In Search of a City: Split Fix Flaws
Tuesday, May 25th, 2010
Reconstruction of the I-71 and I-70 “split” in downtown shows how badly Ohio’s transportation policies need to be fixed.
Ohio will soon spend $1.7 billion rebuilding a few miles of interstate highway in downtown. The result will be a wider trench and monster freeway roaring through half a dozen urban neighborhoods.
One reason for reconstructing this stretch of highway makes sense, to make it safe. The other reason, to increase capacity, is ludicrous. Additional lanes for through traffic will not fix anything. According to ODOT, the wider highway will quickly fill to capacity, leaving us with no more than a bigger traffic jam. Why? Bigger highways merely enable the same people to drive longer distances to do tasks previously done closer to home.
In the meantime, Ohio legislators cannot seem to agree on spending $17 million per year to operate a 260-mile passenger rail line. Isn’t it interesting that our State legislators don’t debate the cost of maintaining highway “improvements?” How much do taxpayers spend on highway patrols, snow removal, roadway and bridge repairs, landscaping, lighting repairs, storm-water run-off, litter collection, signage, emergency medical services and other ongoing costs?
There is a solution for the highway “split” in downtown. Fix the safety problems. Don’t increase road capacity.