Highway Expansion
Shreveport Mayor Votes to Bulldoze a Black Neighborhood to Build a Highway
Mayor Ollie Taylor sided with economic development consultants, and against the wishes of her constituents living in the Shreveport neighborhood of Allendale.
August 22, 2017
The “Outer Beltway” Is DC’s Zombie Highway Project That Won’t Stay Dead
Thanks to road boosters in the suburbs of Washington, DC, another highway bridge across the Potomac River -- part of an old plan for a second beltway around the nation's capital -- is still officially a possibility.
August 7, 2017
All the Effort That Went Into Fighting a Dallas Highway Is About to Pay Off
The Trinity Parkway would cost $1.5 billion, further entrench car dependence, and ruin riverfront parkland and natural habitat. But now, after a sustained campaign that turned highways and transportation into a central issue in local elections, the Dallas City Council is on the verge of killing the project.
July 12, 2017
When Your State DOT Starts Talking About “Relieving Congestion,” Alarms Should Go Off
Georgia is looking to reduce congestion on the I-75/85 corridor in through downtown Atlanta, saying "no idea is off the table." But some ideas should be discarded right off the bat - like the notion that adding space for cars is going to solve the traffic problem.
July 11, 2017
Portland’s on the Verge of Fending Off Two Highway Widening Projects
In Portland, two road expansions with a combined pricetag of $1 billion seemed to be on the fast track for funding this year, with transit agency boss Neil McFarlane and city DOT chief Leah Treat lining up behind them, in addition to the usual road-building suspects. But it looks like the highway expansions are toast, at least for now.
June 29, 2017
The Science Is Clear: More Highways Equals More Traffic. Why Are DOTs Still Ignoring It?
Numerous studies have documented the phenomenon known as induced demand in transportation: Basically, if you build highway lanes, more drivers will come. And yet, transportation agencies rarely account for this effect when planning road projects.
June 21, 2017
Highway Planners Pause to Consider the Effect of Road Widening on Detroit Neighborhoods
Standard practice for the highway planners at state DOTs is to sacrifice all other concerns at the altar of fast car traffic. Nowhere has the effect been more obviously detrimental than Detroit, where the overbuilt freeway system helped hollow out one of America's largest cities. But highway planners in Michigan are starting to listen to people who say they want something different.
June 19, 2017
How to Spot a Highway Boondoogle
With the Trump Administration purportedly gearing up to spend $1 trillion on infrastructure, it's time for a refresher on the perils of highway boondoggles.
April 18, 2017
Who’s Gonna Get Stuck With the Bill for Seattle’s Highway Tunnel Misadventure?
Seattle's massive downtown highway tunnel, originally slated at $3.1 billion, is now expected to cost at least $4 billion when all is said and done. Who's going to pay?
April 7, 2017
Atlanta’s I-85 Collapse — Another “Carmaggedon” That Wasn’t
When a heavily-traveled section of Atlanta's I-85 collapsed in a fire last week, the traffic predictions were dire. But the highway disruption appears to be another case of "carmaggedon" that never materialized -- and that should inform the way we plan our transportation systems.
April 4, 2017
