If roads are gridlocked in rush hour, what happens when disaster strikes?

Major roads which get snarled in rush hour or after a few inches of snow could be potentially deadly in the event of a terrorist attack or superstorm. So what should a more resilient transport system look like?I was late for an appointment, sitting in traffic on one of the major arteries out of Washington DC. It was miserable, barely moving traffic of the kind that makes you whimper with frustration as yet another green light turns yellow, then red, as you inch along.
Then I happened to notice a