Truth

Building more road space doesn’t solve congestion – it actually creates more. This is known as induced demand: adding more lanes attracts more drivers, quickly filling up the new capacity.

Proof

A 2011 study by economists Matthew Turner and Gilles Duranton (The Fundamental Law of Road Congestion) found that vehicle kilometres travelled increase proportionally to road expansion – meaning new lanes fill up almost immediately.

Example: Houston’s Katy Freeway – expanded to 23 lanes – became even more congested than before, with commute times increasing by up to 30% within a few years after the expansion².

StreetSmart

Instead of chasing a losing battle by widening roads, StreetSmart empowers cities to reclaim space for people by identifying where a rethink is needed and showing what’s possible beyond endless road expansion.