This article criticizes LA County Metro's plan to widen multiple freeways, arguing that it exacerbates climate change and traffic congestion. The author contends that widening roads encourages more driving, leading to increased emissions and a worsening climate crisis, particularly in the context of recent wildfires.
As fires were still burning above the hills of Pacific Palisades, Altadena and Malibu, L.A. County Metro took steps to widen more highways. This time it is a potential $5-billion-plus megaproject to expand the 605, 5, 10, 60 and 105 freeways. At some point, our rhetoric on climate change must catch up with the incessant desire by elected officials to widen roads across Los Angeles. Widening highways induces more people to drive on them.
A better solution would be to invest in bus rapid transit and rail, connected by quality bike and pedestrian infrastructure. We could also repurpose general travel lanes on highways into express lanes or carpool lanes, without adding another lane to the highway. Yet we continue to widen highways as if it’s the only solution to traffic, when the data suggest it’s the opposite. Others might say that the state’s shift to electric vehicles will offset the emissions increases.
Transportation Climate Change Highway Expansion Traffic Congestion Emissions Transportation Policy
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