Highway Boondoggles

Excavator parked on side of highway under construction with overpass bridge in background.

The Nation’s Most Wasteful Highway Projects

The 2023 Highway Boondoggles report is here.

November 10, 2023 - PIRG

Overpasses over freeway in Los Angeles, California

Rethinking Highway Expansions

The tide may be turning—albeit slowly—against new road construction and expansion in favor of more climate-friendly alternatives.

September 26, 2022 - Governing

Highway Construction

‘Highway Boondoggles’ Report Highlights Nation’s Most Wasteful Projects

The bipartisan infrastructure law, which directs massive investments to state transportation projects, could fast-track some of the most destructive highway expansion projects.

September 15, 2022 - Streetsblog USA

Highway Construction

Highway Boondoggles Continue as the Pandemic Stresses Budgets at Every Level of Government

U.S. PIRG has released the latest edition of the Highway Boondoggles report, the sixth edition of the report published since 2014.

December 10, 2020 - U.S. Pirg

Houston, Texas

Interstate 45 Realignment Would Cut Through a Historic Black Neighborhood in Houston

A plan to realign Interstate 45 in Houston has been criticized as a highway boondoggle as well as a failure of racial and social equity, and recent protests have only amplified the latter criticisms of the project.

June 9, 2020 - Streetsblog USA

Highway Construction

Opinion: Don't Allow Highway Boondoggles in Stimulus Spending

Instead of doubling down on the unsustainable planning and building practices, the current crisis offers a chance to hit reset, according to this article.

April 21, 2020 - Frontier Group

Marquam Bridge

The Biggest Highway Boondoggles in the United States

Frontier Group and U.S. PIRG have released the fifth edition of its Highway Boondoggles report.

June 18, 2019 - U.S. PIRG Education Fund

U.S. Route 40 Alternate and U.S. Route 219

Opinion: Maryland Governor's 'Road Warrior' Status Doesn't Excuse This Boondoggle

A Baltimore Sun columnist writes a scathing critique of Maryland's highway building program.

January 8, 2019 - The Baltimore Sun

Freewways

Nine Highway Expansions Identified as Worst Boondoggles of 2018

In a new report, U.S. PIRG and the Frontier Group describe nine costly highway projects amounting to $30 billion in their fourth annual "Highway Boondoggles" report. All share the theme of induced travel demand.

July 2, 2018 - Frontier Group

Freeway Construction

PIRG Releases Third Highway Boondoggles Report

A new report from the U.S. Public Interest Research Group and the Frontier Group indicates that highway boondoggles have been getting bigger, more costly, with the benefits more limited. Nine projects are analyzed in "Highway Boondoggles 3."

April 20, 2017 - Illinois PIRG

Report Identifies 12 'Highway Boondoggles'

A new report by U.S. PIRG and the Frontier Group identifies the highway projects most likely to break the transportation funding bank.

January 19, 2016 - Frontier Group

News from HUD User

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Call for Speakers

Mpact Transit + Community

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Websites

The best of the Internet—since 2002.

Top Apps

Planning apps for a brave new world.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.