Because new! shiny! looks like progress and maintenance does not.

[removed]

It’s the short sighted planners (“we have traffic so we need new roads, public transportation doesn’t make money”) vs the long term planners (“road maintenance is also expensive, public transportation is better for the environment”).

It’s also how do I appeal to big donors to get re-elected (because, statistically fewer big donors ride public transportation).

In my ideal world, public transportation is clean, safe, frequent, and free.

Building new roads will not reduce traffic density, but it will increase total traffic volume which should correlate to increased economic activity, justifying the costs of building in the eyes of planners that care about pumping numbers.

Where are we building new roads?

That assumes people weren't using other modes of transportation already

What roads are you referring to? We currently have a complete steers initiative in the state, so road upgrades/construction must include mobility measures for multiple forms of transportation unless it is a high-speed highway.

It not affecting traffic density isn't always true and is only really represented in high density areas.

If North Adam's turned a 1 lane arterial road into a 2 lane arterial, it wouldn't see its traffic volume double.

In Massachusetts "new" is always better. Look up any feasibility study in any town, the answer is always to replace and the repair cost will always justify the new building. Its intentional.

I personally like the exposed rebar look, with the faded green.

Where is the study and research?

where and when are new roads being built with the excetion of the Eisenhower Interstate system built in the 50's and 60's. And the federal roads built earlier on most roads are just pavement of pre existing dirt roads from earlier times.

THere may have been lane additions or turning normal roads into controled acces roads,really when has a new road been built in 50 years?

I think VEHICLES are more traffic, they just travel on roads! Less roads would cause more vehicles to be on fewer roads resulting in my traffic jams!

https://www.vox.com/platform/amp/videos/22280067/highways-traffic-worse-congestion-expansion

It looks like you shared an AMP link. These should load faster, but AMP is controversial because of concerns over privacy and the Open Web.

Maybe check out the canonical page instead: https://www.vox.com/videos/22280067/highways-traffic-worse-congestion-expansion

^(I'm a bot | )^(Why & About)^( | )^(Summon: u/AmputatorBot)

You would think that, but there's been multiple studies on it that say otherwise.

Which roads are we referring to?

The belief that the world is flat has many studies too, doesn’t make it true. More people mean more vehicles, not the other way around. Just as roads don’t miraculously make cars appear!

Um... no. Objective scientific measures have proven that the world is not flat.

They're expanding the lanes of multiple roads. And they're building a new road my way to work (I commute from Cambridge to Wakefield).

Where are you seeing new roads?

Glad we agree on that

I challenge you to find one actual study arguing for a flat earth.

You’re joking? We both know the sun rotates around the Earth!

Where do we even have room for new roads? That's the whole problem in the first place!

That was not my question

Yeah, I was just piling on.

I’m not joking. You are using a common anti-science argument against OP as some sort of “gotcha” and immediately pull back when challenged with some sort of humor. OP has shown actual scientific evidence with a source and you think your anecdotal evidence trumps it. Go back to Facebook with this nonsense.

I’m aware of the induced demand argument, but what new roads are being built?

Massachusetts Population Grew 7.4% to Over 7 million From 2010 to 2020https://www.census.gov/library/stories/state-by-state/massachusetts-population-change-between-census-decade.html

How is this a flat earth study? Now I know you’re just trolling.

And to be clear, I don’t think you believe in flat earth. You’re just using it as an argument to dismiss actual science.

The discussion is about roads creating traffic! The population increase is the root cause of more roads, houses, traffic, pollution and etc!

I see very few new roads constructed here on the Cape, except for new developments, which are private. Most of the construction here on the roads are improvements -- widening to include bike lanes and pedestrian sidewalks, putting in roundabouts to increase safety by limiting speeds. Local businesses here hate any construction, of course, because it limits access temporarily in a seasonal economy, so they fight it like hell.

You made the claim that OP’s study can’t be believed because there are studies saying flat earth is true. There aren’t any actual studies about this. You are dismissing scientific evidence based on your feelings.

