In these cities, as in much of America, individual commuters take the wheel of a two ton piece of metal, driving it through waves of congested traffic and smog, to finally park it in a massive facility where it will sit for the length of the workday. As growth continues, these booming communities will be forced to upgrade and expand their traffic infrastructures. The federal government is already working to combat urban sprawl in these areas. Controlling sprawl can only go so far to abate the problems that arise from explosive urban and suburban growth. Cities like New York have already determined that the feasibility and likelihood of building new roads is almost nil.
Development is simply too dense.
Subway and commuter rail projects, on the other hand, have managed to fill a large segment of the demand. The New York area boasts the largest and busiest regional rail network in the Western Hemisphere. While it by no means runs without hitch or congestion, New York's sprawling mass transit system has managed to meet a sizable portion of traffic demand in the region, easing the demand on the fragile road arteries. The New York transit system is growing too. Projects including the Second Avenue subway expansion, a linkage connecting the Long Island Railroad to Grand Central Station and a number of light rail lines in New Jersey are all slated for construction.