U.S. transportation policy, which still heavily centers automobile infrastructure, is increasingly out of step with the majority opinion, according to a new survey from Transportation for America.
A new survey from Transportation for America (T4A) reveals that a vast majority of American voters don’t think expanding roads and highways is the best way to solve traffic congestion, according to a T4A blog.
In fact, 36 percent of the 2,001 respondents—90 percent of whom own cars—said expanded roadways would bring more traffic. “Only 11 percent felt state DOTs actually deliver congestion relief with highway expansions. In other words, the public understands the concept of ‘induced demand,’ which is widely ignored by state legislatures, DOTs, Congress, and federal agencies.”
Survey respondents expressed “a deep dissatisfaction with the overall status quo of state and local transportation spending which overwhelmingly prioritizes spending on new roads, often at the expense of keeping roads and bridges in good condition, investing in transit and safe streets for walking or biking, or reducing the need to drive overall.” The most popular option for how states should spend transportation funding was the repair and maintenance of existing infrastructure.
The blog points out that results indicate a massive gap between policymaking that continues to privilege road building and public opinion about transportation policy.
Report: Some Rural States Ahead of More Urbanized Ones in Reducing Transportation Emissions
This is a largely unintended consequence of states with lower populations and resources focusing on repairing existing roads and infrastructure rather than expanding and building new roads.
Study: Cost of Expanding Roads Outweighs Benefits
New research shows that the economic benefits of roadbuilding projects don’t come close to exceeding most projects’ costs.
The Unceremonious Death of a Freeway Expansion Project
The end of an Oregon freeway project didn't get much fanfare, but the victory is worth celebrating.
2024: The Year in Zoning
Cities and states are leaning on zoning reform to help stem the housing crisis and create more affordable, livable neighborhoods.
Research: Sprawl Linked to Poverty
Low-income families living in high-sprawl neighborhoods are limited in their access to education, jobs, and other amenities, often trapping them in a cycle of poverty.
NACTO Releases Updated Urban Bikeway Guide
The third edition of the nationally recognized road design guide includes detailed design advice for roads that prioritize safety and accessibility for all users.
Modular Workforce Housing Offers a Lifeline for Western Towns
Rapidly rising housing costs are pushing out the residents at the heart of local economies in resort towns across the country.
Noise as a Public Health Hazard
New ways of measuring the effects of sound on human health are helping communities fight back against noise pollution.
'Place Shock' and the Ecology of Fear
How to conceive of rebuilding places amid sudden change in a region known for its “ecology of fear?” As the city embarks on the arduous task of rebuilding, the question arises: how do we reconcile the imperatives of safety and sustainability with the deeply ingrained human desire for continuity, for a sense of rootedness in the familiar?
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.
Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA)
Ada County Highway District
Charles County Government
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland