Traffic engineers are starting to acknowledge a concept called induced demand. It’s simple: the more we widen roadways, the more cars fill them up. So, often the most expensive solution to relieving congestion isn’t a solution at all, and that’s before the maintenance costs are considered. Ohio is not alone in wrestling with these questions; road-widening projects are attached to many local budgets.
These are important questions in Minot because few things chew through property taxes like road maintenance and replacement.