Tuesday, October 27, 2009

More Roads And Public Transportation Do Not Relieve Traffic Congestion

Guess what happens when we build more highways?

People who live nearby, drive more. More trucks use the road to transport goods and more people move into the area and drive. In the end, there is little likelihood that a new highway will ease traffic congestion. The researchers also find that public transportation has no impact on traffic congestion.

They conclude that "that an increased provision of roads or public transit is unlikely to relieve congestion."

From the September 2009, NBER Working Paper No. w15376, "The Fundamental Law of Road Congestion: Evidence from US Cities" by Gilles Duranton, London School of Economics & Political Science, Department of Geography and Environment, and Matthew Turner, University of Toronto.

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