scienceFeb 19, 202511:22pending
Brace's Paradox: When More Roads Make Traffic Worse
About this episode
In this episode we explore Brace's Paradox, the counterintuitive idea that adding roads or links can increase total travel time. We'll unpack how Nash equilibrium and simple linear travel-time models explain this phenomenon, walk through real-world examples (Seoul's expressway removal, Stuttgart's road section closure), and see how similar dynamics show up in power grids, ecosystems, and even basketball. We'll discuss why intuitive solutions can backfire in complex, interconnected systems and what this means for planning, policy, and everyday problem-solving.
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