспекция, translit. Gosudarstvennya Avtomobilnaya Inspektsyya) and is the Russian traffic police. They are responsible for the regulation of traffic, investigating traffic accidents, and manning the stop lights. GAI officers are called "GAI inspectors" in Russia.
INTRODUCTION
It is vital to explain why we have chosen this topic as a subject for our research work and why we consider it to be one of the burning issues today.
The theme of our research work is especially actual nowadays as our life in Moscow consists of several aspects one of which is traffic jams. Traffic jams on Moscow roads became a subject of the intensive discussions and conversations today. Without them, unfortunately, we can`t imagine our life any more. That`s why the possibilities of searches in this sphere are not settled yet.
The aim of our research work is to develop effective methods which will allow to reduce the quantity of traffic jams and to unload the Moscow roads today. In order to achieve the given purpose the following general tasks have been put:
· to study the development of automobile traffic jams;
· to analyze the statistics of highway congestion during the day, week, in different seasons of the year and to define the untypical difficulties on Moscow roads;
· to define the ideas and ways to solve the given problem;
· to develop the methods which will help to eliminate automobile traffic jams in Moscow.
There are several methods of research in our work. The first one is the analysis of theoretical sources on a given problem. The second one is the learning of actual literature about revealing of effective methods which will help to reduce percentage of Moscow traffic jams. The last one consists of drawing up the picture of highway congestion during the day, the week and in different seasons of the year.
We have analyzed the development of automobile traffic jams in Moscow streets and highway congestion. We have studied the statistics of highway congestion within the day, week etc. We have observed a lot of ideas and ways of escaping the traffic jams. We have tried to find out our own ways of revealing the problem.
In our practical part we suggest to create a video for all people which will help to raise the culture of driving cars by our drivers. We think that this video can become the small step in the revealing of such great problem as «TRAFFIC JAMS». The problem which we modern generation should solve in our nearest future.
THE DEVELOPMENT OF AUTOMOBILE TRAFFIC JAMS IN MOSCOW STREETS
The first serious traffic jams in Moscow have appeared only in the middle of ninetieth years – when the cars have stopped to be luxury goods. Gradually automobile traffic jams have turned to one of the main problem in our capital.
According to Yandex, last year (spring 2008 – spring 2009) every day in Moscow arose on the average 800 traffic jams, and each of them stopped about 1800 cars. The Moscow experts have made a rating of the jams which have happened in 2008. It amazes the imagination: the long - a 68-kilometre and 13-hour traffic jam has happened on May, 15th. From 11 o`clock in the morning till midnight there was inside MKAD, from Dmitrovsky highway to Trade-union street. The reasons are very simple. The traffic police overlapped some roads. The most long - a 16-hour traffic jam has occurred on February, 28th, from 6.30 in the morning till 17.30 in the afternoon. The traffic jam was from MKAD to Golovinsky highway. The reason of that traffic jam became the reconstruction of an outcome at Golovinsky highway. The earliest - on February, 8th on Kashirsky highway, has begun at 6.05in the morning and has stopped only at 12.00 in the afternoon. The latest traffic jam has occurred in the night from the third till fourth of October on Gorki highway, from MKAD in area. The cars stood from 19.00 in the evening till 3 in the evening.
The champion of the traffic jam has happened on November, 25th There were a lot of traffic jams on this day. All Moscow traffic was paralyzed, the total length of jams has made 844 kilometre. This day the snow has dropped out, there was a strong glaze ice on roads, the great number of failures was observed.
Certainly, someone was not so successful and had to stand in all Moscow traffic jams. But someone could avoid some of those awful traffic jams. Average duration of the Moscow traffic jam for 2008 – 2009 has made 1 hour and 8 minutes. For one month of the last year Moscow drivers lost on the average in traffic jams more than 12 hours – that is one and a half working day.
In our future these figures, probably, will grow. The annual increase in a gain of cars across Moscow makes from 7 to 13 % or about 200 thousand units (about 500 new cars daily). For last five years number of motor transport has increased in Moscow on 22 %. On each one thousand inhabitants it is necessary an order of 300 cars.
It is registered more than 3 million units of motor transport at the beginning of February, 2007 in capital. And there are still nonresident cars. In ten years, under forecasts of experts, the city park of vehicles will make about 5 million units. There are about 40 million private cars in total in Russia, and by 2020 in Russia will be approximately 6 million cars. From them 5,1 million are automobiles. This is in three times more than now.
