Metro wants to spend half a billion dollars on Freeways in 2022
Metro has revealed their new budget for 2021-2022 and unfortunately it has increased funding for highways by 80% to $480 million. With climate change at our doorstep and California set to break records this wildfire season, Metro should redirect this increase towards improving transit and active transportation instead.
Metro Freeway Spending over the last 5 years
Freeway expansions do not solve the issue of traffic and only place more cars on highways due to induced demand. They also destroy communities and increase pollution. Metro’s budget should reflect California’s and Los Angeles’ goals of fighting climate change, not making the problem worse.
The real cost of Freeways in LA County:
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Metro's freeway projects will induce 1.4 Billion new barrels of oil burned per year
Transportation currently accounts for more than 50% of California's greenhouse gas emissions. We estimate that Metro's freeway widening projects will induce 1.4 Billion addtional barrels of oil burned per year in the county.
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More than 1.2 Million people breathe poisonous air from freeways
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Building wider freeways makes traffic worse
Induced demand is an irrefutable law of nature - building and widening highways = more cars and more driving. The $1.3 Billion 405 freeway widening increased congestion. Metro continues to ignore science and promise road widening will reduce traffic.
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Freeway construction has displaced over 150,000 people
Freeway planning in LA County has intentionally targeted Black and Brown neighborhoods, dividing and displacing vibrant communities. During a housing and climate crisis, displacing people is the last thing we should be doing.
To address the urgent crisis of climate change, Metro should be spending funds on public transportation, active transportation, and reinvesting in communities impacted by the consequences of our rampant freeway construction. The benefits include:
Moving a huge amount of people with very little comparative space
Using clean sources of energy
Encouraging people to get out of their car (or not be burdened by one at all!)
Requiring far less capital per mile to build and maintain compared to highways
Building and widening highways is highly destructive to society and solves nothing. It’s Destruction For Nada. If you believe in climate change, believe we have a housing crisis and believe in freedom of choice when it comes to transportation, it’s time to take action.
Coalition Members:
LOGOLOGOLOGOUnderstanding Metro’s Planned Freeway Widening Projects
Metro’s ongoing and planned freeway widening projects will cost more than $21 Billion. Combined, these projects will increase countywide VMT by more than 3% compared to 2018 levels. That means worse traffic, increased pollution, and accelerated climate change.
| Projects | Cost (M) | New Lane Miles | Estimated Induced VMT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total | $21,000 | 440 | 2,583,400,000 |
| I-710 Corridor Project | $8,000 | 34 | 292,800,000 |
| I-605 Corridor Hot Spots | $2,900 | 68 | 451,600,000 |
| I-605 Corridor Improvement Project | $5,000 | 29 | 214,000,000 |
| I-5 Improvement Project – South | $1,900 | 27 | 230,700,000 |
| I-5 Improvement Project – Burbank | $1,300 | 64 | 551,000,000 |
| I-5 Improvement Project - North County | $700 | 32 | 275,000,000 |
| Northwest 138 Corridor | $800 | 148 | 240,700,000 |
| I-105 ExpressLanes Project | $800 | 36 | 311,600,000 |
| 57/60 | $420 | 6 | 16,000,000 |
$21 Billion could fund:
60+ Years of fare-free transit 💵
100+ Miles of at-grade Light Rail 🚈
500+ Miles of Bus Rapid Transit 🚌
1,000+ Miles of Complete Streets 👩🏻🦽🚶🏾🚲🌳