Higher Density Makes Traffic Worse

As population densities rise, vehicle use also rises, writes Wendell Cox.

1 minute read

May 14, 2003, 7:00 AM PDT

By Chris Steins @planetizen


"One of the principal reasons that "smart growth" or "compact city" urban strategies cannot reach their objective of reducing traffic congestion (or reducing its growth) is that there is a strong positive relationship between higher population density and higher traffic volumes. The most fundamental requirement of smart growth or compact city strategies is higher population densities."

Thanks to Laura Kranz

Wednesday, May 14, 2003 in The Public Purpose

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