TL;DR — Short‑horizon predictions let you nudge timing plans without thrashing your network.
Why short‑term matters
Traditional plans are reactive. With 5–15 minute forecasts, you optimize before queues form.
A toy example
# queue_length(t+Δ) = f(volume, speed, splits, spillback)
Key takeaway: stability improves when you bound your intervention horizon and penalty on change.