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Iowa Makes a Bold Admission: We Need Fewer Roads

Posted by samzenpus on from the if-you-don't-build-it-they-will-come dept.

An anonymous reader writes: During a recent Urban Land Institute talk, the director of the Iowa Department of Transportation, Paul Trombino, told an audience that the road network in Iowa was probably going to "shrink." Calling for fewer highways isn't what you'd normally expect from a government transportation official, but since per capita driving has peaked in the U.S., it might make sense for states to question whether or not to spend their transportation budgets on new roads.

6 of 285 comments (clear)

  1. It all depends.... by Mr+D+from+63 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    It certainly doesn't make sense to plow money in to maintaining roads that are not being used. But there is also a cost with abandoning roads, so the overall benefit must be determined on a road by road basis. But that certainly is a departure from the general assumption that we must maintain all roads.

    Do you shut down a road, or let it die a slow death?

    1. Re:It all depends.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      heck, we still marvel at the roads the roman empire abandoned.

  2. Let's get the puns out of the way by Nidi62 · · Score: 5, Funny

    I for one applaud this trailblazing official who is paving the way by providing a roadmap for other officials to follow while going down the road to more efficient government and leading the drive towards a more fiscally responsible America.

    Now if only somone could give us a car analogy

    --
    The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
  3. Oblig by _anomaly_ · · Score: 5, Funny

    Where we're going, we don't need roads!

    Happy 30th, Back to the Future!

    --
    "I have no special gift, I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
  4. Re:"Per capita?" by CrimsonAvenger · · Score: 5, Informative

    Note that, absent immigration, US population is declining.

    Note also that if current trends continue, we should see population declines in many States even if we include immigration.

    Iowa, being essentially a big farm, is one of those States ripe for population decline sooner rather than later.

    --

    "I do not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"
  5. Re:Driving still increasing by camperdave · · Score: 5, Insightful

    So the homeowner isn't trying to drive down them at 70 mph in a sports car, but rather at 20mph in a pickup truck.

    I gather you've never lived in the country. Folk will be driving down them at 70 mph in their pickups.

    --
    When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!