O P I N I O N

THE SOAPBOX

Stand up. Speak up. It’s your turn.

Induced Demand. Planetizen.com describes it as:

“When roadways are expanded to meet higher capacities of traffic, traffic volumes will rise and congestion will quickly return to similar levels. That’s the concept behind ‘induced demand,’ an increasingly provable yet counterintuitive idea that counters traditional wisdom in transportation planning.”

Here’s a local example. For the past two years the Queen City Avenue bridge has been under construction. During this time, the four-lane bridge was reduced to just two lanes, one in each direction. With 24,500 annual average daily traffic (AADT) in 2018, it’s reasonable that traffic would occasionally get backed up to Brown Avenue during evening rush hour. Often, this was just caused by cars stacking in one lane to avoid having to merge to get onto the bridge.

Last week crews finally finished up construction and reopened the bridge to four lanes allowing for 100 percent capacity.

The above video was taken the night it opened, just after 5 p.m. With all four lanes now reopened, there is worse gridlock (vehicles blocking the intersection) at Queen City Avenue and Sundial Avenue than ever before. Westbound traffic is backed up (in BOTH lanes) well past Bakersville Elementary School. There is more traffic. There are more cars idling. There is more road noise. There are more angry drivers. Quality of life in this neighborhood just decreased a few points.

You know what they say: “If you build it, they will come.” On one hand, traffic congestion makes our streets safer (which could come in handy on this bridge where there is only a sidewalk on one side and there is no buffer between pedestrians and motorized vehicles. There isn’t a bike lane either. Oh, and if you didn’t know, it’s illegal to ride your bicycle on the sidewalk in the state of New Hampshire, so cyclists and BIRD scooter riders must share the road with SUVs.)

Is this the direction we want to see the Queen City continue to go in? Streets used to be bustling places filled with culture, places that fostered community. Now they are death traps that literally divide our neighborhoods. They create hostile environments that invite crime and litter. Kids, and other people who cannot (or don’t want to) drive have completely lost their independence because it’s too dangerous to walk or bike to school. Or to the store. Or to a friend’s house or to a park.

It’s time for change. Serious change. Let’s stop designing every aspect of our communities around motorized vehicles. Let’s find balance. Create a place that gives everyone the freedom to move in the manner that best fits their needs. Whether that be by private automobile, public transit, bicycle, wheelchair, etc. What have we got to lose?

Beg to differ? Agree to disagree? Your thoughtful prose on topics of general interest are welcome. Send submissions to publisher@manchesterinklink.com for consideration.