Two major reports released in the last couple of weeks detail very different approaches to fixing the highway system in the U.S. At the National Journal, experts weigh in on who has the right approach.
The debate is between a "Fix it First" policy as detailed by U.S. PIRG in their report Road Work Ahead: Holding Government Accountable for Fixing America's Crumbling Roads and Bridges, or a focus on relieving urban congestion as approached by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, in their report "Unlocking Gridlock."
Keith Laughlin, president of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, says, "Framing the issue as fix-it first vs. new highway capacity makes for a spirited debate, but leaves out some closely related elements of the equation, particularly (1) more effectively managing demand on existing highway capacity and (2) meeting increased demand for mobility through investments in expanding capacity in other transportation modes."
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