Omaha and Lincoln about to grow a little closer...
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almighty_tuna
- City Council
- Posts: 105462
- Joined: Tue Apr 13, 2004 1:34 pm
- Location: Somewhere between downtown and Colorado
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amighty tuna and michaelsjewel- it seems as though you guys hit several issues on the head. Do more lanes aleviate congestion? Is congestion the result of traffic bottling as a result of off-ramps that hold less capacity or is it a result of traffic moving from 3 to 2 lanes? Can extra interstate lanes bypass some of the off ramp congestion? Etc.
Other than the engineering issues, one wonders whether it is cost effective to build a 4th lane while adding a 3rd? Are we going to be adding that 4th lane in 10 years from now or 50 years? And how much more would tacking on the 4th cost now compared to an entire new project down the road?
I don't know the answer to any of these questions. I don't even know if the demand for driving will exist in the future like it has grown in the past few decades? Maybe the rising energy costs will force a light rail system and make cars less abundant. I don't know and am not sure if anyone does.
I do know I get upset when Omaha builds things too small and then decides two years later to add more seat to an arena or add more hotel units to a hotel. My philosophy is usually "go big or go home" or "build something to last." I wonder if a 4 lane highway would have been a major catalyst for growth between the two cities. I know I am not intelligent enough to weigh all the positives and negatives or even spot all the issues, but either way, the discussion is definitely interesting.
Other than the engineering issues, one wonders whether it is cost effective to build a 4th lane while adding a 3rd? Are we going to be adding that 4th lane in 10 years from now or 50 years? And how much more would tacking on the 4th cost now compared to an entire new project down the road?
I don't know the answer to any of these questions. I don't even know if the demand for driving will exist in the future like it has grown in the past few decades? Maybe the rising energy costs will force a light rail system and make cars less abundant. I don't know and am not sure if anyone does.
I do know I get upset when Omaha builds things too small and then decides two years later to add more seat to an arena or add more hotel units to a hotel. My philosophy is usually "go big or go home" or "build something to last." I wonder if a 4 lane highway would have been a major catalyst for growth between the two cities. I know I am not intelligent enough to weigh all the positives and negatives or even spot all the issues, but either way, the discussion is definitely interesting.