2007 Urban Mobility Report

[zenMachine]

Congestion is a problem in America’s 437 urban areas and it is getting worse in regions of all
sizes. Congestion caused urban Americans to travel 4.2 billion hours more and to purchase an
extra 2.9 billion gallons of fuel for a congestion cost of $78 billion (Exhibit 1). This was an
increase of 220 million hours, 140 million gallons and $5 billion from 2004. THE solution to this
problem is really to consider implementing ALL the solutions. One lesson from more than 20
years of mobility studies is that congestion relief is not just a matter of highway and transit
agencies building big projects. Those are important. But so are actions by businesses,
shippers, manufacturers and employers, as well as commuters, shoppers, and travelers for all
reasons. Agencies, Businesses, Commuters—as simple as A-B-C.

2007 Urban Mobility Report

[SSimon]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(zenMachine @ Sep 18 2007, 02:25 PM) [snapback]514435[/snapback]</div>

One lesson from more than 20 years of mobility studies is that congestion relief is not just a matter of highway and transit agencies building big projects. Those are important.
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I'm aware of at least one study that has a contrary position in that these big road building or expansion projects do little or nothing to alleviate congestion and that they can contribute to congestion by creating more sprawl. At least that's my recollection of the study.

My suggestion is to get rid of toll booths and just tax everyone annually, invest in public transportation, establish bike paths, orient towns for ease of use and stop performing road construction every summer on roads that are not in need of fixing - or is Illinois the only state that seems to have a propensity for this?

Lastly, it appears that the American Road & Transportation Builders is a party to this study. Their logo resides along with the others. Aren't they a contractor association, or is that the point?