Highway Widening
Another Reminder of the Futility of Carpool Lanes
What's the great 'fix' for the flawed Highway 101 carpool lanes in Marin and Sonoma counties in the Bay Area? Reduce the HOV time by two and a half hours during the peak commutes to enable solo drivers greater access to 52 miles of widened freeway.
When Carpool Lanes Cause Mayhem
A newly widened Bay Area freeway serves as a reminder of the futility of HOV lanes. There are better ways to manage and mitigate traffic.
TxDOT Wages Quiet Battle to Acquire Properties for I-35 Expansion
TxDOT has filed “takings lawsuits” against holdout property owners along the eight-mile stretch of I-35 slated for widening in Austin, but property owners say the agency isn't offering just compensation.
Michigan DOT Nixes Ann Arbor Highway Expansion
In response to public feedback, the Michigan Department of Transportation is no longer considering options to widen U.S. 23 on Ann Arbor’s east side.
Tollways for Sacramento?
Road pricing terminology can be confusing, particularly since Californians see so little of it. For example, a Sacramento TV station calls proposed express lanes on Interstate 80 from Solano County to Sacramento a ‘tollway.’
$3.1 Billion for California Transportation Infrastructure
Federal and state funds were recently awarded to a large number of road projects around California.
Maryland Highway Widening Plans Moving Forward Under New Governor
Maryland Governor Wes Moore is differentiating his new administration from his predecessor’s, but some projects, like the widening of federal highways in the Capital Beltway, stay the same.
Tolling Gaining Traction for Highway Projects in Kansas
After the state broke ground on a tolled express lane project at the eastern edge of Kansas, near Kansas City, tolls are also under consideration in the nascent stages of a corridor study located at the southwest edge of the same region.
Infrastructure Bill’s Emission Reductions Allotments Fund Highway Projects Instead
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 promised to achieve major progress on emissions reductions and climate resilience. A total of 38 states used the bill to fund emissions- and pollution-producing car-centric infrastructure instead.
Toll Lane Rebellion Fails to Materialize in Southern California
The 405 Express Lanes will open in Orange County later this year despite the warnings from a former Huntington Beach mayor of a resident-led rebellion in response to road pricing. But will the toll lanes mitigate congestion? Academics weigh in.
Illinois Legislators Pass Controversial I-55 Road Expansion Legislation
Legislation to enable the addition of express toll lanes on Interstate 55 in the Southwest Side of Chicago, opposed by environmental justice advocates, cleared the Illinois General Assembly last month.
Missouri to Spend $2.8 Billion Widening I-70
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson had a $859 million vision to expand I-70 in key parts of the state. State legislators had an even more ambitious vision.
I-95 Widening Breaks Ground in Virginia
A mile-and-a-half-long section of Interstate 95, which handles 80,000 vehicle trips a day, will be expanded in Virginia. The project includes a new shoulder, lighting, and noise walls.
101 Freeway in California Slower Than Ever After Widening, Locals Say
Induced demand strikes again.
Maryland Toll Road Project Loses Key Operator Amid Lawsuits, Shifting Political Landscape
The loss of toll operator Transurban could be a death knell for the controversial I-495/I-270 Managed Lanes Project in Maryland.
Induced Demand Be Damned: Missouri Governor Proposes I-70 Expansion
Highway widenings still attract support from both sides of the political aisle, despite the inadequacies of the approach in solving the problems it intends to solve.
Construction Set to Begin on $1.6 Billion Highway Widening in Texas
Construction is expected to begin on the Southeast Connector highway widening project near Fort Worth in the spring and wrap up in 2027.
No Bragging Rights for Passing the Infrastructure Act?
You'd think the passage of the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure act would convey bragging rights for Democratic congress members facing competitive midterm elections today. Ironically, Republicans who opposed the bill are taking credit.
Lawsuit Challenges Maryland's Big Highway Widening Plans
A lawsuit has challenged Maryland Governor Larry Hogan's plans, first proposed in 2017 and granted federal approval earlier this year, to widen Interstate 270 and part of the Capital Beltway.
Rhode Island Funding Highway Expansion Despite Poor Road Conditions
In a Strong Towns article passionately argued by Charles Marohn, Rhode Island’s penchant for building new highway capacity while the rest of the state’s roads crumble is compared to Emperor Nero.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
KFH Group Inc.
Greater Baltimore Committee
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
