Opinions are divided on whether money should be spent on constructing railway and subway networks or on expanding and broadening current roads. Although the latter view can be beneficial in theory, I believe that the former is more impactful in practice.
While expanding road networks may seem like an effective solution, this approach faces many significant practical limitations. That is to say, doing so could accommodate growing vehicle numbers in large cities and maintain smooth traffic flow. However, in densely populated urban areas, road widening requires demolishing existing buildings, making it financially and socially impractical. Moreover, even if city planners could overcome these physical constraints, wider roads fail to address the fundamental cause of poor urban planning, characterized by long streets with frequent intersections. Regardless of a road’s width, intersections create unavoidable bottlenecks where vehicles must stop, leading to congestion.
I believe that investing in the development of rail and subway infrastructure is a better solution to reduce traffic jams. When public transit systems are reliable and convenient, they can attract residents away from private vehicles, reducing overall traffic volume. In long run, this approach can significantly decrease the frequency and the severity of traffic jams. Beyond that, unlike road widening projects, railway and subway networks can be more seamlessly integrated into the existing urban landscape by utilizing the space above and below current infrastructure. This strategy is not only more cost-effective but also minimizes disruption during construction, as streets remain partially operational rather than facing complete closure, which would otherwise worsen short-term traffic problems.
In conclusion, I think that money should be allocated to the development of new railway and subway lines to tackle traffic-related issues, as increasing the number of roads or making them wider is not a pratical approach.