Thread by @DavidZipper

I’m in the Washington Post today, sharing 5 myths about highways.

Here’s a 🧵 with a quick tour:
washingtonpost.com/outlook/five-m…

Myth 1⃣: "Wider highways move traffic faster"

Nope! Expanded highways attract more car trips, which inevitably slows traffic down again. You can blame induced demand, a theory that economists (but not construction-loving state DOTs) have long accepted.
bloomberg.com/news/features/…

Myth 2⃣: "94% of human crashes are caused by human error"

Nope! Blaming the driver alone lets others off the hook, including engineers who design dangerous roads, car companies building heavier & taller SUVs/trucks, and cities underinvesting in sidewalks.

https://mobile.twitter.com/jenniferhomendy/status/1445159115370733574?lang=bn

Myth 3⃣: "Congestion pricing hurts the poor"

Nope! Wealthier people drive much more than low-income people. If you want to help the latter, invest in transit and sidewalks (which is what New York City intends to do with its congestion pricing revenue).
usa.streetsblog.org/2019/01/30/con…

Myth 4⃣: "Gas taxes pay for highways"

Nope! Gas taxes don’t raise nearly enough for all we spend on roadways, forcing Congress to draw billions of $$ from general revenues. That means all of us are paying for highways—even if we don’t drive on them.
bloomberg.com/news/articles/…

Myth 5⃣: "Americans love cars"

Nope! (or at least not necessarily) This myth comes from a Groucho Marx line in 1961. In reality, sprawl and shoddy transit give most Americans no alternative but to drive.
bloomberg.com/news/articles/…

For those in DC, this will be in the Outlook section of Sunday's print paper.

Happy weekend!
washingtonpost.com/outlook/five-m…