‘Unprecedented’ might be one of the most used words last year.
But it’s certainly the right one to describe what we saw in traffic in 2020.
A little over 12 months ago, who would have thought that traffic would come to a virtual standstill for several months of the year?
This past year was something well out of the ordinary and through it we learned lessons that will shape the future of traffic.
While all but essential services were shut, traffic was nearly 70% down on 2019 levels in some of Melbourne’s busiest intersections. We had to rely on simulations more than ever before to get a clearer picture of ‘normal’ traffic levels.
When we could, we used the lockdown periods to help our clients fast track projects that they had in the pipeline. Quantum is all about efficiency, which is why even under the most challenging circumstances our business has had to face, we still found a way to ensure our clients could move forward.
As many offices, including ours, went virtual for the best part of the year, the resulting lack of traffic suddenly looked like a workable long-term solution to traffic congestion in Melbourne.
With 2021 well underway, we are experiencing a staggered return to the office for those in larger companies who have been working from home. So, what we’re seeing on the roads right now could be a test case for a future where working from home plays an integral part in reducing traffic for good.
It will all come down to how aggressively governments pursue traffic reduction. Easing traffic congestion has been a hot-button bipartisan issue for years, so it would be a reasonable assumption that now a trial period has all but passed the test, a permanent version of it might be rolled out for good over the next few years.
How has traffic changed on your daily commute?
What about in your local area?
We’d love to hear from you.
And bring on 2021!
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