John,
I received this article and it was apparently posted by you. Could you tell
me who the author is? Is it Glen Brand? Who is he? I'm planning to write a
letter-to-the-editor based on this I'm wondering how to cite the information.
Thanks.
Eric G. Hurley
p.s. the new web site is http://www.sierraclub.org/sprawl/
At 01:00 AM 1/12/00 -0500, you wrote:
>Approved-By: [log in to unmask]
>Message-ID: <[log in to unmask]>
>Date: Tue, 11 Jan 2000 12:39:04 -0800
>Reply-To: Sierra Club Forum on Transportation Issues
> <[log in to unmask]>
>Sender: Sierra Club Forum on Transportation Issues
> <[log in to unmask]>
>From: John Holtzclaw <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Cincy induced traffic press release today
>X-To: [log in to unmask]
>To: [log in to unmask]
>
> I released this press release today, and it looks like a solid hit. Two
> TVs say they will report it tonight (not sure yet about the other
> two); both the Enquirer and Post say they will run it tomorrow; two
> radio stations with interviews by me are doing it for today and
> tomorrow; and I'm scheduled to discuss the issue on the big talk radio
> show (WLW-700 AM) on Thursday. I also sent a piece to Louisville
> outlets with a Louisville group member quote. Only the Ohio AP blew
> it off.
>
> Glen Brand
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> NEW & WIDER HIGHWAYS WORSEN CINCINNATI'S TRAFFIC GRIDLOCK AND SPRAWL:
> NEW STUDY SAYS NEW HIGHWAYS CAUSE, NOT RELIEVE, UP TO 43% OF TRI-STATE
> TRAFFIC JAMS
>
> CINCINNATI-Widening and building new highways actually causes, not
> relieves, traffic congestion in Cincinnati and other major U.S.
> metropolitan areas, according to a new study presented today to the
> 79th Annual Transportation Research Board in Washington, DC. The
> study estimated that up to 43% of traffic in Greater Cincinnati is
> caused just by expanding the area's road network. The study also says
> that Tri-State traffic congestion would have grown less rapidly if no
> new or wider highways were built at all, contrary to what highway
> planners have predicted.
>
> The study, "Analysis of Metropolitan Highway Capacity and the Growth
> in Vehicle Miles of Travel," used data from the Texas Transportation
> Institute's most recent database for 70 urbanized areas from
> 1982-1996. Using three models with different variables, the study
> found that highway-induced traffic in the Cincinnati area (including
> Northern Kentucky) increased by 14%-43%. Highway-induced traffic
> estimates for nearby metropolitan areas were 12%-35% in Columbus;
> 13%-30% in Cleveland; 20%-50% in Indianapolis; and 34%-77% in
> Louisville. The national average was 15%-45%.
>
> "Simply put, this study adds to the growing evidence that traffic
> congestion has been made worse, not alleviated as road builders claim,
> by more and bigger highways. It follows that to reduce traffic
> congestion, and therefore air pollution and suburban sprawl, we need
> to stop building and widening sprawl-causing highways," said Glen
> Brand, director of the Cincinnati office of the National Sierra Club.
> "Instead it would be smarter to plan our communities better so that we
> aren't forced to drive everywhere, and to provide greater
> transportation choices such as commuter light rail and expanded bus
> service."
>
> The study's authors, Robert Noland, University of London Center for
> Transport Studies and William A. Cowart, ICF Consulting in Fairfax,
> VA., conclude that "induced travel effects strongly imply that pursuit
> of congestion reduction by building more capacity will have
> short-lived benefits. This may be evidence for a strong sprawl
> inducing impact of large increases in lane mile capacity relative to
> the existing infrastructure. Recognition of these impacts implies that
> the benefits of new highway construction are less than would be
> calculated from a static analysis that included no induced travel
> impacts."
>
> Currently, highway expansion is occurring all over the Tri-State,
> including widening of I-71 and I-75, the new Butler County Regional
> Highway, and a proposed Eastgate highway in Clermont County.
>
> "In the light of this new research, policy-makers, including County
> commissioners and engineers, Ohio Department of Transportation, and
> Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Council of Regional Governments, need to
> re-calculate the benefits and costs of highway expansion, said Sierra
> Club's Brand. "We are calling for a balanced transportation program
> that spends as much on travel choices such as clean buses and light
> rail trains as on building new sprawl-and-congestion-causing
> highways."
>
> Haynes Goddard, Professor of Economics at the University of Cincinnati
> with expertise in transportation economics, said that "this study is a
> careful statistical analysis of the perverse effects of insufficiently
> considered highway investments, and how they can make our region a
> less desirable place to live. It makes it clear that putting all of
> our proverbial transport eggs in the highway basket reduces the
> economic vitality of our region".
>
> One study in Oregon showed that by planning development so that people
> have easy access to commuter trains and other public transportation
> choice, traffic for new development can be reduced from 10 car trips
> per day to 6 trips per day.
>
> "If people are tired of being stuck in sprawl mall traffic, we need to
> promote smarter planning and increase travel choices, not just build
> more highways," said Brett Hulsey, coordinator of the Sierra Club
> Challenge to Sprawl Campaign. "More roads lead to more traffic like
> bigger pants tend to lead to more weight gain. We need to change our
> philosophy to reduce, not increase sprawl and traffic."
>
> The Sierra Club is calling on state and local leaders to spend at
> least half of their transportation money on safety improvements to
> existing streets and roads, and for public transportation
> alternatives, and promote traffic impact analysis on new sprawl
> development, and good planning measures to minimize traffic.
>
> More information on induced traffic and sprawl can be obtained from
> the Sierra Club web site at www.sierraclub.org/sprawl/resources/links.
>
> -30-
>
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* * * * * * * * * *
Eric G. Hurley
829 Douglas Ave #3
Ames IA 50010-6221
515/232-2568
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