The core problem is that it’s not just a matter of capacity. You’re still talking about it in terms of additive capacity. The fact of the matter is even when you add another lane, that doesn’t just up capacity by a fixed amount. You get diminishing returns as people have to move across, in and out of those lanes, and…

They are lumping in the NPV of potential future costs in order to get that. It is not what was spent.

It has nothing to do with the wildly different speeds people drive because the speed limit is set artificially low or anything

To be fair, the worst part is 95 between Richmond Va and DC for me. It is insufferable. Luckily, I can bail off and take back roads home which mellows me out a bit, gets the BP down. Now if there was a Cook Out at the exit I get off at, it would be even better.

I agree with you wholeheartedly. I really don’t understand all of the RV hate here.

This site has what’s been spent and it’s less than half that. https://www.nationalpriorities.org/cost-of/?redirect=cow

People bitch about RV ownership while dropping $10-$15 a day on lunch, go out to eat dinner/visit bars frequently, buy the hottest tech, wear the most trendy clothes/shoes, and travel to either Europe or the Caribbean every year or two.

Not really. My 2018 F150 with the 5.0 gets 19-20 mpg around town and it only has 1500 miles on it. I had a 6.7 Diesel F350 before that got about 17mpg average. I don’t consider those figures terrible.

Agreed in full. Author has a stick up his butt.

Based on the part you quoted from the article, would it be more correct (in this specific case) to say that infrastructure isn’t keeping up with demand, rather than to say that it’s “falling apart”? Unless the congestion is caused by repair work.

Apparently it’s our (the public’s) fault that the publicly funded infrastructure is falling apart, because we’re using it for its intended purpose.

Still appropriate to link the article being cited. Just identify it as a paywall like everyone else does.

You can absolutely build your way out of congestion. You just have to be intelligent about it. Throwing lanes at the problem without creating connections that release pressure or flow altering incentives won’t ever accomplish dick in the long run.

But in that time didn’t standard of living and work opportunity in the Atlanta area increase dramatically as well? (Thus drawing more people to the area)

The roads are funded through gasoline/diesel taxes, not through general revenue. At least that is the theory. Who knows where the money went?

We keep proving over and over again that we cannot build our way out of congestion. Atlanta is the biggest example I am aware of. They spent hundreds of millions to build ‘future-proof’ highways a short time ago & they are congested & deadly as ever today. If you build it they will drive.

Yeah, I noticed that too. Apparently it’s our (the public’s) fault that the publicly funded infrastructure is falling apart, because we’re using it for its intended purpose. Gotta love politicians and their ability to avoid blame.

1. I was wondering why you didn’t link to the article, but it’s paywall’d.

Absolutely true. However the percentage of time the tow vehicle will actually have trailer hooked to it and causing it to get extremely poor fuel economy is relatively small.

How did you manage to turn this into not only a political post but also make it sound bad that people once again have disposable income and can afford to make purchases like this? Not to mention 88% of the units sold are tow-ables. Which means they use zero fuel.