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It's pretty well known that adding lanes actually increases congestion. Here are two cited articles that came up in a quick search: * http://transportationist.

It's pretty well known that adding lanes actually increases congestion. Here are two cited articles that came up in a quick search: * http://transportationist.org/2015/03/02/elements-of-access-induced-demand/ http://transportationist.org/2015/03/02/elements-of-access-i... * http://bicycleuniverse.info/transpo/roadbuilding-futility.html http://bicycleuniverse.info/transpo/roadbuilding-futility.ht...

buckbova 11y ago
This doesn't prove anything. Lanes are added a decade or more after there is a need and these cities are generally growing anyway with an existing growing demand that isn't being met by current infrastructure. With this extra congestion it is moving more people than before.
tomohawk 11y ago
In Northern VA they have the #1 or #2 worst traffic in the country. They knew there was going to be growth, but no roads were built to handle it and no rights of way were purchased when they were easy to purchase. I know someone who worked in the Federal Highway Admin at the time (late 60's early 70's) and recalls how they tried to do rational planning for the expected growth but were shot down. They were told that building roads would just cause growth. Now they have had the growth and don't have the roads. That's definitely worse than having both. Contrast this with the other side of DC where MD put in the roads and set aside rights of way. They are way better off. Not perfect by any stretch, but better.
- TheCoelacanth 11y ago
  NoVA's traffic is bad because of suburban sprawl. Car travel simply doesn't scale to that level, no matter how many roads you build. The only part that did anything correctly is Arlington, which focused it's development in areas that are walkable and can be serviced by mass transit, resulting in decreased traffic volumes on most roads in spite of a large increase in population.

buckbova 11y ago

This doesn't prove anything. Lanes are added a decade or more after there is a need and these cities are generally growing anyway with an existing growing demand that isn't being met by current infrastructure. With this extra congestion it is moving more people than before.

tomohawk 11y ago

In Northern VA they have the #1 or #2 worst traffic in the country. They knew there was going to be growth, but no roads were built to handle it and no rights of way were purchased when they were easy to purchase. I know someone who worked in the Federal Highway Admin at the time (late 60's early 70's) and recalls how they tried to do rational planning for the expected growth but were shot down. They were told that building roads would just cause growth. Now they have had the growth and don't have the roads. That's definitely worse than having both. Contrast this with the other side of DC where MD put in the roads and set aside rights of way. They are way better off. Not perfect by any stretch, but better.

TheCoelacanth 11y ago
NoVA's traffic is bad because of suburban sprawl. Car travel simply doesn't scale to that level, no matter how many roads you build. The only part that did anything correctly is Arlington, which focused it's development in areas that are walkable and can be serviced by mass transit, resulting in decreased traffic volumes on most roads in spite of a large increase in population.