We've been measuring traffic congestion all wrong, a new report shows, and that's been making more highways look like the solution to long commutes. They're not.
The "Urban Mobility" report prepared by the Texas Transportation Institute has been the go-to reference on traffic congestion, and consistently makes the case for new roads.
CEOs for Cities takes another look at the numbers and says that TTI's methods are flawed and are part of the reason we've ended up with sprawling cities.
As Streetsblog puts it in their look at the report, "The misleading metrics in the UMR are a convenient bludgeon for the highway lobby."
CEOs for Cities President and CEO Carol Coletta says in the press release, "This analysis, once again, shows that many of the assumptions driving big investments of taxpayer dollars that shape our communities are outdated. Driven Apart adds to the growing body of evidence that shows compact development that puts many destinations close at hand has unexpected benefits - in this case, less time spent in traffic requiring less spending on highways. If we heed its findings, we'll save time and money."
Thanks to Noah Kazis
FULL STORY: Report: Want to Ease Commuter Pain? Highways and Sprawl Won’t Help
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