⚠️More lanes and road widening projects do not solve traffic congestion.
🚗Increasing road capacity induces more demand and leads to more traffic.
🚧Road widening projects take time, money, and often require eviction of residents.
🔁Induced demand and traffic evaporation are competing forces that affect traffic flow.
💡The solution to traffic congestion lies in promoting viable alternatives to driving.
Why do road widening projects not solve traffic congestion?
—Road widening projects and adding more lanes induce more traffic and do not address the underlying reasons for congestion, such as the behavior of people and the land use patterns. It creates a never-ending cycle of building more roads to accommodate more vehicles.
What is induced demand?
—Induced demand refers to the phenomenon where increasing road capacity leads to more traffic. As more lanes are added or roads are widened, people change their travel behavior and patterns, resulting in more vehicles on the road.
Can removing roads improve traffic flow?
—Removing roads, also known as traffic evaporation, can reduce overall traffic volume. This occurs when removing road capacity encourages people to use alternative modes of transportation or eliminates unnecessary trips that were taken due to the availability of more lanes.
How can traffic congestion be solved?
—The solution to traffic congestion lies in promoting sustainable transportation options and viable alternatives to driving. Investing in public transportation, improving walking and cycling infrastructure, and implementing congestion pricing are some effective strategies.
Why do Traffic Engineers continue to build more highways despite evidence that it doesn't solve congestion?
—Traffic Engineers are often paid to build highways and their job is focused on accommodating future growth in traffic. There is also a lack of awareness and resistance to change, making it difficult to shift towards sustainable transportation solutions.
00:00Road widening projects often fail to solve traffic congestion and can make it worse.
01:08Increasing road capacity induces more demand and leads to more traffic.
02:30Induced demand is a result of people changing their travel behavior and patterns in response to more road capacity.
06:55Traffic evaporation occurs when removing road capacity reduces overall traffic volume.
10:55Building more roads is not the solution to traffic congestion; viable alternatives to driving should be promoted.
