induced demand
Basics
Confirmed: Non-Driving Infrastructure Creates ‘Induced Demand,’ Too
Widening a highway to cure congestion is like losing weight by buying bigger pants — but thanks to the same principle of "induced demand," adding bike paths and train lines to cure climate actually works.
January 9, 2026
Friday Video: Traffic Engineers Are Wasting Trillions
The fundamental law of road traffic is that adding lanes and parking just encourages more driving. The Global Cycling Network breaks down how it works — and what we need to do about it.
April 11, 2025
USDOT Warns Congress That Americans Need to Drive Less to Survive Climate Change
"The U.S. will not be able to decarbonize the transportation sector without addressing increased demand," a recent DOT report wrote. So why are so few transportation leaders doing it?
July 29, 2024
Freeway Fighters: ‘Stop the Highway-Expansion Madness,’ New Coalition Demands
"Endless highway expansions are pulling our country into an environmental, budgetary, and public health crisis," the letter states.
February 6, 2024
Study: Two-Thirds of Americans Know Highway Expansions Don’t Cure Traffic
"The public is way ahead of the elected officials, and it's way ahead of the transportation officials in [talking about] the kind of future they want to see."
June 29, 2023
So Much for ‘Carmageddon’ (Philadelphia Edition)
More capacity generates more travel, more sprawl, more pollution, and ultimately more congestion. It’s time to get off this treadmill.
Joe Cortright
June 13, 2023
Biden’s First ‘Mega Grants’ Contain Some Mega Wins — And Mega Fails
A new federal "megagrant" program will fund major safety and transit projects that have been at the top of sustainable transportation advocates' wishlists for years ... along with business-as-usual highway expansion projects that could negate those mega-gains.
February 6, 2023
Opinion: Stop Expanding the Damn Roads in Michigan
The recent announcement of a $105-million grant to remove I-375 in Detroit is welcome news. But it also raises the question of whether our broader road spending is leading to a future we want.
October 28, 2022
Highway Boondoggles, Part II: Induced Demand Across the Ohio River
The Brent Spence Bridge is a vital link between Covington, Ky., and Cincinnati. The plan to replace it is though, is a boondoggle. Here's why.
September 14, 2022
THE BRAKE: Are Would-Be Planners and Engineers on Board With Transportation Reform?
Planning and engineering students are poised to play a major role in shaping America's transportation system for decades. But do they agree with sustainable transportation advocates about what that future should look like?
June 28, 2022
