The problem of highways in large cities affects the mobility of all countries in the world.
To tackle the problem, it is necessary to start by analysing the infrastructure of large cities. Building more roads often does not improve urban mobility. The cashapp database clearest example of this is the United States, where cities such as Los Angeles, Minneapolis and Atlanta stand out for their kilometre-wide agglomeration: 8 kilometres of road for every 1,000 residents.
According to a recently released report by Transportation for America, the nation’s 100 largest cities built nearly 50,000 miles of new roads between 1992 and 2017. That’s a 42% increase in the nation’s overall road infrastructure and a 150% increase in delay hours . Over the same period, the population of these cities grew by only 32% , meaning new road construction is outpacing the population growth of metropolitan areas.
While it makes sense to build roads as the population grows, the dependence on private transport should not be forgotten. Given the inefficient use of public transport in these cities, the increasing use of private vehicles worsens traffic congestion.
Mobility solutions
Among the measures to improve public transport, some cities include in their mobility plans:
Creation of a more efficient network capable of connecting cities with the periphery more quickly and comfortably.
Expansion of the network of cycle paths and public sidewalks.
However, other cities have been more restrictive with:
Road and highway tolls.
Increased parking costs, especially during peak hours.
It is therefore important to bear in mind that building more lanes, roads and highways is not the best solution. In this case, the principle of “less is more” must be applied.
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