Saw one being developed in Hudson but that’s is for the Museum I think

Sorry but can’t take vox seriously and neither should you.

I think very few new roads are being built. We need many more alternate routes available to reduce the standstill traffic and road rage. I think the question is a messed up one. I guess I’m in the mood for a fight haha

this is actually almost an aside but ive noticed the reading comprehension of reddit in general has really gone down a lot recently. people will make assumptions and/or interpret you as having said/thought the wildest things that simply you did not. The person above is a small example but ive seen it everywhere on reddit at a really increased rate.

I mean things like that are to be expected. But it isn’t as if we are seeing new state routes, urban arterials, or collectors being constructed.

This reminded me of old route 1 in Newburyport. It's right off of 95, paved, and nature has taken it over. It's a bike/walking path now. It's still odd to see.

I was implying the study was the same as claiming the earth was flat. Making the analogy that roads create traffic is backwards logic. The 500k population increase is why there’s MORE everything!! Happy New Year!

What new roads are you talking about?

Admittedly, I'm on here way too much, and I sometimes catch myself jumping on people for the smallest (perceived) things. Reddit really does have an overall kind of shitty, argumentative culture. Still miles better than the alternatives though.

Good bot

just one more lane bro

Massachusetts is not adding any new roadways and hasn't for more than 40 years. The last time a new interstate was built was in the early 1980's when I-190 (Leominster to Worcester) was completed and the remaining spur of I-495 to the cape was completed.

The only roadway changes that have been made since then were modifications of existing roadways with capacity changes for safety or evacuation route purposes - like the big dig.

This is not true. Other than adding capacity for safety and transit, like bus-only and HOV lanes, there has not been a meaningful increase in roadway capacity in more than 40 years.

This is legit traffic engineering regardless of Vox being the source. A quick Google search will yield dozens of reputable results. Regardless, the OP's assertion that this applies to Massachusetts is wrong. There has not been any expansion of the interstate system here in 40 years.

A number of state roads have been expanded recently however Massdot does seem to be coming around of late. Even DCR is looking at roadway narrowing and they are as bad as it gets.

First off Massachusetts roads are way due for an upgrade. We are one of the oldest states!!!

I mean the cape is a pretty good example of road widening. Going from 8 to 12 lanes crossing the canal soon, with no commensurate increase in commuter rail or commuter bus access.

One example I can think of is I believe the cape is going from 8 lanes to 12 across the canal.

Yes. They should be upgraded with narrowed lanes, less lanes, better sidewalks and curb height bike lanes.

We should also be dramatically narrowing, adding modal filters and adding chicanes to pretty much every residential street.

Roads? Where we’re going, we don’t need roads!

But it’s a bridge. They’re widening the bridge.

It's not a roadway widening if it's a bridge?

It’s a bridge improvement. I think that the driving force behind this was fixing the bridge, not widening the road.

Yet, despite that, the road is being..... What's the word?

Why are you being so pretentious about this, I’m just saying that this is not the same as just adding more lanes to a highway, which has one singular goal, to add more lanes. The goal of the bridge repair is to repair the bridge.

They are literally adding more lanes.

Literally.

Ok fine whatever, I give up.

You are trying to be pendantic about a literal roadway widening.

If roads need repair and they get widened does that not count as a widening in your mind?

Bit strange really as roads, bridges tunnels etc need repair CONSTANTLY.

[deleted]

This doesn’t mean it leads to slower commuter times. It should still makes for quicker drive times and takes traffic off the side roads. It’s not necessarily a bad thing.

It might be backwards logic to you but it’s what the actual data analysis shows. Just because it doesn’t make sense to you doesn’t mean you can just dismiss it.

I can and have! How about this, close all the CAR DEALERSHIPS and really solve the problem!!

And this is why the US is a joke to the rest of the world.

Science: “Here’s some data and analyses!”

u/barzbub: “My feelings are better than your science!”