Gestión ambiental de tránsito: Cómo la ingeniería de transporte puede contribuir a la mejoría del ambiente urbano

This paper introduces the concept of Environmental Traffic Management. The relevance of this paper lies in the fact that this concept is almost unknown in Latin America. However, the Environmental Traffic Management has the potential of improving urban environment. Firstly, the concepts of transport system, traffic, traffic management, congestion and degree of saturation are introduced. Then, the way in which the urban as well as environmental impacts can be predicted by means of the degree of saturation is shown. Considering Santiago de Chile as case study, alternative schemes for reducing the degree of saturation are explored. Finally, the main conclusions is stated: it is not necessary to expand road capacity for reducing traffic impacts. It is recessary, however, to change the scope of traffic problems: from reducing road congestion to increase urban quality.