When it comes to efficient and effective Road Networking, it is about bringing people, places, and vehicles closer to one another, greatly benefitting a country’s economic growth. That is what gives a good Road Network meaning and importance.
But first, What is a Road Network?
A Road Network is a system of interconnecting lines and points on a map that visualize a system of streets for a certain area. It always comes with analysis, where one can study the best route for travelers and the most ideal place to build service areas (ex. Gasoline stations).
Moreover, a Road Network influences the traffic and mobility within a specified area depending on how effective the network is. In big regions like the National Capital Region (NCR), Road Networks can get complex because there is no highway-to-highway transportation from town to town.
On the flip side, the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) is a highway-based Road Network. Though most Road Networks are localized, this network is national consists of expressways instead of a city’s typical roads and streets. NLEX also connects to other highways and expressways like the Asian Highway 26 and the Subic Clark Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX), respectively.
Read Also: NLEX, SCTEX Stopover Guide
A country in dire need of a road planner is the Philippines. The help that it would potentially contribute gives this particular road network meaning.
The cities that experience the worst traffic among Southeast Asian cities in Metro Manila and Metro Cebu. It seems that places that would take 30 minutes to arrive become an hour just from traffic. In addition to this, just from the traffic itself, drivers seem to spend the majority of their day idle in their car for hours because no one is moving.
Hence the need for a good road network, meaning effective and efficient enough to keep everyone productive while on the move and bring everyone closer together.
Why is a good road network important?
Here are the different reasons why a good Road Network is important.
1. Helps improve journey time
Perhaps the core objective of any Road Network is to reduce travel time. They do this by figuring out the best traffic scheme and the fastest route that permits vehicles to reach their destination quicker.
If people can reach their destination faster, this is not only convenient for them but productive for the country as more things are accomplished quicker.
An example of this would be Bria House and Lot. Bria prides itself by stationing its homes and condominium units closer to important places like schools, malls, parks, and the like.
However, with faster travel times, not only are these places more accessible, but Bria Homeowners can also expand their horizon and sacrifice just a few more minutes to have a more diverse set of options.
2. Good for the environment
In connection to the previous point, less time on the road means less air polluted by vehicles.
When people are stuck in traffic, where they take up hours just idle on the streets with their engines on, they are damaging the environment by just sitting around.
According to the World Counts, vehicles are heavy air polluters. They not only burn most of the world’s petroleum, but cars are also the major producers of nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and particular matter.
All in all, they are the largest source of greenhouse gases. 80-90% of cars’ environmental impact comes from fuel consumption and emissions of air pollution and greenhouse gases.
Therefore, the majority of air polluters. That means a Road Network’s meaning is not only economic but also ecological.
3. Reduces delays to public transportation
Public transportation is not exempted from Road Networking. A Good Road Network means transportation is faster for everyone regardless of the mode of travel.
For on-road public transportation, in the context of the Philippines, buses, and jeeps, a Road Network analyst must identify the best route for the bus to travel that allows the bus driver to accommodate the highest number of passengers leading to maximized income while considering potential traffic and travel time.
The analyst must also identify the best drop-off points for passengers where the majority will go down in that area, where there will be less walking, and where it will not bother other neighbors on the road.
While trains are not part of the Road Network, utilizing this mode of mass transportation will make Road Network analysis easier. Rail network analysts can take a page off a road analyst’s book and make the most of the Philippines’ railroad system which will be beneficial for the daily commuters and road networks.
4. Controls traffic speeds
In 2019, 9,478 people died due to speeding which accounts for 26% of all traffic fatalities.
Drivers and motorists may feel compelled to drive faster than they should because of many reasons.
First is traffic. No one likes traffic and once someone begins to slow down due to traffic, he/she may start driving aggressively—constantly switching lanes, fighting anyone who impedes his/her progress, and of course, resorting to speeding.
The second is being late or behind schedule. Anytime someone is running late, the tendency is to go irrationally fast. He/she can be late for a game, school, or appointment and will resort to speeding.
The third is a complete disregard for others and the law. In the case of hating traffic or being late, this person is only thinking of himself/herself. The only thing in his/her mind is the beat the traffic and get to his/her destination without thinking that speeding is against the law, and he/she may potentially hurt someone.
Therefore, the road network’s meaning for this situation is not just controlling speed limits and stopping light times, but also developing policies that will reduce speeding and casualties and punish those who do not obey.
5. Beneficial for local enterprises and the local economy
It may seem that traffic and the local government do not correlate, but the evidence says otherwise. In a 2018 report from transport data company INRIX, the US lost $87 billion as a result of lost productivity.
The loss of massive amounts of money can be attributed to late deliveries of business supplies, higher operating expenses, and overall fatigue for workers.
If someone can effectively and efficiently plan a street system where people are on the road less and the time spent on work is on actual work and not driving to and away from work, then a country will easily cut most (if not all) of their costs from lost productivity and generate money since people are working more than driving.
In conclusion, a good road network means faster and more effective mobility by bringing people closer to each other and making places more accessible to one another.
An effective and efficient street system will not only rectify existing road and travel problems, but also open opportunities to keep improving transportation in the Philippines.
When these problems are solved, road network analysts can partner with other stakeholders like malls on how to be more accessible to people’s needs and entertainment, or Bria to collaborate on where to best build a Bria House and Lot and Condominium.
However, it all begins with a good road network, meaning a road system that accommodates every Filipino’s time and priorities.
Written by Cholo Hermoso
