I’ve added a new “loyal opponent” to my list (right), the Public Transit blog, which is run by Michael Setty. In truth, Michael’s loyalty as an opponent is somewhat questionable as he is more willing to listen to alternative views than some of his more radical smart-growth allies. (I hope I don’t reduce his credibility among his peers by saying so.)
In any case, he has a recent post comparing Houston and Portland traffic in 1993 and 2003. In a nutshell, data presented in the post show that Houston built more freeways, while Portland built light rail. Yet traffic congestion grew faster in Houston than in Portland. “These data suggest,” Michael mildly observes, “that some of the main beneficiaries of Portland’s transit investments may be the drivers who remain on the road.”
Did Portland’s light-rail lines significantly reduce congestion? At first glance, the data seem to say so. While this may be debated at length for years to come, I think there are some alternative explanations.
