[Echoes]

I think the columnist's argument would have been stronger if he had said that traffic congestion will in fact be eased in the near to mid-term, but over the long-term with continued population growth the number of vehicles on the road will grow commensurately and offset the benefits of the added road/bridge capacity.

The thrust of what he is trying to say is that the addition of the bridge and roadways supports and encourages the continued widespread use of the private vehicle for city travel. Continuing to build roads and bridges does not provide a dis-incentive to keep driving and does little to push people from their cars and into other forms of transportation. The bridge supports the status quo, which he has an issue with (I have an issue with the status quo too). That said, I do believe that this bridge is a necessary link in the city's overall roadway system given our growth pattern, and as much as I would like to see the City start providing an efficient and effective transit system (the ultimate solution, IMO), it's just not a realistic option for most at this point.