U.S. PIRG's list of 'Highway Boondoggles' puts Maryland's $9 billion I-270 expansion among the worst projects in the country.
Maryland earns the dubious accolade of topping U.S. PIRG's list of Highway Boondoggles. The project, which is slated to cost $9 billion, comes at a time when Baltimore's transit system has had to close for repairs.
The report points out how the forces of induced demand will quickly eliminate any gains in traffic alleviation from the project and will create a bigger maintenance liability than Maryland already has. States around the country continue to accrue highway debt, with monies owed doubling since 2008. Beyond that, the state faces a backlog of maintenance projects it could be undertaking to maintain existing roads and bridges.
"Amelia Chasse, a spokeswoman for the governor, said Hogan’s plan to expand I-270 and the Beltway is in keeping with a balanced approach to transportation that includes robust spending on transit in addition to highway funding," Fredrick Kunkle reports for the Washington Post.
Read the full story: Maryland’s proposed expansion of Beltway and I-270 ranks among top U.S. ‘boondoggles,’ group says
Maryland Toll Lane Plan Gains Federal Approval
In a victory for Governor Larry Hogan, who has championed the project, the Federal Highway Administration is allowing the Beltway expansion project to move ahead.
Maryland's $9 Billion Project Would Be the Nation's Largest P3 for Highways
Gov. Larry Hogan (R-Md.) announced last week plans for the largest highway contract awarded to a public-private partnership: adding four express toll lanes to the Capital Beltway and I-270. A third highway widening will be completed internally.
Induced demand is real: Commutes on Houston's 26-lane freeway take 51% longer after expansion
A massive freeway expansion only led to longer drive times, showing that building more lanes won't solve congestion.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
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Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
Chicago voters approve permanent festival grounds, penalty for vacant property owners
Currently, major summer and fall festivals take over public parks for weeks at a time, drawing criticism from nearby residents
NYC votes to cut outdoor dining red tape, speed up permitting
New York City also voted to allow the Department of Transportation to begin work on urgent projects before notifying elected officials.
California appears to reject Prop. 45
The proposition would have expanded the projects that qualify for a streamlined environmental review, effectively paring down the California Environmental Quality Act.
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Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
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