How much does a road cost?

[CDP]

dcb said:

Of course, the sooner a new road goes in, the sooner we all benefit (imagine London
*without* the M25).

The greens have an argument that roads create traffic. I'm sure that is true but in this country we don't build new roads until our old ones have become clogged to the point where they're pretty much unusable.

The balancing act is extremely difficult but I reckon London would be a lot smaller and without it.

[kambites]

CDP said:

The greens have an argument that roads create traffic. I'm sure that is true...

I think there has to be an element of truth to it but also a limit to it. I know there's various journeys I'd be far more likely to make and/or far more likely to use a car for it the roads were more direct/faster/quieter.

[dcb]

CDP said:

The greens have an argument that roads create traffic.

They make it sound like traffic is a bad thing.
It is a sign of a vigourous and active economy.

Not many traffic jams in the former East Germany.

If I could make some hypothetical 100 mile journey in an hour instead of two hours,
due to new roads, then it becomes much more feasible for me to do it.

This has many economic benefits. Goods and services etc. I think this is covered
in GCSE Geography.

[4x4Tyke]

CDP said:

dcb said:

Of course, the sooner a new road goes in, the sooner we all benefit (imagine London
*without* the M25).

The greens have an argument that roads create traffic. I'm sure that is true but in this country we don't build new roads until our old ones have become clogged to the point where they're pretty much unusable.

The balancing act is extremely difficult but I reckon London would be a lot smaller and without it.

It is common sense that congested roads will operate as a capacity limit on traffic, that is kind of the point. The mistake is the thinking that lifting that cap, with more roads, will lead to unrestricted growth, it will just cap out on a different limit.