New Roadways or Routes
General Description:
A new highway or route is built where one does not currently exist to improve congestion and capacity problems on nearby facilities. In some circumstances, new roads may be constructed strictly for transit and/or high occupancy vehicle use. The Transit/HOV Lanes Fact Sheet has more information on this strategy. Building new roadways and/or routes are typically a last resort in a Federal land due to the principles of conservation and preservation.
Effects of Solution:
¨ Increase Passenger Throughput
ş Increase Roadway Capacity (New facilities add capacity to a destination)
¨ Manage System Efficiency
ş Reduce Local Demand (New routes reduce demand on existing facilities)
By adding additional routes to a particular destination, the demand on nearby facilities is reduced. The new route also adds capacity in that there is more total capacity available to motorists trying to reach a particular destination.
Examples of Implementation:
No specific examples available at the time of publication.
Cost/Financial Information:
Source: A Toolbox for Alleviating Traffic Congestion and Enhancing Mobility, Institute of Transportation Engineers. (Cost/financial information is estimated, and will vary based on size and scope of project, number of units, etc.)
Capital Cost
Principal Arterial $1.5 mil/lane-mile
Super Arterial $3-4 mil/lane-mile
Freeways $4-5 mil/lane-mile
Commuter Rail $5-10 mil/mile
Light Rail Transit $20-30 mil/mile
Please see the Additional Lanes fact sheet for cost information regarding current facility expansion.
Additional Resources:
A Toolbox for Alleviating Traffic Congestion and Enhancing Mobility, available for order at: http://www.ite.org/bookstore/index.asp