Looking For Creative Solutions To Chicago's Congestion

22 September 2007 - 9:00am

Congestion problems are becoming more acute in Chicago, and local planners and policymakers are urging the city to get creative in the way they address the issues.

"Ideas that have helped manage traffic in cities from London to New York include expansion of toll roads, peak-hour travel fees to encourage some people to hit the road at less-busy times, mass-transit improvements like point-to-point express bus service and creating public-private partnerships to help pay for new infrastructure."

"But as traffic continues to build up and back up on Illinois roads, state lawmakers and the governor are engaged in a fight over whether to impose tax increases and add gambling casinos as the linchpin of financing transportation."

"Proponents say by taking a diverse approach to the problem, many untapped options are available to squeeze additional capacity out of the existing transportation systems instead of going directly to the most expensive and slowest alternative of building new roads."

Source: The Chicago Tribune, September 20, 2007
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The interdisciplinary nature of these challenges justifies a more decisive federal policy that helps metropolitan areas promote energy and location-efficient development.