Do Highway Expansions Work?

Will widening I-75 really relieve traffic congestion?

Remi Jouan

 

In densely populated cities such as Los Angeles and Honolulu, there are highways throughout the region that are six lanes wide to help with the flow of traffic. But people in those cities will attest to bumper-to-bumper frustration nearly all day long. Does expanding a highway help in some sprawling cities, or are other investments wise for congestion? We bring in Tom Dallessio, President, CEO and Publisher of Next City to find out.

 

  • Expansion: Dallessio says widening I-75 will not necessarily guarantee quicker travel. “Traffic engineers have found that… it’s a combination of smart thinking and technology [that moves people quickly].
  • Millenials: Dallessio says millenials don’t need busy highways as much as previous generations did, and “many of them don’t even have drivers licences… it’s a different lifestyle.”

To hear more of their conversation, click the link above.

Author