Hi Jeff,
Honestly? I think traffic congestion can be greatly reduced
if:
- They could better synchronise the traffic lights. Sometimes, one
turns green, I drive ahead....just before I reach the next one, it
turns red. 
- They could reduce the number of traffic lights. So many traffic
lights are unnecessary.
- They should close down the traffic police department! 
Then people will drive
faster and not roadhog.
- They should increase the speed limit of the roads. Wah....if
everyone follows the 50 km/hr rule, the economy won't move
lah!
Anyway, here are my comments to your point, as a former CJCian
too.....
Weekend cars (now called "off-peak cars") have already been
cheaper than normal cars for years - and there are still much more
normal cars then weekend cars. I think when people buy cars, the
main aim is usage and daily convenience.....not just for
convenience on weekends (they could rent a car for that).
But I kinda like the idea of weekend car drivers getting special
discount cards, because......I will make friends with one, ask him
to pay for petrol on my behalf, then I pay him after that. Then I
can drive around more in my normal car. 
I think you mean "NO traffic day", or "Traffic-FREE Day"?
Traffic day would imply encouraging more traffic.
Look at it this way. I've paid S$100,000 for my car. But for one
day per year, LTA says they will subsidise S$1 if I take public
transport. Heck lah, I'll foregot the S$0.40 and still drive my car
today. After all, my car depreciates by much more than S$1 per day,
even if I leave it at home.
And this "No Traffic Day" is only one day per year. There's still
the other 364 days of each year to consider. But you know, I doubt
that LTA would be willing to subsidise public transportation fees
everyday.
[quote]Originally posted by Xef:
3. Create a song/rap on traffic congestion
We will create a song/rap that preferably has a catchy and
slightly comedic tone, with Singlish added in. The song/rap will be
easy to understand and has easy lyrics to remember. This will
create a larger impact of the song/rap on Singaporeans. A
competition will also be held for preferably school students (which
are the future road users) to produce a song/rap that describes
public transports effectiveness and its benefits. A web log will
be made to host our song/rap and any contestants songs/raps to
promote our song, and the competition to the public. The song will
also be broadcasted on the television and FM radios - to reach out
to drivers to promote the song.
I always had doubts about the effects of adverts, songs, raps, etc.
Anyway, if you suggest this for your school project, the teacher
may ask you to give an example of a song/rap. Be careful.....
[quote]Originally posted by Xef:
4. Install weight sensors on roads
Weight sensors are connected to cameras, working coherently with
each other to capture photographs to cars that stop at the roadside
for too long. The weight sensors will be placed on roads with
double yellow zigzag lines. The photographs will also be referred
to the police.
Yes! Yes! And to save money, they can dismantle the sensors which
are currently used to activate red light cameras. Take them all out
from the junctions....and put them as sensors to catch people who
stop too long by the roadside instead.
And redeploy the red light cams too. Take them out and place them
elsewhere to catch people who stop too long by the roadside.
No more traffic light cams!! 
[quote]Originally posted by Xef:
5. Reduction of service roads
The service roads for various shopping complexes will converted
into a long stretch of common service road for all. It will only
have one entrance and one exit for the stretch of road serving the
shopping complexes (e.g. Orchard Road). This reduces congestion as
the main road is only used for traveling across Orchard Road. For
example, the service roads for Far East Plaza, Grand Hyatt Hotel
and Scotts Shopping Center could be combined, such that the only
entrance is from Far East Plaza, and exit at the end of Scotts
Shopping Center. This solves the problem of cars filtering in and
out of Scotts road. A rule stating that cars should only be given
ample time to alight passengers must be enforced for this idea to
be effective. The respective valets/security guards of each hotel
/shopping center could enforce such a law.
Service roads are the property of the property owner leh. How to
tell them how to build roads within their own compounds? Sounds a
bit too dictatorship/totalitarian liow, controlling people right in
their own compounds. Soon, property owners would say "basket, I
think I do away with the road and extend the mall forward instead.
Can display more products and sell more things".
The danger is.....if you have one long service road, the service
road will be jammed. And people will not want to enter the service
roads. Instead, they will stop on the main roads to let down their
passengers instead. Its impossible to monitor every road,
everyday....especially for an offence which lasts only a few
seconds.
[quote]Originally posted by Xef:
6. Introduce measures to speed up traffic flow
It is not rare to see cars traveling at the same speeds driving
side by side, taking up all available lanes, and effectively
setting up their own speed limit by preventing cars behind them
from overtaking. Though not written in traffic rules or enforced
for that matter, it is common knowledge that Lane 1 is for cars
traveling at high speeds, and for overtaking. Slower vehicles such
as buses and motorcycles are urged to keep to the left-most lane. A
campaign could be introduced to re-instate this idea of differing
speeds for different lanes, and constantly remind motorists to keep
to their traveling speeds designated lanes, hence reducing
congestion caused by slow drivers holding up other drivers behind
them.
Er....I think there have been repeated campaigns about road-hogging
liow. As I said, I have my doubts about the effectiveness of
adverts, campaigns, songs, raps, etc. Once behind the wheel, not
many people will remember what they saw on TV last night.
Hey......not everything is solved by micro-managing people, using
small money to sway people, and adding new laws to restrict people.
Wah lau....after you graduate, you can join the chenghu liow lah.
Lets face it. The roads we have are limited. When you put in more
cars on these roads, no matter what you do, there will still be
congestion. Just like if you build just one lift for the tall UOB
building.....even if everyone behaves well, there will still be
congestion. Its natural! The only way is to build more alternatives
(eg. more lifts).
Likewise, for our roads, the only way is to improve public
transportation. What I'm saying is....instead of driving fear,
worries, restrictions and controls into drivers....why not try give
people a reason not to drive? (and since people need to move
around, the only way is better public transportation). Follow
places like London, Japanese cities, HK, Seoul, etc....where almost
every street corner has a subway station entry/exit, all sheltered
from the sun and rain. Or at least, their network is extensive
enough to give people a reason not to drive. I'm sure people in
those cities love driving too.....just that they have the
INCENTIVE not to.
Yes, incentive....very important word (as opposed to "fear &
control").
To illustrate the level of incentives for public transportation,
I'll show you a difference between here and some other countries
(and this is from personal experience):
- Ask a Japanese whether he loves to drive. He'll say "yes I rerv
to durive, but for work everyday, subway much better!". (you have
to remember that many Japanese in the cities don't even have to be
subject to the weather to go from place to place.....everything is
either underground or sheltered).
- Ask a Singaporean whether he loves to drive. He'll say "Wah lau,
siow ah? Of course if got car, I take public transport for fiak?
Car so much more convenient!".
Or maybe we can have free coke and weekly lucky draw for MRT and
public bus passengers. Singaporeans all attracted to such things
one. All will rush to take MRT and public bus.
Actually, the traffic here is not congested that bad. Its
kindergarten compared with most of the other countries in this
region. But our success in controlling traffic is due to
suppression by law. It would be wonderful if one day, it will be
naturally suppressed by alternatives (incentives) instead.
(Wah lau....nowadays with the internet, doing homework and school
projects is so easy).
Good luck in your project!
