Fact: Metro Washington has notoriously horrible traffic congestion.
Fact: It’s not only a matter of frayed nerves and environmental degradation – congestion devours productivity as well (resulting in $115 billion in economic losses nationwide in 2009).
Question: So what’s the solution to this seemingly intractable problem? Will more and bigger roads reduce congestion through increased capacity or will this increased capacity actually make congestion worse by spurring growth in further-flung places where the automobile is the only way to get around?
That’s the debate that took place earlier this week on Bruce DePuyt’s NewsTalk program. Three staunch advocates were on hand to make their case and to discuss a recent survey on the region’s transportation priorities: David Alpert, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of the Greater Greater Washington blog, Stewart Schwartz, Executive Director of the Coalition for Smarter Growth, and Rich Parsons of the newly-formed Suburban Maryland Transportation Alliance.
Region Forward was brought up a few times during the discussion due to its goals of reducing vehicle miles traveled, increasing the share of alternative transport options (transit, walking, biking), and its general plan for making metro Washington more sustainable. The video clip in its entirety is below.
What do you think is the best way for the region to move forward regarding transportation, both in the short-term and long-term?