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- > >- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - >For SC email list T-and-C, send: GET TERMS-AND-CONDITIONS.CURRENT >to [log in to unmask] * * * * * * * * * * Eric G. Hurley 829 Douglas Ave #3 Ames IA 50010-6221 515/232-2568 [log in to unmask] - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For SC email list T-and-C, send: GET TERMS-AND-CONDITIONS.CURRENT to [log in to unmask]