If you include the shoulders/break down lanes and hte interchange ramps, this Freeway is 18 lanes wide:



During rush hour traffic slows to a near stop every day in this area.

I ride on surface streets parallel to this freeway - 45mph arterial. They take all the overflow, especialy when there is an accident that closes a few lanes on the freeway.

I like the concept of getting motor vehicles on urban freeways to free up roads for lower speed vehicles. Which on the surface appears not to spawn new buidling in this case as they are put in/widened in already built out areas. (this freeway above was four lanes in the exact same spot 15 years ago when I moved here)

But the reality is that it just enourages more growth in the city edges as more traffic can make it to those further reaches in a timely manner (at least at first 6-12mo, then everyone moves there and that 18 lane freeway becomes a parking lot)

In practice I think more freeways are not the answer.

Al