On weekends in Moscow simultaneously moves from 200 to 350 thousand cars. In a rush hour the quantity of cars on city roads exceeds 400 thousand (to 600 thousand), and average speed of their movement makes about 24 km/h. Thus every day arises on the average about 650 traffic jams, in each of which stands about 500 cars. And in order to paralyze Moscow completely, having filled all streets without movement possibility, it is necessary 1,9 million cars.
In Prenew Year's days the quantity of cars on capital roads increases approximately by 20 % all people go to Moscow to buy something for the New Year.
According to TNS Gallup, more than 1,2 million people (17,6 % of inhabitants of Moscow at the age from 12 till 54 years), it is almost half of all capital drivers want to know the information about the Moscow traffic jams and other information of service Yandex. The given service helps people to track and fix the development of automobile traffic jams in streets of Moscow. The level of congestion of roads is measured in points. Values of points change from 1 to 10 (To understand this better, please look at the table №1 in the appendix).
THE STATISTICS OF HIGHWAY CONGESTIONS IN OUR CAPITAL
Having analyzed the obtained statistical information, we have come to the conclusion that the occurrence of Moscow traffic jams depends on simple time laws. The roads are loaded more strongly in the afternoon than at night. At the weekends the movement is essential more briskly than on holidays. There are more traffic jams in winter than in summer. That`s why we have studied the congestion of capital roads during the day, week, in different seasons of the year and untypical difficulties of movements.
The highway congestions during the day
In all working days the structure of traffic jams is approximately the same. Within the day there are two rush hours – in the morning when Muscovites hurry up for work, and in the evening when they come back home. Morning difficulties of movement proceed, as a rule, from 8 till 11 hours, evening difficulties from 17 o'clock till 20 o'clock.
The quantity of traffic jams and difficulties of movement at week-day in winter was essentially above than in summer 2007. The reason of that can be the seasonal prevalence (it is easier to go in summer) and of course it can be connected with the quantity of cars which has essentially increased for half a year. Average daily congestion in winter reached 7 points (serious traffic jams), in summer the congestion was 5-6 points.
From the above information we understand that in summer the congestion of the streets was lower than at the same time in winter. And even from one o'clock in the morning till six o`clock in the morning when across Moscow goes least cars, in winter on the average there was no zero of points. So there were not absolutely empty roads.
Besides it was much more difficult to go in rush hours in winter, winter congestion of movements took more time. If in summer 2007 the Moscow roads were opened approximately from twelve to five for the drivers, in winter this time was reduced at least to an hour, and even in the quietest day time congestion of streets was 4 points.
global warming.
§ Introduction of paid zones entrance to the most problem city districts. The vivid example is London where the payment for entrance to the centre is entered (since 2003), the privilege is thus given to the invalids and taxis. Of course such measure for rather rich Moscow or St.-Petersburg will not relieve the city from traffic jams completely but will lower the volumes of movement for Moscow on 10-30 % and at least becomes a constant source of means which can be spent for building new roads, automobile outcomes and parking.
§ The problem of parking in big cities is very actual too. Today the large quantity of cars is parked at roadsides sometimes in two and even three numbers that promotes the formation of traffic jams. During the winter period "thrown cars" on the roadsides complicate work to road services by snow cleaning. In order to solve the problem with parking we can make the maximum difficulties for car parking in certain "strategic" places by high tariffs or interdictions. In this case the drivers will leave their cars in garages, reaching the place, for example, by public transport. It is also possible to develop the building of underground parking.
§ Optimization of work of traffic lights. As a variant to build underground transitions.
§ The usage of passenger places in the car must be as effective as it is possible. The practice shows that 70-80 % of all cars have «onboard» only one driver. If the driver picks up his neighbour we will have fewer raffic jams. Such practice is applied in the USA. Use of the car for the cartage of other people is called carpool. The grat number of highways in the USA have a special strip which is called“Carpools only”. It is forbidden to go in the empty car. The economy of gasoline is thus obvious.
§ It is necessary to develop the public transport system: to start up on the line high-capacity buses. Also it is necessary in cities where the width of streets allows to establish the priority strips for public transport. So that buses could run according timetable.
