Cities typically require developers to add highway capacity for many new car trips, plus the parking those cars need. A new study says that actually m

Study calls for curbing congestion by building fewer roads

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2021-08-22 16:30:09

Cities typically require developers to add highway capacity for many new car trips, plus the parking those cars need. A new study says that actually might make things worse. Illustration: Pixabay

Cities clamor for new development, with its promise of new housing or economic opportunities. Then comes the unwelcome side effect: congestion.

Popular new attractions or dozens of new apartments mean more travel in the neighborhood. To cope, cities typically require developers to add highway capacity for many new car trips, plus the parking those cars need, or pay a fee so the city can make those improvements in their stead.

“When we add capacity, we induce more driving,” says Eric Sundquist, managing director of the State Smart Transportation Initiative (SSTI), a transportation think tank housed at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. “So there’s sort of a vicious cycle: We widen roads, people drive more; we widen roads, people drive more.”

Eric Sundquist advocates reducing the amount of driving that will be generated by new development. Photo: Transportation for America

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