Wow, a big project is in the works.
I sometimes wonder if we can build enough roads in congested places such as Washington, DC area.
I also wonder if shifting when people start work would help.And if incentives towards that end could happen.
For example, rush hour is not a problem on days such as Veteran’s Day, or Columbus Day, days on which the government is closed, but most private sector workers still go to work. The government workers, and some private sector workers, being off the road, takes enough traffic off the road, so that the rest of the traffic will flow smoothly.
More telecommuting would help, too.
No, we can’t build enough roads to solve the problem in the DC area. Developers are throwing up housing much faster than the roadbuilders can build roads — even assuming that there are good places to put the new roads/added lanes, which is a nonsensical assumption. People are going to have to live closer to their jobs, or along bus or commuter rail routes. This is already happening with gentrification and through the development of major suburban job centers. The biggest question ishow the latter will develop — mixed use, mixed income, walkable/bikeable neighborhoods to allow a significant number of people to uncouple from the car ... or car-centric places that just push gridlock even further out.