We also suggest the ways of solution the problem:
§ to increase the quantity of the taxi on Moscow roads. So, for example, in New York on Manhattan it is very useful to go by taxi. There are a lot of taxi there and the price is cheaper;
§ to develop motor transport. The vivid example is China. It is possible to enter hire of bicycles. Besides this, the bicycle is considered to be one of the non-polluting type of transport. Unfortunately, our climate allows us to go by bicycle and motorcycle only in the summer;
§ to organize air transport. The minus of it that it is expensive;
§ to make car use as much expensive as possible. The car should meet the most rigid European requirements to active and passive systems of safety. The minus is that it will lead to serious increase in cost of the car and "will kill" the Russian motor industry;
§ to allow to do the right turn on “red light”, as in the USA. To forbid the left turns everywhere;
§ to forbid entrance of large trucks to the central (historical) part of a city, especially if streets narrow;
§ to involve, in case of need, lanes and intradomestic roads. The minuses here are obvious: a court yard, children, a gassed condition. But this way is often used by our drivers. The result of such usage is traffic jams on the roads:
§ to increase the quantity of streets with one-way traffic in the centre of Moscow that will lead to reduction of automobile jams in narrow streets:
§ to create the coordination centres which, using a standard communication facility, for example, cellular telephones, will notify the driver where and in what place the road is more unloaded.
§ work can be done at home, for example, through the Internet (always online). That can also reduce the quantity of cars on roads and saves a heap of time to the worker, gasoline.
§ to optimize traffic. We suggest entering reversive movement in extreme left strips, to establish reversive traffic lights. In case of traffic jams on the one hand to put into operation strips of a counter direction.
The qualitative construction of roads with convenient outcomes is also a priority. The fact is we don`t have a lot of roads today. At the general extent of roads to Russia approximately in 1 million 100 thousand in km it is annually under construction and reconstructed about 1800 km, that is less than 0,2 % of the general extent. Hence, it is necessary to build roads-doublers, bridges, tunnels, underground transitions, platforms, detours round cities. It is necessary to put up money in building of the underground and railways, as alternative type of transport. Of course in Moscow till 2015 is planned to open more than 20 metro stations.
On the other hand, looking in the future, the process of road building in cities will not be eternal, and all the same roads can be insufficiently. Here on the foreground are organizational measures under the decision of transport problem.
For liquidation the automobile traffic jams in Moscow there is an idea of building the back-offices on the suburb for the employees living in distant Moscow suburbs.
The given decision will allow to reduce the basic transport streams from the city. The trains will allow to reduce a volume of passenger traffic in the centre of Moscow.
There is also an idea of changing the schedule of Moscow work serving into two teams for unloading the basic highways.
In Moscow the building of the Fourth transport ring has begun on the first of February in 2007. The long-awaited line which completely promise to open only by 2013 will allow to unload the Third transport ring. According to experts, volumes of a construction of roads in Moscow need to be increased considerably.
The Moscow authorities also discussed the cardinal idea about an interdiction in a city of all cars that are more than seven years, as representing real danger on road.
It is necessary for Russia to have good roads and competent management of transport streams. But the drivers must be polite with each other the way, there are numerous failures by their fault. Here the measures on serious toughening of punishment for various offences on roads will be well-founded. The safety on the road is above all! We consider that it is necessary to pay more attention to it!
CONCLUSION
In conclusion I would like to say that it was very exciting and useful for me to work at this project. I have learned a lot of helpful information. Now I can share my results with other pupils and tell you the truth I`m very proud of it.
Of course, I must say that it was difficult for me to work and to do this project work but I haven`t been disappointed with the theme I`ve chosen. Now I know some information about the development of automobile traffic jams in Moscow streets, I can analyze the highway congestions during the day, week etc.
We should pay a lot of attention to the problem of Moscow traffic jams. I am sure that the increase of the quantity of Moscow taxi; the development of motor transport; the organization of air transport; the building of underground parking; the optimization of the work of traffic lights; the effective usage of places in the car will help us to solve this serious task.
I often asked myself before “What do I live for? Am I useful to the society?” This project work helped me to answer all these questions. Now I can say with completely assurance that I have made a contribution to the solution of such terrible problem in our country.
I don`t want to believe in saying that “Russia has two problems: fools and roads” I want to believe that Russian people are not fools and that the problem with our roads will be solved in the nearest future.
As for me I suggest to create a video which will help to raise the culture of driving cars by our drivers.
LITERATURE
INTERNET SITES
1. www.
2. www. doroga. tv
3. www. *****
4. www. *****
5. www. *****
6. www. *****
7. www. *****/catalog/products/probki_realtime/
APPENDIX 1
MEASUREMENT OF ROAD CONGESTION
TABLE №1
POINTS | SITUATION ON THE ROADS |
1 | The roads are free |
2 | The roads are almost free |
3 | There are some places with road congestion |
4 | There are some places with road congestion |
5 | The thick road traffic |
6 | The difficult road traffic |
7 | Serious traffic jams |
8 | Kilometers traffic jams |
9 | The cars can`t go |
10 | It`s better to use the metro |
