Cutting peak-hour traffic delay in Seattle: diagnosing causes and a product plan

How would you approach reducing traffic congestion in Seattle? ```hint Measure, then split the causes Decide how you would measure congestion, then break it into causes you could check with data. The right solution depends on which cause dominates, and for which travelers. ``` ### Clarifying Questions - Am I answering as a PM building a product at a tech company, or as an adviser to the city with policy levers such as tolls, transit funding and road changes? - Which trips matter most: weekday commuter peaks, freight and deliveries, or weekend and event traffic? - Does success mean shorter travel times, more predictable travel times, or fewer cars on the road? - Is the time horizon a quick win within a year, or a multi-year program? ### What a Strong Answer Covers - A measurable definition of congestion and of the outcome to improve, counted in people moved rather than only vehicles - A breakdown of causes that reflects Seattle's geography and travel patterns, with the data that would confirm each one - A traveler segment chosen for the first solution, with the reason - Solutions across trip timing, mode choice and road efficiency, prioritized by impact, cost and who controls each lever - Metrics, a way to attribute impact, and risks such as induced demand, equity and reliance on public agencies ### Follow-up Questions - Your navigation feature sends drivers off the freeway and neighborhood streets fill up. What do you do? - Congestion falls after your launch, but a new light rail segment opened the same month. How do you show what your product contributed? - With one quarter and a small team, which part of your plan would you build first?