If hypermilers designed the road system...
 

Traffic planners / civil engineers have an enormous impact on the fuel efficiency of the motoring public through road design.

What would happen if they were all hypermilers...

1) Stop signs would be abolished, and replaced with yield signs and/or roundabouts

2) An immediate moratorium would be enacted on new drive-through construction. Existing drive throughs would be graded so they slope downhill.

3) All stop lights would have count-down timers (for the pedestrians, of course)

4) There would be no more stop lights at the bottom of hills :)

...

Good stuff, I have thought a lot about these very things in the past as well and unfortunately I think efficient flow is not always the primary objective of our planners.

Things I would like to see more of:
Flashing Yellow & Reds at off peak hours.
Every intersection has a dedicated right turn lane that must turn, but turns onto a street that does not require it to yeild into the new lane.
More overpasses of all types.

All stop lights should have clear approaches so you could see the light and start following its behavior from at least 1/4 of a mile away. Also a clear view of cross traffic on lights that are triggered by cross traffic.

All speed limit reductions posted on uphill stretches of road and speed limit increases posted on downhill stretches of road.

Discontinue use of those rough MPG-eating tarred gravel road surfaces.

- Concrete road surfaces everywhere!

- Roads with multiple timed lights in a row would have signs posted with the recommended speed needed to make the lights.

- highways would have tall fences on either side of the corridor, or better yet, be in tunnels. Massive aerodynamic benefit in moderate/heavy traffic flows from generated wind currents.

- That would also offer protection from crosswinds.

Smoother road surfaces would definitely be a priority. Every road around here is absolutely destroyed from the winter this year. It's easy to see why so many roads in this state remain only dirt.

With that said, concrete would have even less of a chance than the pavement in these winters coupled with the fact the mountains move.

That's a good one, I never thought of it. We have a hill here that is the exact opposite and I risk getting a ticket on the downhill part all the time.

Also what Duffman said regarding the flashing lights would be awesome. I hate stopping at lights at night that has nobody traveling on the green (go) side of the intersection.:thumbup:

I think there should be a network of roads set aside for alternative transportation, like microcars, velomobiles, bikes and motorcycles. Cars and trucks over a certain weight limit would be restricted.

http://www.ecogeek.org/content/view/1531/

Damn, arminius posted first. :p

What's the first suggestion of hypermiling? Don't drive. I'd create just as extensive, convenient, and safe a system of roads for bicycling as I would for cars.

Also, I'd make sure all roads have the lowest grade possible...completely flat, no matter the cost. :)

- LostCause

I would design all hills with steep ascents, and long, gradual descents. ;)

And keep the trees far enough from the road that they don't interfere with the solar panels. :thumbup: