Despite the fact that Washington, DC grew larger by population and became wealthier between the summers of 2005 and 2008, a Transportation Planning Board report shows that the number of cars registered in the city declined by almost 6%.

Anybody out there still think adding highway capacity solves congestion? When driving is the only option, people drive a whole lot. When transit, cycling and car-sharing are easy, there are fewer cars on the road! Not only do the people who transit, cycle or car-share benefit by virtue of bypassing road congestion altogether for most of theirs trips, those people who continue to drive benefit because… say it with me now… there are fewer cars on the road!

Things can and are changing, America. Don’t let nutjobs like O’Toole convince you otherwise.