Annotated Bibliography

Lewis, Hazel. “Motorway Mathematics.” Maths Careers, 16 Aug. 2016,

www.mathscareers.org.uk/article/motorway-mathematics/. Lewis is suited for the math
portion of this subject because she majored in math at the University of Warwick and
worked on several math projects. This source discusses what phantom traffic jams are
and how a slight reduction in motorway speed and a gradual reduction of car density
increases the flow rate. In the author’s images viewers see two simple charts (the second
chart an upside-down quadratic) and how Lewis derived her conclusions. For example,
Lewis uses a black and white diagram with vertical and horizontal lines. With distance
traveled per unit in time representing the vertical line and density for horizontal line.
Chart 1 displays that the more speed the less density and vice versa. Chart 2 depicts flow
rate and mass per unit volume at medium length are the most optimal for a decent amount
of speed and density.
The author’s purpose in her writing is to extrapolate a safe solution and a better civil
cause for the environment at large. Author intends to push rationale thought into
government. Lewis uses simplistic word choices communicating clearly and persuasively
to the audience. Author’s way of argument seems to be only reason indicative as all her
methods are from other formal research. The source is conversely situated within the
research sector as the author is both expanding a line of inquiry and attacking a long-held
position. The work may complicate any statistical sources analyzing increasing local
population growths. However, it builds on any other math related sources. Overall Lewis’
piece is a great topic for my research as it conveys a basis of critical thinking and to not
assume the simple notions like just building more roads.
Othman, Sarbaz, Robert Thomson, and Gunnar Lannér. "Identifying critical road geometry
parameters affecting crash rate and crash type." Annals of Advances in Automotive
Medicine/Annual Scientific Conference. Vol. 53. Association for the Advancement of
Automotive Medicine, 2009. Othman, Sarbaz, Thomson, and Lannér are suitable creators
for this subject matter. Lannér has a Master of Science degree and works in the civil
engineering department in an institution in Sweden. Dr. Thomas studies and works with
transport research. Othman works in the applied mechanics sector at Chalmers University
of Technology. Between these three authors at least two of them are cited about fifty
times, average around ten research finds, and one of them specializes in traffic safety and
engineering. Dr. Thomas has at least 25 publications found on a plethora of topics dating
back to 2012.
This is an article to investigate the crash rate on different Swedish roads. What they
found is that the crash rate is higher on highways with sharp curvatures and steep slopes.
Authors present analytical text and images with data. Viewers see figures with an aerial
view of their motorway, percentage charts showcasing crashes, charts of crash rates
relative to roadway width, and different variations of their roads. The authors are trying
to determine if they missed any data as previously geometric parameters have not been
recorded thoroughly in that specific area. In finding the narrow curves increased crashes
authors used the curvature over its radius. The larger the radius the less the accidents.
They used deductive evidenced arguments. Their word choices are clear and modest from
the diction to the style. Source is situated in research community and does not seem to be
doing anything new as they have declared in their conclusion, they already knew what
 they found. However, the authors are clarifying sets of issues in that undocumented
location. This source may or may not expand upon author Lewis source. Lewis is
displaying that medium speed and density reduces phantom accidents and that the source
in figure seven shows that the narrower the road width the less the accidents, or the larger
the curve radii the fewer collisions. Overall this is a suitable source for this research as I
can compare their 2+1 roadway system in figure two to my local roadway. Also, in figure
eight both four lane roads and 2+1 are already explored for crash rates, so I will use this. I
will also use figure seven and implement the crash rate equation locally.
Varaiya, Pravin. "What we've learned about highway congestion." (2005): 2-9.
Varaiya is a professor in engineering at U.C. Berkley. He has worked in various sectors
in telecommunications, control theories, and civil engineering. The NAE elected him in
the late nineties. Varaiya received numerous awards in control systems and theories in
computation. This is a reliable source from a reputable author for inclusion in the topic.
In my own words the author is arguing his three most important factors of traffic
congestion and solutions to his audience. He is presenting a persuasive argument from
inductive assessments. There are visual modes of cars in a traffic jam and multimodal
charts displaying statistics of flow rates.
