When it comes to alleviating Honolulu’s infamous traffic congestion, it seems the news has been nothing but bad.

The state recently announced it would postpone construction of badly needed new roads, saying it doesn’t have enough money.

On Thursday, the CEO of the city’s rail transit project resigned under a hail of criticism. That project, at $8.3 billion and counting, doesn’t have enough money either.

Never mind. On Monday, ready or not, we welcome thousands more commuters onto our overcrowded highways and buses, as more than 53,000 students resume classes at private schools, colleges and the University of Hawaii — the annual Back to School Jam. Public schools are already back in session.

The usual traffic crush will get even worse, and drivers will have to get creative to minimize the pain and the road rage.

It’s estimated that a Honolulu commuter loses 50 hours to traffic delays a year, at a cost of $1,125, according to the 2015 Urban Mobility Scorecard. And those estimates were based on 2014 data. If anything, it’s gotten more crowded out there.

The state Department of Transportation (DOT), while holding back on new construction, is touting its efforts to provide smaller, cheaper ways to increase road capacity where demand is highest.

Among them:

>> Driving on the shoulder: The shoulder lane on the H-1 freeway eastbound, from the Kualakai Parkway onramp to the Kunia/Waipahu/Ewa offramp, is open to morning commuters from 5-9 a.m. weekdays.

>> More zip: Two Zipper Lanes are now available from the H1-H2 merge to the Pearl Harbor area, from 5:30-9 a.m. weekdays.

>> West Side contra-flow: A 1.5 mile contra-flow lane beginning at Piliokahi Avenue and ending around Nanaikeola Street should ease afternoon traffic heading west along the Leeward Coast, from 3:30-7 p.m. weekdays.

>> More HOV: Certain HOV lanes, including the Zipper Lanes, have extended hours, from 5:30- 9 a.m. weekdays, a 30-minute increase that went into effect on June 27. Visit hidot.hawaii.gov for more information.

In addition, DOT will suspend construction work on major highways during daylight hours next week. DOT’s Freeway Service Patrol will be available to help stranded motorists and keep roadways clear. Call 841-HELP (4357).

Motorists can help themselves by keeping informed. In addition to the usual traffic cams and media reports, DOT’s GoAkamai.org website and app for mobile devices provide real-time traffic conditions and other tools, like traffic alerts for specific routes. Just be akamai — don’t use the app while driving.

Of course, these mitigating efforts by DOT, while welcome, are not long-term solutions. Moving forward, DOT will have to press ahead with its long-delayed construction projects, both on Oahu and the neighbor islands, to build more capacity where it’s most desperately needed.

And the city’s rail transit project needs to press ahead, too; finishing the line to Ala Moana Center will require strong, reliable leadership from the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation — something that doesn’t exist now, especially with the untimely departure of Dan Grabauskas.

With looming deadlines for a federally mandated recovery plan, that vacuum needs to be filled quickly.

In the meantime, informed motorists with well-honed strategies can minimize the time they spend in traffic. They can drive at off-peak hours, use other modes of transportation like bicycles or walking, and carpool.

And perhaps the most important advice for drivers who want to Beat the School Jam: Be cool, and show aloha.