Houston's $2.79 Billion Katy Freeway Widening Drove Commute Times Up 51%

3 articles · Updated · spacedaily.com · Aug 1

Peak-hour travel on Houston's rebuilt Katy Freeway rose to 70 minutes in 2014 from 47 minutes in 2011, erasing the early congestion relief promised by the $2.79 billion expansion.
The 2003-2008 project expanded I-10 to as many as 26 total lanes near Beltway 8, but later traffic data showed outbound drive times up 51% and some commutes 23 to 25 minutes longer.
Researchers and planners cite induced demand: adding lane capacity lowers the time cost of driving, drawing more trips, longer commutes and new development until congestion returns.
That pattern has shaped policy debates beyond Houston, with studies finding urban interstate driving rises roughly in proportion to lane miles and Seoul showing traffic can fall after road capacity is cut.
Texas is still pursuing the same strategy on I-45, where TxDOT's North Houston Highway Improvement Project now carries a roughly $13 billion price tag and a completion target around 2038 to 2040.