Highway Expansion
Basics
Meet 2020’s Worst Highway Boondoggles: The Loop 1604 Expansion, Texas
The Texas Department of Transportation is currently reviewing plans for a major expansion to a 23-mile section of Loop 1604, a suburban highway loop that encircles San Antonio. The project, which would expand Loop 1604 between state Highway 16 and Interstate 35 north of the city, includes four to six additional lanes along the entire length of roadway, new frontage roads and a five-level interchange with Interstate 10. This $1.36 billion expansion, while likely failing to solve local congestion problems, would threaten one of the region’s primary sources of drinking water.
December 17, 2020
Meet 2020’s Worst Highway Boondoggles: The Cincinnati Eastern Bypass
Ohio and Kentucky transportation officials are considering a new four-lane bypass around the eastern side of Cincinnati that would cause sprawling development and damaging community impacts, while overwhelming Ohio’s state transportation budget. The proposed Cincinnati Eastern Bypass (CEB) would entail approximately 75 miles of new freeway.
December 15, 2020
Can COVID-19 Finally Kill the Highway Boondoggle?
America was already faced with the need to make critical transportation investments. And then COVID-19 hit, upending travel patterns and undercutting the traditional sources of government transportation revenue.
December 11, 2020
Trump’s Road Grants Favor Red, Rural Projects
Obama's signature TIGER program became just another highway fund when President Trump rechristened it BUILD — but this may be the worst year yet.
September 18, 2020
Report: We Really Need to Divert Money from Drivers to Transit Users
September 10, 2020
Op Ed: We Shouldn’t Fix Some ‘Crumbling’ Highways
Americans shouldn't have to choose between building endless new highway miles and endlessly fixing the roads that destroy our places — because there are a lot of highways that deserve to be decommissioned.
July 8, 2020
COVID-19 Reveals That the Real Cure For Freight Truck Congestion is Fewer Cars
We don't need more roads — we need fewer cars on the existing roads.
March 25, 2020
Op-Ed: A $7.5B Boondoggle Advances in Austin
Austin just approved funding to expand its most notorious highway. It's bad news for public safety — and for their municipal budget.
March 2, 2020
Congress Vows to Fight Trump’s Environmental Rule Change
Congressional leaders vowed they won't let the president get away with gutting environmental laws after learning the Trump administration will scrap requirements to consider the climate consequences for new highways and pipelines.
January 7, 2020
Op-Ed: Portland’s Costly Highway Mistake
The city should reverse course and cancel the expansion of Interstate 5.
December 26, 2019
