This is kinda three different problems, or three effects from one problem:
- Being stuck in traffic has a negative impact on health, quality of life in general
- Being stuck in traffic has a monetary cost for deliveries and others who have travel as a significant part of their work, e.g. how easy it is for plumbers to get around to customers and warehouses and the like
- Being stuck in traffic can have terrible consequences for emergency services
The solutions, of course, are a mix of negative incentives to drive like congestion and parking pricing, and positive incentives to not drive, like investing in transit, cycling, mixed use and at least a certain level of urban density to be able to support transit, services and not have biking and walking be unfeasible or undesirable because of long distances.
Here in Norway the thirteenth yule-day is just the day we throw out the yule-tree and take down the decorations. We should start having cake after we’re done cleaning!