Braess's Paradox

We explore a fascinating paradox in transport planning that challenges one of our most basic assumptions: that more roads mean less congestion.

The Bigger Picture

Braess's Paradox demonstrates that transport networks do not always behave as we might intuitively expect. Adding a new road connection does not necessarily improve traffic conditions, and the decisions made by individual drivers can influence the performance of the wider network.

While this example is a simplified mathematical model, it illustrates the importance of understanding traffic patterns, route choice and network interactions when assessing highway improvements and development proposals.

At DW Transportation, we apply a practical, evidence-based approach to understanding the transport implications of development.