Why Traffic Problems Can’t Be Solved Just By Adding More Lanes

Traffic and congestion in American cities have been deteriorating for decades.

In 2022, the average American driver lost 51 hours and $869 of valuable time in traffic, up 54% from the previous year.according to a report from INRIX, a global traffic tracker.

In 2019, before the pandemic, traffic jams cost the average American nearly 100 hours and almost $1,400.

In 2020 and 2021, at the height of the pandemic, traffic decreased, but now it’s back. Moreover, the post-COVID world may face new challenges, such as increased traffic in the suburbs with a change in the driving pattern of hybrid workers.

What to do about it, opinions are divided across the country. Some experts say what cities need most is wider roads, more public transport, and better urban design and planning. Road widening itself is an often suggested solution, but experts say it’s only part of the solution.

Some economists, for example, argue that the only way to reduce traffic is to charge congestion fees. But this route is politically controversial.

While experts say it has been successfully implemented in cities like London and Singapore, it has faced some resistance in American cities like New York.

Watch the video to find out more.