North County drivers will be the focus of an upcoming traffic study that could defy the laws of physics.
Caltrans and researchers at UC Berkely are out to prove a theory that suggests slowing down during dense commute times will help everyone get where they need to go a little faster.
Speed advisory signs along the shoulder of eastbound State Route 78 between Interstate 15 and Vista Village Drive will tell drivers how fast they should be going based on traffic conditions.
The advised speeds won't be enforceable, meaning you won't get a ticket for disregarding them, but study coordinators say the speed adjustments will optimize commute times.
"The aim of synchronizing traffic is to gradually slow traffic in advance of a bottleneck in order to keep traffic moving and avoiding stop and go traffic," said State Route 78 Corridor Director Allan Kosup. "Essentially we are asking motorists to slow down to go faster."
The six-week study officially begins Monday and will end with UC Berkely staff verifying the algorithms and assessing changes in traffic queuing.
Once off the road, drivers can go online to see view real-time California Variable Speed Advisory data, and can expect to see study results later this summer.
