With driving down, there's a growing backlash against unnecessary highways

[Josh]

If you're like me and ever felt these DOT "projections" of future usage numbers have been pulled out of someone's ass...... good news! You're right!

https://www.vox.com/2015/6/9/8751917/traffic-forecasts-highway-construction

Some states are finally coming around to this and beginning to push back on these major, wasteful projects. Maybe Florida will too someday, but probably not until 10 years after self-driving cars are the norm.......

[tufsu1]

Unfortunately FDOT can now show traffic counts growing once again throughout Florida.  Fact is, there will be more cars purely because our population is growing as are the # of visitors.  What is still declining is the average vehicle miles traveled per person.

[Know Growth]

"Projections" !  That's a Big One.

I will never forget the Clay County Planning Dept offices circa 1980's- posters postulating on Projected Growth- courtesy of Barnett Bank.

And there was an era when local officials response to citizen's objections to proposed roadways was "DOT wants it". A particular Clay department head was adept at dashing public involvement regards Beltway issues via the quip (all the while,she actually resided in Riverside Avondale  )
I pushed back and for a time,the DOT tossed the hot potato back, made a point to state that the future roadway plans and Boosterism was driven by local government efforts,priorities.

"Sector Plan" planning horizon time frame extension allowed for even heavier weighted "Projections".

Of course,accommodating "Projections" entails coming before the citizens government with request for land use change.

If carefully choreographed,the placement and promotion of "Projected Growth" of "Need" can cause, by design and hope, a sense of finality,futilty,an acceptance of "Inevitable" by the public that further, does not understand it's power and role in addressing the projections request.