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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Build more lanes and more people will drive there. Let’s face it, it’ll never get better.[/quote]

It is called "induced demand" - there is no such thing as building more lanes permanently relieving traffic. [b]The solution is to get a good rail system in place from Frederick to Shady Grove and Union Station[/b]. And Bus Rapid Transit dedicated lanes down to Friendship Heights and Silver Spring.[/quote]

For example, the MARC Brunswick Line. Except for with trains that run all day long, in both directions, and also on weekends.[/quote]

Why can't we do both? I'm in favor of public transportation and highway widening. Population is growing in this area, so there is more demand. Even if everyone magically took public transport, we still need highways for commercial vehicles. Your plumber and the Giant delivery truck can't take Metro.[/quote]

Well we've already widened our highways - look at 270 and 495 in NOVA and 66 outside the beltway.

We've done some Mass Transit improvements but they really aren't commensurate with the population growth and demand.  Even DC (and also Arlington) which has the most mass transit and most walkable neighborhoods and a population pretty willing to leave their cars at home has not built nearly enough transit.  DC spends more on roads every year than public transit.

But the really stupid thing about the highway widening is it really only partially solves the problem (and even then for just a short period) - most of the jobs in the region are in close in dense neighborhoods and there is no space in those neighborhoods to expand the roads.

So sure widen 270 but you are just creating a greater bottleneck when all those cars get off the highway to go to their jobs in DC, Bethesda, Tysons, Rosslyn, Crystal City, Alexandria etc where there will be no increase in traffic capacity.

There is however still transit capacity in most of those areas.[/quote]

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