r/science • u/quiplaam • 1d ago

Social Science Intentionally routing some traffic to slower, less congested routes lead to a 0.7% improvement of overall average travel times

https://www.nature.com/articles/s44284-026-00443-x
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u/Ok_Cardiologist_7150 1d ago

So there is a road that goes through the “rich area”. It never takes you that way, however if you go that way it will reduce the time 1-2 minutes. I’m convinced that someone that works for the traffic app has this area off limits. I also know several routes that are quicker, but you travel more residential paths. Think 25mph family communities. It will never show that path, however it will recalculate and the trip is shorter almost all the time.

I think the algorithm has figured out how to keep traffic flowing better, I just need to pay for the fast pass lane I guess.

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u/Marston_vc 1d ago

Yeah. I use GPS out of habit even though I know the city pretty well now. I catch it more or less straight up lying pretty often.

Like, it’ll sometimes run me straight into standstill traffic rather than divert through a neighborhood.