Author wants to accomplish enabling more efficient ramp metering, decreasing
bottlenecks, and carpooling lane solutions for Los Angeles. Pravin’s way of argument in
this source is counter argumentative as he goes against the grain with others’ complacent
perceptions about the roads using a couple of observations. Author’s way works with the
audience because it appeals to the general public. Source is situated within a theoretical
academic category and the author is clarifying an issue. Source doesn’t really seem to
complicate nor build on the other sources yet. The only similarities between this source
and others are flow rate charts. Overall the source is pretty good. However, there is not
too much from which to derive. I plan to add ramp metering as a possible solution to
congested highways. Additionally, I might use his high vehicle occupancy lane
assessment and examine and implement his findings for the diagnosis of adding extra
lanes.
Berger, W., and Peter Maurer. "Emergency bays versus emergency lanes on motorways–A cost
benefit analysis." Traffic Safety on Two Continents–10th International Conference,
Mälmo. Vol. 9. 1999. P.7 P.8 Berger and Maurer have great credibility in arguing for this
discussion. Author Berger specialized in the field of transport safety at the time of this
source and has produced more than a dozen research items and articles related to traffic.
Many of his most current items found range from molecular biology, genetic mutations,
to immunology and he has more than one hundred fifty assisted items on these subjects.
Currently Berger is an assistant professor at the University of Natural Resources in
Vienna and that is why he shifted his focus from transport engineering. Therefore, the
creators can and should talk about this subject.
The purpose of this source is to determine the economic benefits of emergency lanes
and bays on traffic flow and accidental rates. Berger and Maurer are presenting
calculation-based charts and written texts. The audience sees images aided to further their
methods within their texts. The authors are trying to convey that adding additional lanes
will not significantly decrease accidents. However, canning emergency lanes do
 significantly increase the accident rate. Furthermore, an increased speed limit, heavy
vehicles, interchangeable sections, and steepness of a slopes also increase accidents. The
authors use analytic practices to achieve their purpose. Berger and Maurer use concrete
word choices that are concise and not too wordy. Authors way of arguing is deductive
with evidential support from their assessment equipped with a clear thesis statement to
conclusionary indicators. This might work with their audience depending on the number
of scholarly articles they read. Source is situated in the research genre in the field of
transport safety. I would consider the authors attacking a new problem in that they were
not lengthy, took on more methods, and were comprehensible in their conclusions. I
would articulate that this source adds unto all the other sources and fits like a puzzle
piece to first, second, and third source because it is short yet thorough. Overall it is a
great source that I look forward to implementing. I plan on using tabs five and six on
pages seven and eight. Using these figures will help with the overall research.
Downs, Anthony. “Traffic: Why It's Getting Worse, What Government Can
Do.” Brookings, Brookings, 3 July 2018, www.brookings.edu/research/traffic-why-its-
getting-worse-what-government-can-do/. Downs is a former contributor to Brookings. He
follows public economics and area traffic and has written about five hundred articles on
them and is the author of around twenty books. He graduated from Carleton College and
Stanford University in the fifties. Downs theorized that voters’ self-interests imposes
them to be moderate centrist in one of his books. The author served as a consultant to
many corporations and committees. He was also appointed the Housing of Urban
Development. Downs made predictions three decades ago, the majority of which came
into fruition. For example, he predicted housing would slow down in the eighties. During
the sixties he argued that adding extra lanes would not cure congestion. Instead he
mentioned lowering speeds and proposing road prices to remediate congestion. This
source is reliable and credible.
What I learned from this text is that peak hour congestion is caused by triple
convergence where people search for the least congested routes via a smartphone, but
others are too creating jams. I also learned a better methodical approach to prevent traffic
jams which is to pay road pricing fee for high occupancy vehicular lanes and or faster
lanes Lastly, I gained from his writing that low-density areas and population growth
hoard space on the roads, which seem to be my local problem. The author is trying to
accomplish educating everyone on the issues of congestion. As stated previously, what he
predicted or claimed from the fifties is supported by current traffic engineers’ research.
The sources strategy uses persuasive written text to achieve his purpose. Viewers
envision the texts laid out in a chronological, realistic, and simplistic way. Authors way
of arguing is through thorough reasoning and indicators throughout the body work. This
source is situated within the critical thinking genre of traffic engineering. Author seems
to be attacking a long-held position but clarifying new sets of positions as well. It seems
that every source builds on Downs’ source in that his source is the catalyst. Overall this
an excellent source because author provides a lot of innovative ideas. I plan on
mentioning or building upon his ideas on the research.