Road projects in the D.C. Area

Take Action: on current issues in the region by clicking here, or choose one of the road projects from "Related Issues" below. Contact your local elected officials and write a letter to the editor (use information below for talking points)

Update:

In recent months, several of the Outer Beltway projects have been revived including the ICC, the Techway (Potomac bridge crossing), and major roads near Manassas Battlefield. In addition, I-66 widening inside the Beltway is under discussion again.

Although it may seem surprising to some, studies have shown that new roads and widened roads usually do not provide traffic relief.

This is because of "induced traffic," which is a term that refers to an increase in daily travel, and therefore traffic, that results from a change in a transportation system's capacity, such as road expansion.

A half-century of experience and studies have shown that new road capacity is often filled within 2-5 years of expansion, which means drivers and planners have to deal with traffic issues shortly after the development of new road projects.

That is why inefficient development patterns, such as expensive road projects and sprawl, create additional traffic. In other words, when you increase roads, you increase traffic, much in line with the saying "if you build it, they will come."

In the DC Region, widening major arterial roads and building new highways in rural areas makes it possible for new development to occur further out in the region. Soon these upgraded roads are filled again. A better solution to our traffic problems is to create travel options by building mixed-use communities composed of residential and commercial facilities, with transit-oriented development and town centers so that we can walk, bike, take transit, or drive shorter distances to the places we need to go. By giving people alternatives to driving, we free up space on the roads for those who have to or choose to drive, which benefits everyone.

More on Road Projects:
Solutions
History
Contacts

More Information:
More Highways = More Air Pollution
Induced Traffic
"Sprawl Costs Us All: Roads and Highways" (Sierra Club)
Traffic Calming