Intersections
(Response to Urban Computing entry: 05. Crossroads)
“What happens when two or more city streets intersect?”
I often think of the rules embedded within street intersections. Painted stripes dictating lanes and crosswalks, traffic lights and signage all orchestrate this flow of movement between people and autos. Sometimes I think it’s crazy that these simple colors and symbols dictate go, slow down/hurry, stop - that just our understanding of these codes and agreement to comply keep all hell from breaking loose. Kate Ascher breaks down the digital network of NYC’s traffic signals in The Works, showing how much more complex the system really is. Her diagram (2nd image below) shows the computers, video cameras, timing set for local conditions, and sensors at work.
It’s that richness and density of people, information, cars, things and events which “stand as synecdoches for an entire city…” It’s these intersections that are so full of goings-on, that they have to be understood, regulated, and calculated to some degree so planning can attempt to keep things running smoothly. You wouldn’t need as complex a system for a residential, suburban intersection.
