Twelve years ago, the DOT came into our city, did an evaluation, installed over 30 traffic lights, most with no right turn when red, dumped all the yield signs and replaced them with stop signs, and reduced practically all the speed limits. We have three major state highways running through town, rather than bypassing the city, tore down buildings and put major expressways down the middle. City hired a civil engineer to program all of the traffic lights, didn't know what he was doing, could spend ten minutes at a traffic light that was red to make a now forced left turn with not a soul in sight. Plus added hundreds of street lights, city is brighter at night than in the daytime. All at a time when energy costs are skyrocketing.
Year later, 9/11 came along, more than doubled the size of our police department with three new undercover cop cars. With nothing else to do except issued tickets. Got so bad, city had to elect a judge to hand the fines. Then came ethanol in gas. Takes an extra 15 minutes to cross town, engine spends more time idling than anything, solution, hybrid vehicles that really don't work in cold weather, and only work if you can coast a mile before stopping. Everyone is so impatient, can't do that.
Read they did the same thing in LA where they added 45 minutes to go anywhere. They also moved a historical train station that hasn't been used in over 44 years, is now a Japanese restaurant. The old Wisconsin Central RR was sold to the Canadians and instead of 20 freight cars, pulling trains 1.8 miles long. Nothing in town uses railways anymore, all 18 wheelers, did built a couple of overpasses on dead streets, main street in downtown is blocked for twenty minutes because the city imposed speed limits on these super long trains. Traffic blocks up for a mile.
Did build bike trails, they are nice, but don't go anywhere, but my dog and I like those, built a overpass over the new expressway and railroad track, think my dog and I are the only ones that use that, but when we cross over, have to do a U-turn because it doesn't go anywhere. Do have a major clinic and hospital in town where ten thousand people come in everyday, didn't do a thing with that, but built a school on one of the two lane access roads, loaded with cops, 10 mph speed zone, and kids constantly crossing during the rush hour.
Our county roads are the same, for every **** bar on these roads, not a soul in the daytime, cut the speed limit from 55 to 35 mph, not just for the bar, but 3/4 of a mile before and after. Yes you see cops hidden to enforce those speed limits.
So you want to save gas and get better fuel economy? Could try moving to a different country. USA is ran by idiots. Could try split fire spark plugs or hang a magnet on your fuel line. Or get a hybrid. Performance is also key, if you are trying to get on an expressway. With just about everyone, thousands of suburbs popped up jamming them with millions just going back and forth to return a DVD. Not good if you are traveling cross country. Sleeping during the day and driving at night does help a little, but not when driving through Chicago.