When you're stuck at a red light or waiting in traffic, everything seems so simple. All that has to happen is for the light to be timed better, or for that genius up ahead in the truck to stop phantom braking. All the problems of the world could be solved if everyone would just pull to the shoulder and let you pass at high speed. It's so simple.
Of course, in reality, traffic is highly complex, a series of interlocking systems reliant on careful timing, which in turn is reliant on the meticulous study and analysis of traffic patterns. Controlling traffic situations, especially complex ones such as gridlock following a major event, is a difficult task. That's where traffic pacing comes in.
How Traffic Pacing Works
In the hands of a reputable, experienced company such as Traffic Safety, traffic pacing can be an effective and dependable tool for ensuring the smooth flow of traffic in a variety of scenarios. For example, manual control of traffic signals, mobile operation escorts, and construction site traffic services all play a role in pacing and controlling traffic.
On seeing a traffic pacing operation, many drivers may cringe, believing the workers to be responsible for the slowdown. In fact, the workers are the ones ensuring that traffic doesn't come to a complete halt. Without the effective regulation and direction of traffic flow, things could rapidly spiral out of control. Traffic pacing keeps everything moving at a smooth and steady pace, so everyone has the best chance to get where they're going on time.
Looking After the Details
Proper traffic pacing is all about the little things. The placement of channelization devices, the training undergone by traffic workers directing vehicles near a construction site, the timing of traffic signals; all of these small factors play a role in the overall pacing system.
What may look like chaos to the casual observer in fact requires a lot of forethought and planning. So the next time you see a traffic pacing operation, remember that it's not there to slow you down; it's one of the main reasons traffic keeps moving at all.