Induced Demand
Evidence for Tolls as a 'Surefire' Traffic Congestion Fix
Traffic on a Louisville freeway fell by half after a toll was implemented. Could this be the best way to reduce traffic congestion?
Austin Leaders Denounce 20-Lane Freeway Project
TxDOT is pushing ahead with plans for a massive freeway expansion project through downtown Austin despite opposition from virtually all local leaders.
New Tool Calculates Induced Demand Caused by Road Widening Projects
The calculator can help transportation advocates and agencies project how many additional miles and emissions a highway widening project would create.
Partisan Splits for Transportation Politics
Researchers found that while left-leaning respondents were more likely to favor transportation reform and sustainable modes, conservatives are not as far behind as we think.
Why Don't State DOTs Believe in Induced Demand?
Despite evidence that widening roadways is only a temporary solution to congestion, a decades-long inertia leads states to continue pushing expansion projects against local opposition.
Austin Interstate Expansion Plan Draws Opposition
A proposal to widen I-35 has drawn criticism from community members who want to see the city shift away from car-centric development.
Proposed Colorado Rule Calls for Mitigating Climate Effects of Road Projects
State and local agencies would be tasked with evaluating and offsetting the carbon emissions caused by new transportation projects.
Road Design Still Privileges Cars
Author Jeff Speck discusses the progress made since he first wrote Walkable City–and how far we still have to go to build streets that are safe for all.
If You Build It, Cars Will Come: the Common-Sense Logic of 'Induced Demand'
Highway expansion has been shown, time and again, to increase traffic and congestion. Cities are finally getting the message.
Watch: How Induced Demand Explains the Vicious Cycle of Congestion
A new Vox video tackles the controversial and counterintuitive concept of induced demand.
Parking Induces Driving, Study Says
New research published in the Urban Studies journal does the difficult work of connecting the dots between parking and driving.
Ride-Hailing Industry Induces Car Ownership, Research Says
New research from researchers at Carnegie Mellon University finds that instead of setting people free from cars, more people are buying and using cars than ever before.
Failing to Account for Induced Traffic, Even When the Public Demands It
Induced traffic occurs when new highway capacity speeds up traffic, allowing travelers to drive further, increasing sprawl. A review of major highway project plans finds that most fail to accurately account for induced travel effects.
Ride-Hailing Companies Greatly Increase Pollution, Study Says
The reality of ride hailing has fallen well short of the wishful thinking about reduced congestion and reduced pollution that defined the early days of Uber and Lyft.
More Toll Lanes Coming to California Freeways
Solo drivers in the Golden State will have more options to escape traffic congestion on busy freeways – for a price, as transportation agencies increasing decide to convert existing carpool lanes to high-occupancy toll lanes and add new ones.
$4 Billion Later, the New Tappan Bridge More Crowded Than Ever
Traffic data shows more and more cars and trucks using the new Tappan Zee Bridge in 2019, in what looks like an obvious case of induced demand.
Are Traffic Apps More a Problem Than a Solution?
The companies behind navigation apps say they want to decrease congestion in cities. But a tool that is essentially designed to help individuals isn’t going to provide a collective benefit.
Study Finds a Way to Duplicate the Effect of Self-Driving Cars: Chauffeurs
A small group of test subjects, enabled with the use of a chauffeur, increased driving distances by a collective 83 percent.
Speck: Don't Widen I-45 in Houston
Jeff Speck, planning consultant and author of Walkable City, writes an opinion piece for the Houston Chronicle to oppose the plan to widen the I-45 freeway in Houston.
Doubt Cast on Induced Demand for Housing
Applied to roads, the theory of induced demand says new construction only brings out more users. But can something similar be said of housing? According to this research, the likely answer is no.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
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.
