Some relate to cost, others to quality of life. Metro and its regional partners recently studied a number of transportation alternatives to help decide how to spend limited transportation dollars and to help answer questions we hear frequently from citizens. The Regional Transportation Plan evaluated road alternatives having low, medium and high levels of congestion. Rush-hour travel times varied little among the three alternatives. On average, less than one minute of travel time was saved from today.
Drivers also travel longer distances and drive more frequently if they experience less congestion.
A. Yes, but only for a while, and only for certain roads. Eventually, the newest and fastest routes fill up, especially during peak commuting hours. When you add a new lane or build a new road, you attract more motorists because the new route is faster. The result is congestion and the need for even more road capacity. It is very expensive to relieve all congestion by building new roads.