How Does a City Know When to Build More Roads?

Cities use clues from traffic. Imagine a road like a river, when more people start walking on it, the water gets deeper and faster. If too many cars are stuck in traffic, the city knows it needs to build new roads or widen old ones so the flow can stay smooth.

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Examples

When a street gets so busy that cars start forming a traffic jam during rush hour, the city might build another lane to help move more cars.
If people in a neighborhood start complaining about long commute times every day, the city may decide it's time for new roads.
A city might add a second road when a school opens nearby and many students start walking or biking on the same route.

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Categories: Economics · Urban Planning,Transportation,Infrastructure