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Can High-Speed Roads Stop Climate Change?

Some argue that even if wider roads induce more travel, they will actually reduce pollution by speeding it up. This post addresses one such argument.

January 28, 2022 - Michael Lewyn

Congestion, Pollution and Freeways

A common argument in favor of building sprawl-generating roads and highways is that if we just pave over enough of the United States, we can actually reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions by reducing congestion.  For example, a Reason Foundation press release cited a report by two University of California/Riverside engineering professors, “Real-World CO2 Impact of Traffic Congestion” (available online at http://www.cert.ucr.edu/research/pubs/TRB-08-2860-revised.pdf ).    But if you read the report carefully, its policy impact is a bit more ambiguous.

May 6, 2009 - Michael Lewyn

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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

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