In a case study, the report spotlights Trenton's Route 29 project, an $85 million, four-lane highway along the Delaware River waterfront. The report shows that traffic delays stemming from the project are so long that it will take ten years for drivers to make up the time and actually benefit from the project.

The report says traditional transportation planning leaves the perspective of individual drivers out of the road-building equation. As a result, projects may meet the goal of accommodating more cars while doing little to improve the commute of those driving now.

Participants in a Thursday press conference in Trenton said NJDOT is planning many new highway projects which could spell years of construction delays to motorists. The projects include the widening of Route 1, Route 1&9, Route 206, Route 46, Route 15, and Route 55. "NJDOT needs to start looking at the costs of construction delays before it submits drivers once again to the orange cone zone," said Marie Curtis, Executive Director of the NJ Environmental Lobby.

In addition to the delays caused by road widening projects, the additional highway space also can attract more drivers, possibly reducing time saving benefits even further. On Route 29, STPP found the project will attract 25 percent more traffic than there would have been without the project. Such added traffic could mean unanticipated congestion.

"This report spotlights an often overlooked flaw in DOT's road-building policy," said Greg Meyer of the Tri-State Transportation Campaign. "Motorists need assurance that years of construction delays will be worth the trouble." The report suggests increasing train and bus service, clearing accidents quickly, and building communities so people need to drive less.

The entire report is available on via the internet from STPP.