http://www.citylab.com/commute/2016/02/houston-mayor-turner-texas-dot-highway-road-expansion/458709/
On Mon, Feb 1, 2016, 12:32 Robbie Webber via Bikies < [email protected]> wrote: > On Sat, Jan 30, 2016 at 6:12 PM, William Hauda via Bikies < > [email protected]> wrote: > >> I guess I pushed the buttons of the anti-reality movement. Those of >> us who are actually doing stuff and not just engaging in the wishful games >> of bicycle utopia, which we all want to achieve, will continue to work and >> deal with these issues in the real world. >> > > As someone who actually does work with state DOTs as my day job (although > sadly, not WisDOT), I can tell you that many state DOTs in both red and > blue states, rural and urban, and all areas of the country, are realizing > that highway expansion is not the answer to congestion. Also, congestion is > not the metric that they will be using 20 years from now. > > All the folks that are arguing for alternatives are right. And the facts > are that drivers adjust their habits to the conditions they find. Induced > demand is real, as is the opposite -- people will cease driving corridors > that they perceive to be unpleasant or congested. They may simply drive at > less congested times, or they may chose another route or mode. > > WisDOT actually looked at the Southern Reliever and found that the vast > majority of problems on the Beltline were from people trying to drive at > peak hours to and from Madison. Building a different route for the few that > not coming to and from Madison at peak hour would be a huge waste of money, > and WisDOT wisely chose to not pursue that. > > What WOULD help the Beltline would be better connections ACROSS the > Beltline. Much of the congestion is caused by people getting on for a > couple of exits and then getting off. They have no other options because > the lakes, wetlands, golf courses, Arb, cemeteries, and other barriers -- > both natural and human-created -- give them no other route. (The classic > example is trying to get from South Towne or Monona Dr to john Nolen > without going on the Beltline.) > > A few strategically-placed crossings and better options for other modes: > express buses/BRT, regional transit, ped/bike crossings, etc. would do a > world of good and be significantly cheaper and more long-lasting than a new > road. Also, telling people that, "The traffic in Dane County just isn't > that bad, and if you chose to live far from your work and drive during peak > hour, you will be stuck in traffic. But there are some alternatives to > driving during peak hour. Your choice." would help the situation. > > Robbie Webber > Transportation Policy Analyst > 608-263-9984 (o) > 608-225-0002 (c) > [email protected] > All opinions expressed are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of > my employer or any other group with which I am affiliated. > _______________________________________________ > Bikies mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.danenet.org/listinfo.cgi/bikies-danenet.org >
_______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [email protected] http://lists.danenet.org/listinfo.cgi/bikies-danenet.org
