U.S. PIRG's list of 'Highway Boondoggles' puts Maryland's $9 billion I-270 expansion among the worst projects in the country.
Maryland earns the dubious accolade of topping U.S. PIRG's list of Highway Boondoggles. The project, which is slated to cost $9 billion, comes at a time when Baltimore's transit system has had to close for repairs.
The report points out how the forces of induced demand will quickly eliminate any gains in traffic alleviation from the project and will create a bigger maintenance liability than Maryland already has. States around the country continue to accrue highway debt, with monies owed doubling since 2008. Beyond that, the state faces a backlog of maintenance projects it could be undertaking to maintain existing roads and bridges.
"Amelia Chasse, a spokeswoman for the governor, said Hogan’s plan to expand I-270 and the Beltway is in keeping with a balanced approach to transportation that includes robust spending on transit in addition to highway funding," Fredrick Kunkle reports for the Washington Post.
FULL STORY: Maryland’s proposed expansion of Beltway and I-270 ranks among top U.S. ‘boondoggles,’ group says
Maryland Toll Lane Plan Gains Federal Approval
In a victory for Governor Larry Hogan, who has championed the project, the Federal Highway Administration is allowing the Beltway expansion project to move ahead.
Maryland's $9 Billion Project Would Be the Nation's Largest P3 for Highways
Gov. Larry Hogan (R-Md.) announced last week plans for the largest highway contract awarded to a public-private partnership: adding four express toll lanes to the Capital Beltway and I-270. A third highway widening will be completed internally.
Why Traffic Never Gets Better
Despite abundant research showing that roadway expansions provide limited congestion relief and increase long-term traffic problems, they still occur due to wishful thinking: advocates claim that “this” project is different.
Analysis: Cybertruck Fatality Rate Far Exceeds That of Ford Pinto
The Tesla Cybertruck was recalled seven times last year.
National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.
Retro-silient?: America’s First “Eco-burb,” The Woodlands Turns 50
A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.
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Analysis: Cybertruck Fatality Rate Far Exceeds That of Ford Pinto
The Tesla Cybertruck was recalled seven times last year.
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