When you built a new housing development there are often plans for new roadways or parking garages, but University Wisconsin researchers say this just encourages people to drive, ultimately making congestion worse. Eric Sundquist, managing director of the State Smart Transportation Initiative explains, “There’s sort of a vicious cycle: We widen roads, people drive more; we widen roads, people drive more.”
He says the solution is to build fewer roads and offer alternative transportation options, as well as enhancing the walkability of a neighborhood. Unfortunately, cities often have outdated city planning rules in place that call for a parking space for every new unit.
