Causes of and Solutions to Heavy Traffic in Big Cities

QUESTION:

In most (really?) cities and towns, the high volume of road traffic has become a problem. What are the causes and what actions should be taken to solve the problem?

ANSWER:

A variety of serious problems caused by excessive road traffic in many big cities have concerned the public. It is essential to find out the root causes behind this phenomenon and work out some solutions.

The increase in population in these big cities is one of the major causes. Every year in China, millions of people migrant to big cities like Shanghai, Beijing and Guandong for better lives. They are attracted by more job opportunities, higher educational levels and more enjoyable lifestyles there. This increase consequently adds to the traffic burdens in these cities. To tackle this problem, I suggest the government encourage citizens to live and work in their hometowns rather than go to big cities. To do this, the government should invest more on less developed areas to improve the infrastructure and thus living standard there. They should also make the best use of the advantages in these less developed areas to create more job opportunities. For example, in some mountainous regions where there are beautiful scenic spots, the tourism industry can be developed.

Another major cause of this problem is the growing popularity of private vehicles. As the rich have more disposable income, convenience and speed have become their priority. But since private cars can carry far fewer passengers than a bus can, there will be a sharp rise in road traffic. Therefore, buses and other public transport should be made more popular. The government should invest more in building subways and sky railways, and providing more buses. They should also strive to bring the cost of public transport down to make it economically more attractive.

The above is my analysis of this problem along with my proposals to address it. I hope they can be helpful.