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Some of the widest highways in the US have more than 20 lanes — but widening them won't solve traffic congestionhttps://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/news/some-of-the-widest-highways-in-the-us-have-more-than-20-lanes-ampmdash-but-widening-them-wonapost-solve-traffic-congestion/slidelist/97626367.cms2023-02-05T21:47:30+05:30

Some of the widest highways in the US have more than 20 lanes — but widening them won't solve traffic congestion

James PasleyFeb 5, 2023, 21:47 IST

Since the 1960s, highways helped define America. In 2018, there were over a million miles of highway across the country, costing the federal government $105 billion annually.

At times, highways that have been built have specifically harmed minority communities. For instance, in 1967 in Nashville, officials added a bend to Interstate 40 to ensure the highway went through a predominantly Black neighborhood rather than a white one.

More recently, protestors have fought a $9 billion expansion of the I-35 in Austin, claiming it is discriminatory.

Since the 1960s, new highways have forced out about 1 million people from their homes. The majority of these residents have been Black.

And highways are hard to ignore. In Los Angeles, one section of the I-405 is 14 lanes wide.

In Atlanta, there are sections of the I-75 that are 15 lanes wide.

And then there's the I-10, also known as the Katy Freeway, in Houston. At certain points, the I-10 is 26 lanes wide.

In 2008, the Katy Freeway was extended at a cost of around $2.8 billion. But instead of helping with congestion, traffic actually increased substantially from 2011 to 2014 as more vehicles used the additional lanes.

As early as the 1960s, economists were saying more roads only meant more cars — widening highways doesn't work. It's the theory of "induced demand," which basically means congestion rises to meet new capacity.

But new highways kept getting built. Between 1993 and 2017, roads increased by 42% in the country's largest 100 cities, while population growth was only 32%. Traffic delays still rose by 144%.

But sometimes states don't have a choice. For instance, in Texas, the state constitution requires funding to be used on highways before other forms of transport.

Right now, America could be at a crossroads. Last year, the federal government enacted an infrastructure law to provide states with $350 billion to be used for highways.

Some environmental organizations were dismayed by the law. This was because, of the $1.3 trillion put aside for transport, only 20% was for transit while 80% went to highways.

Even so, some states including Oregon, Maryland, Texas, and New York are pushing forward with the status quo. They're looking to re-widen highways, including the Brooklyn Queens Expressway.

And the I-270 and I-495 in Maryland, which will cost around $11 billion.

Wider highways mean more vehicles and more pollution. Across the US, transportation is already responsible for 27% of the country's greenhouse gas emissions.

Some states and cities are looking at alternatives. In Los Angeles, an expansion to Interstate 710 was abandoned in 2022 after the chief planning officer noted the city didn’t see “widening as a strategy” for the city.

In Portland, young climate activists have been fighting against a $1.2 billion plan to widen the I-5 in a section which runs through a neighbourhood called Albina, a historically Black neighborhood.

So, what's the answer? Matt Turner, an economics professor at Brown University, noted if you want more cars on the road, add more lanes. But that's not what most people want.

On the contrary, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said: "Connecting people more efficiently and affordably to where they need to go is a lot more complicated than just always having more concrete and asphalt out there."

Los Angeles is looking into potentially using railways to transport freight to lower the burden on highways.

While in Colorado adopted a new transport regulation in 2021 that directs transport planners toward projects designed to lower pollution, like cycle lanes and more bus routes.

Mass transport is part of the answer — and it works, too. When Seattle focused on buses and light rail from 2010 to 2017, the increased use of public transport meant traffic decreased, even as the city grew by more than 100,000 people.

But despite the advantages, it also comes down to money, Ben Holland, an urban design and land use expert at clean energy non-profit RMI, told The Guardian. Right now, most roads are toll-free and are government subsidized.

While there's no easy answer, states and the federal government need to think creatively about how roads and public transport are paid for. One option is a congestion charge — charging people for traveling at peak times.

Other options include more express bus lanes, cycle lanes, walking bridges, and light rail. Basically, people need affordable options to get them out of cars and off the roads.

"This is a make-or-break moment," Holland told The Guardian. "How the states use those highway funds will basically determine whether we meet our transportation emissions goals."

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Some of the widest highways in the US have more than 20 lanes &mdash; but widening them won't solve traffic congestion