Technical University of Denmark: Traffic jams cost time and money

We are wasting more and more time in traffic jams—and consequently also more money. According to the Confederation of Danish Industries’ (DI) calculations from 2019, the total congestion costs amount to between DKK 29.5 and 31.5 billion per year. In comparison, the socio-economic costs were calculated at DKK 24 billion in 2016.

In a new development trial, DTU will now learn more about the effect of introducing tolls for passenger cars—also known as road pricing—on congestion. The goal is to gather experience that can be used to alleviate traffic congestion in the major Danish cities. The trial involves around 2,000 people testing different types of tolls and control systems.

“Congestion equals wasted time. That is why we are now investigating whether we can get drivers to change their behaviour by applying tolls to passenger cars. In the long term, this can promote passability and be a benefit to society,” says professor Jeppe Rich, traffic researcher at DTU.

Saving half an hour
The connection between community activity and traffic development became clear when Denmark shut down in the spring of 2020. In April, there was just over 25 per cent less traffic than at the same time the year before. However, traffic and congestion returned with the gradual reopening—both after the summer of 2020 and again in the spring of 2021.

Jeppe Rich could feel the shift. He and his wife have now changed their transport habits. Today, he saves half an hour by driving later to work and coming home later. His wife, on the other hand, drives to work early and returns home at lunchtime to then work from home in the afternoon.

“Being stuck in traffic jams has consequences. For some, it means they have less time to work in. That translates to a loss for both society and the individual driver, because the traffic jam represents unproductive time. By working from home, you can reduce the time spent on transport. The value of being in the physical company of colleagues could make up for that. But at some point, that value is overshadowed by the cost of driving to work. Therefore, we will see more people working from home as congestion increases,” says Jeppe Rich.