Free public roads and highways? Free public parking? Good, normal, should be encouraged. Add a lane or two to the highway? Always a good idea! (hint: it never is)
Free public transit? KILL IT WITH FIRE!!! It will never work (those places it did are aberrations)
Go look up:
1. Jevons paradox (induced demand): More road capacity → more traffic.
2. Marchetti’s constant (30-minute city): Average commute time is stable; faster modes → sprawl.
3. Downs–Thomson paradox (transit sets highway speed): Car speeds improve only if transit gets better.
4. Braess’s paradox (network effect): Adding a new road can worsen traffic for everyone.
Free public transit? KILL IT WITH FIRE!!! It will never work (those places it did are aberrations)
Go look up: 1. Jevons paradox (induced demand): More road capacity → more traffic. 2. Marchetti’s constant (30-minute city): Average commute time is stable; faster modes → sprawl. 3. Downs–Thomson paradox (transit sets highway speed): Car speeds improve only if transit gets better. 4. Braess’s paradox (network effect): Adding a new road can worsen traffic for everyone.